Roses aren’t just about the pretty flowers and delicate petals. The Rosehip, is amazingly versatile and beneficial in natural skincare. Organic cold-pressed rosehip oil is an ingredient I come back to time and time again in my natural and organic skin care formulas - and is probably the reason I very first became interested in natural skincare.
In 1999 I travelled around South East Asia and Australia and it was there that I first came across Rosehip Seed oil. I bought my first bottle and every evening I would massage a few drops into my skin. Of course fine lines, wrinkles and signs of aging weren’t a worry back then but I loved the way the oil left my skin feeling soft, smooth and glowing. Nearly twenty five years later, and I’m still in love with (and in awe of) this wonderful ingredient found in nature’s larder.
Roses conjure up so many images – they are the quintessential English garden flower; they are the florists favourite – red for romance, yellow for friendship; white for purity, loyalty and eternal love. There are so many varieties too - tea roses, dog roses, damask roses, rambling roses, bourbon roses.
Roses have been used and written about for centuries. They have been used by the Greeks, the Persians, the Egyptians, the Romans and are still used today.
They remain a key ingredient in some of the most expensive and famous perfumes; they are used for their medicinal properties and are used in some of the best natural skincare formulations due to the benefits they have on our skin.
They are also found in the kitchen: the Victorians used them in pastries and sweets; rose water is used to flavour Turkish delight and it’s traditionally also used in Middle Eastern and North African cooking to season savoury dishes too.
Roses work on a physical and emotional level across different cultures too and they are used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat tiredness, muscular aches and pains, excessive heat, pimples and digestive problems - to name but a few.
Roses are delicate, precious, expensive and roses smell exquisite. Rose essential oil is expensive and it’s no wonder why: they say it takes 4 tonnes of rose petals to make 1 kilo of essential oil; that’s a lot of roses.
And when it comes to the best organic skincare, roses have so many benefits….
The flowers and buds are used to produce essential oils, hydrosols and infusions. Roses are suitable for all skin types including sensitive skins (unless of course you happen to be allergic to them).
Rose is balancing, soothing, calming, anti-inflammatory and harmonising but is also stimulating, astringent, toning, cleansing and antibacterial.
A strong infusion of organic Rose Petals helps to treat blackheads, acne and pimples. Due to their toning and mildly astringent properties, organic rose petals are good for cleansing our skin. It is precisely why I use an organic rose petal infusion in Sweet Cheeks non-foaming face wash and Scrub Up exfoliator.
Dry, mature & sensitive skins will love the balancing and rejuvenating effects that roses can have on our skin – I use organic rose hydrosol in my firming and plumping serum, A Little Lift.
Organic rose water is also a major ingredient in Freshen Up hydrating skin tonic. This product is versatile as it hydrates the skin and at the same time tones it. It also makes a great pick-me up during the day thanks to its hydrating properties and refreshing aroma. A few spritzes are enough to lift you from an afternoon slump and it’s great for travelling too.
It’s great for soothing, moisturising, softening and repairing damaged skin. It’s one of the best vegetable sources of omega 3 and a good source of omega 6. These are essential fatty acids which can help to balance, regenerate and repair our skin.
Rosehip contains natural tretinoin, a form of vitamin A, which has so many benefits for our skin. It can help to clear and heal acne, treat sun damaged skin and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Rose, in one form or another, is probably my favourite ingredient and the one I use most often in my natural skincare formulations.
For me, roses are a love affair to last a lifetime - not just for valentines.
