Rose
February is the month to celebrate all things love, especially self-love. Rose is one of the classic symbols of vitality and love, and it packs a punch when it comes to skincare.
Rose naturally contains vitamins A, C, D, and E, minerals, and antioxidants. The aromatics of rose have even been found to help alleviate depression (1).
I love that rose can be added to both your professional and at-home skincare regime. You can find rose water in your local grocery store, and in high end products as well. That is a testament to its versatility for sure!
How does rose work?
The most commonly used varieties are Rosa centifolia L. and Rosa damascena. The rose petals and fruit are used for skin care and yield the best rose products for the skin: rose water, rose oil, and rosehip seed oil.
Rose contains unique terpenes, glycosides, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, making it uniquely beneficial for internal and external healing (1). Aromatically, it was observed that rose oil had physiological and psychological relaxation, analgesic and anti-anxiety effects. Specifically, when inhaled, Rose alleviated physical symptoms of stress, and the cortisol levels in males and females dropped significantly.
"Olfactory stimulation by essential oils could produce instant changes in physiological parameters including muscle tension, blood pressure (BP), pulse rate, skin temperature, skin blood flow, electrodermal activity, and brain activity (1)."
The benefits of rose
Hydrating
Supports skin barrier function
Toning, so it soothes redness and inflammation.
Increases collagen production with naturally occurring vitamin A
Regulates sebum (oil) production
Rose is widely used because of its calming and healing abilities. Professionally, rose is an excellent ingredient to incorporate into a healing regime because all skin types can benefit. Rose water gives an instant plump, hydrated effect, and rosehip seed is nourishing and vitamin packed to support healing.
This anti-inflammatory flower can be added to your regime as a toner, hydration booster, to your mask, serum, or even your moisturizer.
Rose-based products that I recommend
It's said that it takes over fifty thousand petals to produce one ounce of oil. While that isn't necessarily sustainable, there are ways to lessen the impact, such as buying diluted oil or floral water.
Typically skin-specific rose products contain a small amount of natural rose oil; this curbs your environmental impact and assures you are getting the right amount of rose for your skin! Rose water is easily accessible and a natural byproduct of essential oil distillation. Rose water has incredible benefits and is a great way to increase skin hydration.
I love the Earth Harbor Tidal Rose spray. It’s a multi-use natural toner, hydration enhancer, and makeup setter, Tidal Rose infuses nutrient-dense seaweed, rose quartz, and Rosa damascena flower water.
It's the ultimate flower bomb, a full dose of self-love with rose, lilac, and ivy. The hyper hydrating seaweed and rose plumps skin instantly.
1. Mohebitabar S, Shirazi M, Bioos S, Rahimi R, Malekshahi F, Nejatbakhsh F. Therapeutic efficacy of rose oil: A comprehensive review of clinical evidence. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2017;7(3):206-213.