6 Must Know Benefits of Rose for Skin Care! Rose the 'Forgotten Queen'

"Just like the rose holds her beauty among the thorns - we can gather our strength from the most unlikely places." 

- Christine Evangelou

That's me standing in recognition of wearing a leopard print visor from Miami harvesting my Nana's wild rose bushes amidst our lush green Northwestern Ontario vegetation. And then all of a sudden just like that we are a Golden Girl! But I digress from our topic of Rose the Forgotten Queen.

Hildegard of Bingen in the 12th century states that, “Rose strengthens any potion or ointment or any other medication when it is added to it." 

When we created our blends originally for ‘maturing,’ dry and damaged skin, we wanted the Queen of high vibes in our formulas. Although we get excited about working with new plants and herbs on the daily, we keep coming back to the awe inspiring transcendental nature of the rose.

We know that rose oil carries the highest frequency or vibration and when added to any other blend of oils, raising the total healing vibration of that blend. The Arab physician, Avicenna studied the healing power of rose at length and produced a whole book on it. Most likely, he was the first one to actually distill rose oil. Prior to that, rose water was produced by enfleurage, a process of pressing the petals along with a vegetable oil to extract the essence.

Traditionally, rose oil and rose water have been used for thousands of years for skin care. Evidence can be found for its use in ancient Egypt, Persia, India, Greece and Rome. Rose enhanced other treatments for the body and soul. This flower through the ages has been used especially for women with the Greeks referring to it as the "Queen of flowers." The Virgin Mary has been referred to in the mystical tradition as the "Rose," the "Mystic Rose," the "Queen of the Most Holy Rose Garden," and the "Holy Rose." All of these are images of Mary as the Queen of all Heaven and Earth. 

Rose flowers are edible and are traditionally made into jam in many parts of the world. Petals can be put into salads, drinks, fruit salads, made into wild soda, icing, and so on. The leaves are also edible and can be put into salad, and pesto, etc. Rose petals can also be put into honey for sore throats, to stop bleeding and help minor wounds heal or to simply sweeten your tea. 

Rose is a powerful vulnerary that reduces pain, heat and inflammation in wounds and helps heal skin abrasions, rashes, bites, and stings. Rose is specific for excess heat and is a supremely good cooling remedy. it is a good decongestant. Rose water can be very good to use topically on heat rash, hives, or any other hot skin conditions. Rose is a vulnerary that helps heal inflamed and irritated tissue both internally and topically. Although, we are careful with how much of the volatile oil we use in our blends because you must use it with care. 

Rose Skin Care Benefits:

Benefit 1: Rich in Antioxidants
This is one of the major benefits that roses and rose water can bring to the skin. The antioxidants in rose help to strengthen skin cells, which in turn, can help rejenerate skin tissues. On top of this, the antioxidants in roses work to neutralize free radicals, which can provide anti-aging benefits to the skin as well.

Benefit 2: Healing Hydrator
While roses are great for all skin types, it is especially great for dry skin due to its extremely moisturizing properties that can help to soothe itchiness. Roses used in the form of an essential oil can also be a great way to moisturize the skin, while protecting it from moisture loss and keeping the moisture barrier strong. Even for those who do not suffer from dry skin, the hydration that roses provide can be extremely beneficial, as it helps to balance the hydration in the skin.

Benefit 3: Wrinkle Eraser
Besides being filled with antioxidants, rose water and rose oils are also packed with vitamin A and C, which can help with aging skins. Apart from smoothing the appearance of wrinkles, these vitamins help to reduce the look of age spots on the skin and aid with collagen production. While rose essential oil and rose water are both derived from rose petals, rose hip seed oil is actually from the small fruits that appear on the rose plants, which are a natural source of retinol.

Benefit 4: Redness Soother
Rose has tons of anti-inflammatory benefits, which can help reduce the appearance of redness on the skin. Part of its moisturizing properties also aid in soothing redness and irritation in the skin, as well. Rose hip oil, apart from being great for anti-aging, the combination of antioxidants and fatty acids in rose hip oil make it beneficial for soothing skin inflammation, including eczema.

Benefit 5: Oil Reducer
When it comes to moisturizing the skin, rose water helps to balance out moisture, meaning it can help to control excess oil production. With this ingredient being so deeply hydrating, it increases water content in the skin as opposed to the level of oils; there are also astringent properties in roses that help to lift dirt and oil from the skin to help it maintain its natural pH balance.

Benefit 6: Natural Sun Care
When a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin E, rose petals act as an excellent sunblock. Make a lotion by mixing cucumber juice, glycerin, and crushed rose petals or rose water, apply it on your skin before heading out in the sun. 

If you have more questions about using rose or want to share your experiences let us know in the comments below. If there is any other plant or herb you would like to find out more about, please ask! Want to get your high vibe Hotty on!? Visit us at bee23.ca💋