The Beauty Benefits of Roses

Roses are known worldwide as symbols of love. Around Valentine’s Day, roses are commercialized and shoved into our faces repeatedly enough to the point that no one in the world can think about the holiday of love without thinking of the flower. We’ve been told that when given red roses, we’re being shown undying love. Roses, whatever you think of them, are pretty and smell nice, but what if I were to tell you that there’s more to them than meets the eye?

For centuries, roses have been used in beauty products because of their healing properties and natural scent—dating as far back as the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. It is said the Ancient Egyptians would boil down whole roses to create a balm full of healing properties. They’d also use scented oils, including rose, to both cleanse and protect their skin against the harsh desert winds. Ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra is known to have taken baths filled with rose petals. Roses are natural gifts from the earth, so it’s no surprise that they’ve become a staple in both the mainstream beauty and skincare industry. Centuries and centuries later, we’re still learning about and reaping the benefits of roses as a main ingredient in those products today.

I have fallen in love with rose-infused products as of late, and I want to shine a spotlight on this all-natural ingredient. Let’s talk about roses, and why they deserve every ounce of attention they get, and the skincare products I use with rose in them.

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Beneficial properties of roses:

1) Hydration

Roses provides powerful hydration for all skin-types, thanks to the fact that it protects your skin’s natural barrier against moisture loss and pollution entering the skin. Rose also helps hydrate dry, dull, or irritated skin by soothing and healing it. Don’t let the extra moisture deter you if you don’t have dry skin—products with a rose ingredient will lock in moisture and prevent excess oils from forming by creating excess water content.

2) Toning + balancing

Rose ingredients will also leave your skin feeling toned and balanced by tightening your pores, restoring suppleness, and giving skin a natural, radiant glow. Roses also have astringent properties that help lift dirt and oil to maintain the skin’s natural pH balance.

3) Anti-inflammatory

Thanks to the powerful anti-inflammatory benefits of roses, when incorporated in skincare it can be used to help reduce redness and calm down irritated skin. This is especially helpful for people with skin conditions such as rosacea or eczema. Added bonus? It leaves your skin feeling calm all day long.

4) Anti-aging

One of nature’s natural, anti-aging products, roses truly pack a punch with both vitamins A and C. These vitamins are known for aiding in collagen production—a peptide our skin produces naturally to give our skin that supple, plump, and youthful look. Production of collagen starts decreasing in your 20’s, so having ingredients that can help promote and stimulate that production helps keep skin from aging and also diminishes the appearance of fine-lines. Vitamin C also helps improve brightness and tone, as well as aid in protecting skin from the sun.

5) Antioxidants

Thanks to the powerful antioxidants naturally found in roses, the flower also helps strengthen skin cells, regenerate skin tissue, and provide anti-aging benefits with protection from free radicals. When free radicals enter our body, they can leave behind a decrease in the skin’s structure, ultimately resulting in premature aging. Yeah, no, thank you.

6) Fights + prevents acne

When incorporated into skin care, roses can help fight acne by reducing oil and controlling excess oil production. In addition, due to natural antibacterial properties, rose is safe to use on sensitive, damaged skin. Rose also doesn’t contain alcohol, so it won’t strip your skin of the needed, natural oils and moisture that are there to prevent bacteria from entering, thus causing acne flare ups.

7) Naturally fragrant + relaxing

As nice as it may be when products have added fragrance to them, that fragrance can sometimes be irritating to the skin and leave it looking and feeling unbalanced. Because roses are naturally fragrant, there’s never a need to add any other scent, which is why it’s safe for even the most sensitive of skin! (Side note: I have sensitive skin and have found that rose doesn’t irritate it at all.) Additionally, roses actually have aromatherapy benefits that can heal and soothe the mind. The scent from rose essential oil is also believed to provide a mood boost and help people who suffer from depression and anxiety.

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Forms of rose in beauty products:

1) Rose water

Frequently used in religious ceremonies, rose water is a by-product of distilling rose petals and water to create rose oil. Rose water is also believed to relieve anxiety and promote emotional well-being.

2) Rose oil

Also known as “rose otto”, “rose attar”, “attar of roses”, or “rose essence”, rose oil is the essential oil extracted from various types of rose. These oils are extracted through distillation, and are beloved for their emollient healing properties that help reduce inflammation. Two major species of rose are used in the production of rose oil:

• Rosa damascena—the damask rose, which is widely grown in Bulgaria, Syria, Turkey, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, India, Uzbekistan, and China
• Rosa centifolia—the cabbage rose, typically grown in Morocco, France, and Egypt.

3) Rosehip seed oil

Unlike other forms of rose, rosehip seed oil comes from the fruit of the rose plant rather than the petals. Rosehip seed oil is especially great for those with mature and damaged skin, along with sufferers from skin conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema.

4) Rose petals

Beloved by all cultures for centuries, it’s believed that the Ancient Greeks and Romans used to sprinkle rose petals for perfume baths. Additionally, Cleopatra was known to incorporate rose petals into both her bathing and beauty rituals, and also sprinkle them on the floor of banquet halls. Now, rose petals are used a multitude of ways for both their skin and hair benefits. Try tapping into your inner goddess by treating yourself to a rose petal milk bath, which can be made from Epsom salt, rose essential oil, dried rose petals, and powdered coconut milk.

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The skincare products I use with rose ingredients:

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of these brands. All of these products were purchased of my own volition, and all opinions are my own.

Infused with natural origin rose water and hyaluronic acid, this moisturizer goes on like a dream and leaves your face feeling fresh and moisturized. I’ve just recently started using this product because I found my old moisturizer wasn’t cutting it anymore, and I wanted something safe for sensitive skin. With this water cream formula, my skin is now getting replenished with hydration all day long. I apply this morning and night after my eye cream.

Fourth Ray Beauty Rose Face Milk

Rose ingredient: rose & rose centifolia extract

I’d been coveting this for awhile, and finally took a chance and made the purchase when I bought my newest moisturizer (as mentioned above). This face milk is essentially a lightweight moisturizer intended to soothe skin and is safe for sensitive skin as well. This product smells amazing—and I mean amazing. The rose scent isn’t overpowering at all, but it always makes me so happy and calm. (Who doesn’t like smelling good things?) What I really love about this face milk though, aside from the fact that the smell is to die for, is the fact that it leaves my skin feeling nourished and soothed. It locks in moisture all day long and keeps my skin looking dewy throughout; it also lays flawlessly on top of all of my other skincare products. I use this rose face milk every morning after my moisturizer (last step in my skin care routine), and always, always, always before I apply makeup (as a primer).

ArtNaturals Rosehip Oil

Rose ingredient: rosehip oil (also known as rosehip seed oil)

The best part about this rosehip oil? It’s the only ingredient in the entire bottle. Yup, that’s right: this is 100% pure, cold-pressed rosehip oil from Ukraine. 100% pure and natural, this bottle gives you a full 4 fL oz with a 48 month shelf-life, and a little goes a long way. I use this every night after my moisturizer (on top of all my other face products), and each morning I wake up to smooth, soft skin. The only teensy-tiny complaint I have about this product is that it’s orange and can turn your skin orange if you use too much (hence why I said a little goes a long way!), which is why I use it at nighttime [because I’m not going out of the house and don’t have to worry about it.] But don’t let that small fact deter you: by the time I go to bed my skin’s usually returned to normal color, and if not, it’s completely normal again in the morning. This is only $18 and worth it. Rosehip oil is the real deal.

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