DIY Beauty Treatments … It’s All About The Roses

While browsing the news the other day, I came across an article that discussed Valentine’s Day floral statistics (see here). No breaking news (yes, Valentine’s Day is the no. 1 holiday for florists and yes, most fresh flower purchases are made on Valentine’s Day), but it made me wonder what happens with all these flowers, mostly roses, once they’re past their prime. I don’t want to say it sounds like a waste, as I do love fresh flowers and purchase them for myself every now and then (okay fairly often, flowers make me happy and brighten my day).

So let’s talk about roses. I love, love the scent of a rose, but even if you’re not too keen on the fragrance itself, perhaps learning about the wonderful properties of these flowers might sway you.

Rose Petals

Ancient Greeks and Romans used to use rose petals and rose water routinely in their beauty routines. The natural oils and sugars found in rose petals provide moisture and hydration to the skin and soothe dry and sensitive areas. The skin is left feeling soft and looking radiant. It is important to use rose petals from an organic source or from your garden, but chances are most of us will be buying from a local grocery store or florist. Given that nowadays roses are heavily sprayed with chemicals, make sure to always rinse the petals in cool water to remove any chemicals before using in beauty treatments.

~ Rose Petal Sugar Scrub for lips and body ~

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 TBSP olive oil

Petals from 3-4 roses

Add in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Package in a glass jar with lid and store at room temp for a few weeks. Good for the body and for the lips. Use once or twice a week.

Rose Water

Rose water has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which make it an amazing toner that helps prep the skin before applying a serum and a moisturizer. As a toner, rose water works wonders on any type of skin: it can help soothe sensitive skin, balance oily skin, revitalize and add radiance to the normal skin and rejuvenate, soften and tone mature skin. Add a few drops onto a cotton pad and massage onto the face using circular motions. Rose water can also be used as a refreshing mist for the skin, to nourish it and add radiance or to spray onto a room or linens for a relaxing and soothing ambiance. Rose water can be found at health food stores (such as WholeFoods or Trader Joe’s) or you can make your own. It’s such a simple recipe, all you need is rose petals and water!

~ Rose Water Recipe ~

1 cup rose petals (firmly packed)

2 cups water (distilled or purified is preferred)

Boil 2 cups of water and pour the hot water over the rose petals. Cover the bowl with a lid or plate and allow the rose petals to steep for 30 minutes. Strain it thru a coffee filter or funnel. Package in a jar, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Hair and Scalp Benefits

Coconut oil is notorious for having healing and nourishing properties and for working wonders on dry and brittle hair. The properties of rose water, while less talked about, are just as impressive. Rose water revitalizes the scalp, by healing and soothing dry and itchy areas. Incorporating rose water into your hair care routine also helps promote hair growth as it enables an increase in blood flow to the hair follicles thus making the roots stronger. You definitely want to take care of your scalp and incorporate natural remedies every few weeks, as the scalp is the area where you are more likely to use harsh shampoos several times a week.

~ Rose and Coconut Hair Mask ~

2 TBSP rose water

½ cup fresh rose petals

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 TBSP olive oil (optional, but I always add)

Melt the coconut oil on the stovetop. Add the rose water, rose petals and olive oil. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Strain thru a coffee filter or funnel.

Apply the oil to your scalp and hair and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Rinse, shampoo and condition as usual. Hair mask should be used once or twice a month.

This post provided me with the opportunity to sit and inhale the heavenly fragrance of roses and rave about my numerous rose beauty tips. What are some of your favorite beauty tips?