Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Roses



Time for another educational post. This time another favorite of mine-Roses.

Roses have been used for medecine, perfume, and to flavor foods for thousands of years (yes they taste good, too). All roses are non-toxic, astringent, healing to the skin, anti-inflammatory, regulate female hoemones, laxative, liver and blood cleansers. Plus the fruit, or hips, are higher in Vitamin C than citrus fruits. So if you have look at the bottles of chewable Vitamin C tablets, they are usually made with rosehips.

Not all roses are fragrant. Some will bloom continuously some bloom only once and they're done. They have a very low essential oil content so it takes an enormous quantity of rose petals to make a little bit of oil. It takes 30,000-50,000 pounds of roses to produce 1 pound of essential oil. Now, you know why the oil is so expensive! Thankfully, it's also a very potent oil so that expensive little vial of rose oil will last a really long time.

Although all these roses won't make much essential oil, they will make LOTS of rosewater. So if you can't afford the essential oil try purchasing the Hydrosol. It can be used as a body spray, linen spray and in foods for flavor. It's the original flavoring agent for the soft candy known as Turkish Delight.

One drop of essential oil on pulse points makes a fabulous, long-lasting, all natural perfume. Roses are also used to keep skin young looking, and to treat thread veins and redness. If you have delicate, sensitve, inflamed, mature or dry skin-rose is what you need. I love to combine roses with german chamomile, with a little calendula and lavender sometimes. They combination smells wonderful and heals your skin, and keeps you beautiful.

Any questions? Leave a comment or you can contact me through any of my stores.

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