Rose has always symbolised beauty and virtue hence it is no surprise that this pretty natural bloom found its way into skincare. Asides the beauty and freshness associated with rose, some of its extracts are also known to have great therapeutic benefits to the hair and skin.
Of these extracts, two seem to be highly significant and more commonly used in skincare products- Rose de Mai and Rosa Damascena. Although both are used interchangeably, there exists a bit of difference between them.
Rose de Mai
Also known as Rosa centifolia (cabbage rose), Rose de Mai is popularly grown and harvested in Grasse, France. Amazingly, it is only harvested in the month of May. The flower is said to be at its best in the early hours of the day, hence once they are picked, they immediately undergo a distillation process to extract what is called pure rose water.
Rose de Mai has a lovely, clear sweet scent infused with light notes of honey and as such, is commonly used in perfumes or as an additional fragrance to skincare products. The pure rose water extracted from the flower also has a rich vitamin C content and is thus effective in reducing signs of aging. Its high moisturizing properties also makes it more advantageous in skincare.
Rosa Damascena
Popularly known as damask rose, Rosa Damascena is a crossbreed of the Rosa gallica, Rosa fedtschenkoana and Rosa moschata species. It is cultivated largely in Europe and areas of the Middle East such as Egypt, Western Asia and Turkey. The roses range from bright pink to light red, in colour. Like Rose de Mai, damask rose also has a lovely fragrance and is extracted by distillation. It is used in perfumes, skincare products and as flavorings in foods and candies.
Rose Damascena has some therapeutic benefits hence why it is used in skincare. It has high anti-inflammatory properties and can thus be used to treat acne, redness and other skin inflammations. Its mild astringent properties makes it a good ingredient in face toners.
Roses are not just beautiful to behold, after all. You should have a feel of its therapeutic benefits on your skin. For more of rose in your skincare, click here.
