Pruning Lavender at Paradise Botanical Garden

Video

Hello natural beauties how are you? I’ve been a bit slack with my posts but I am caring for my elderly parents and that takes up a lot of time. I was happy to escape to Paradise Botanical Garden last week to get some fresh air and help the garden. My job was cutting the lavender and it was a joyous, and cold morning. Avoiding the bees was my biggest challenge.

 

Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here:

suzannerbanks.com.au

                     Digital downloads and paper backs of my book                              Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils here:

Barnes & Noble      Booktopia AU      Amazon UK

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The garden on the Central Coast just north of Sydney will be having an open weekend with local businesses selling their wares, from refreshments to aromatherapy. Come and visit on the first weekend of August 2020.

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

Make 5 Quick and Easy Perfumes with Only 3 Essential Oils in Each Creation

Video

Hello natural beauties how are you? After my last blog with poetry about flowers, I feel we need a little bit more inspiration to unlock our hearts and minds during this weird time. Here are a few perfumes you can make in a minute with just 3 essential oils and a few drops of carrier oil.

 

Buy my 100% natural and organic botanical perfumes, and paperback book here:

suzannerbanks.com.au

                     Digital downloads and paper backs of my book                              Revelation! Reveal your Destiny with Essentials Oils here:

Barnes & Noble      Booktopia AU      Amazon UK

_____________________________________________________________________________

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in


Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first! You could use almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba, grapeseed, sunflower, and many more.

clove studded oranges


Heart

1 x drop cedarwood Atlas

1 x drop lavender

1 x drop orange


Sparkling Butterfly

1 x drop lime

1 x drop geranium

1 x nutmeg


Elemental Energy

1 x drop Siberian fir

1 x drop lemon

1 x drop amber

a fir forest in Finland borrowed from cartinafinland.fi

Sunset

1 x drop Australian sandalwood

1 x drop ylang ylang

1 x petitgrain


Fireside Kisses

1 x drop bergamot

1 x drop peru balsam

3 x drops rose in 3% jojoba * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Rose is the Queen of oils

I hope you enjoy these easy recipes xoxo

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.

10 Recipes with Roman Chamomile Essential Oil – Anthemis nobilis

Chamomile - sweet flower, sweet scent

Chamomile – sweet flower, sweet scent

My last post went into a bit more detail about the beautiful essential oil of Roman Chamomile, so for a bit of background click here to check it out. Then lets get into some recipes!

An important note here is about how you are likely to buy this oil. As it tends to be one of the more expensive essential oils, you may find it in a 3% jojoba blend. For more info on this kind of essential oil see my article  3% blends in jojoba.

I’ll do a few recipes with 100% essential oil and a few with 3% in jojoba.

Recipes using Roman chamomile 3% in Jojoba

1. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras always patch test first!

“Divine”

Use straight from the bottle as a pure perfume and I promise you will not be disappointed by the scent

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Serene”

Anoint yourself before meditation –

Roman chamomile 3%      4 drops

Frankincense                     1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Angels Please Surround Me”

Roman chamomile 3%      3 drops

Rose Geranium                 1 drop

Bergamot                          1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Soothe and Comfort”

For you or someone who needs it –

Roman chamomile 3%       4 drops

Rose 3%                            2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifyng mask. pic vis chiclooking.com

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifyng mask. pic vis chiclooking.com

2. Face Mask

Usually add 1 or 2 drops of oil to some clay and add water, floral water or hydrosol

Roman chamomile 3%   3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

Recipes using Roman chamomile essential oil 100% pure

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend - pic via redbookmag.com

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend – pic via redbookmag.com

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“From Hot to Cool”

To soothe tired skin and muscles –

Roman chamomile   2 drops

Marjoram                 3 drops

Lavender                 3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Marshmallows”

For soft, lovely skin –

Roman chamomile    3 drops

Pink grapefruit           2 drops

Palmarosa                 1 drop

Patchouli                   1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————–

Just use any mist bottle you can find

Just use any mist bottle you can find

2. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil

(depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)

“De-Stress”

Roman chamomile         8 drops

Cedarwood Virginiana    6 drops

Orange                          8 drops

Nutmeg                         3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Pink Bubbles”

Surround and protect yourself with Shakti Gawain’s pink bubble of love –

Roman chamomile       7 drops

Mandarin                      8 drops

Cinnamon                     6 drops

Vanilla CO2                  4 drops * see my article for more info on CO2 extracts What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

——————————————————————————————————————

“Petit”

Let big problems become small problems –

Roman chamomile       8 drops

Juniper                         8 drops

Lime                             8 drops

Vetiver                          1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

copyright suzanne

 

 

10 Recipes with Mandarin Essential Oil – Citrus reticulata

Mandarins are colourful, tasty and smell wonderful!

Mandarins are colourful, tasty and smell wonderful!

Oh the lovely scent of mandarin could make anyone happy! I rate all the citrus oils as happiness oils as they’re so fresh and light and zingy and sparkly.

Mandarin essential oil is different to orange oil, just as the fruit is different. It is a deeper, more red colour than orange oil, which can vary from light orange to yellow. The deepness of the colour adds to the unique properties of mandarin oil as red connects us with the base chakra, which is all about survival and all the necessities to live. When taking in this information and combining it with the mouth watering scent of the fruit, mandarin essential oil can open our minds to the big concepts of the universe.

In aromatherapy mandarin oil does not have a lot of therapeutic uses but can be used for –

* improving digestion (by using externally not internally, or drinking tea made with the rind)

* alleviating stress and improving relaxation

* counteracting stretch marks in pregnancy

I use it to connect us to the simple – yet huge – concepts of how the universe works.

Let’s get into some recipes –

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

 

yum!

yum!

**** the basic rule when using citrus oils in an oil blend all over your body is not to go out and sun bake or expose yourself to massive amounts of sunlight as these oils may cause a photo toxic reaction.

“Love and Happiness”

Explains itself really –

Mandarin    3 drops

Rose 3%   10 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

“Tra La La”

Get some happiness in your body –

Mandarin             3 drops

Rose geranium    2 drops

Palmarosa           2 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“64 Tetrahedron Grid”

Slip into the magic of the universe –

Mandarin         4 drops

Lemongrass    2 drops

Vetiver             1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

Sexy black diffuser from puzhen.com

2. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Release the Day”

Let go of all things from the day –

Mandarin          10 drops

Cypress              8 drops

Lemongrass       6 drops

Sage                  1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Fun Kids Party”

Mandarin       12 drops

Cinnamon       6 drops

Peru Balsam  7 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Meditation and Contemplation”

Scented relaxation –

Mandarin          8 drops

Frankincense   12 drops

Lavender          5 drops

—————————————————————————————————————–

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

3. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Life is Easy”

Flow –

Mandarin      1 drop

Melissa 3%   2 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

Spikenard     1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————–

“Joy”

Appreciate the little things in life –

Mandarin        1 drop

Jasmine 3%    2 drops  * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

Mandarin lips! pic via www.beautezine.com

Mandarin lips! pic via http://www.beautezine.com

“Smile and Laugh”

Even if you have to force yourself, smile at someone and the rewards will be great –

Mandarin      1 drop

Rosewood    1 drop

May Chang   1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Chill”

Mandarin           1 drop

Pink Grapefruit   1 drop

Clove                 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

 

 

Cedarwood Virginiana Has a Secret!

Cedarwood virginiana - pic via botany.csdl.tamu.edu

Cedarwood virginiana – pic via botany.csdl.tamu.edu

Cedarwood Virginiana has a secret – it’s a juniper tree! It’s botanical name is Juniperus virginiana but in Aromatherapy today it’s referred to as a cedarwood. I’ve always seen this tree and oil referred to as cedarwood and perhaps it’s because this native to North America is commonly called Red Cedar and/or Aromatic cedar, and a few other names too! It is from the Cupressacae family and the Juniperus genus whereas Cedarwood Atlas (Cedrus atlantica), for example, is from the Pinacae family and the Cedrus genus. Himalayan cedarwood (Cedrus deodora) is from the Pinacae family and the Cedrus genus too.

So back to our Cedarwood Virginiana. You can see by the pic above it has berries like a juniper tree, and leaves like a cypress, but the oil is very different from juniper essential oil and cypress essential oil. This essential oil is thick and creamy and smells like it could easily come from a wood, but also carries a very cleansing energy about it like juniper. I think in my very early days of aromatherapy I blended this oil like it was a basey wood and was never disappointed with the results. I’ve even read a description of the scent of this oil as “pencil- like” and it is also referred to as a pencil cedar , as the heartwood has been used to make lead pencils.

Eastern Red Cedar pic via www.realchristmastrees.org

Eastern Red Cedar pic via http://www.realchristmastrees.org

In Native American medicine this common tree has been used for respiratory infections and other ailments including arthritis and rheumatism, skin disorders and as a treatments for venereal infections (according to Salvatore Battaglia).

In Aromatherapy today Cedarwood Virginiana is used –

* as a treatment for oily and acne skin

* as a treatment for other skin conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis

*  as a soothing treatment for coughs and colds and as an expectorant

* to induce more spiritual connectedness

* as a space/energy cleanser

I’ve always loved using this oil so check out some simple recipes –

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

1. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil

“Psychic Awareness”

Open your upper chakras –

Cedarwood Virginiana   2 drops

Mandarin                       1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————–

“A New Start”

Cleanse and refresh you attitude –

Cedarwood Virginiana 1 drop

Lemon                         1 drop

Rose Geranium            1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“And… Breathe!”

Take a quite moment for yourself –

Cedarwood Virginiana    1 drop

Roman Chamomile 3%  3 drops   * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend - pic via redbookmag.com

Nourish your body with a beautiful oil blend – pic via redbookmag.com

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and  “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Classic”

This is my go-to classic body oil blend –

Cedarwood Virginiana   2 drops

Orange                          4 drops

Lavender                       2 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Give Me Strength”

A warming blend for courage and physical strength –

Cedarwood Virginiana  2 drops

Bergamot                     3 drops

Rosewood                   3 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Expand Your Consciousness with 10 Natural Pulse Point Perfumes

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

Anoint yourself with pure essential oil blends

If you’ve been with me the past couple of weeks I’ve been talking about 2014 being a year in which we are called to seek the truth and expand our consciousness. This will not only help you evolve and grow but in turn will send your ripples out into the universe to join with others in the necessary and imminent jump in consciousness for humanity. Look I know it may sound heavy to newcomers of the revolution but it’s easy really – just be mindful of your purchases and know where all your food comes from, be kind to people and animals, voice your opinion and champion the cause of the underdog, stand up for the planet and use essential oils.

One of the easiest ways to use essential oils is to make a little perfume to dab on your wrists (to sniff during the day), your heart (open to the love), your third eye chakra (see the truth) and anywhere else you fancy.

Chinese tea cup - perfect for a little perfume magic

Chinese tea cup – perfect for a little perfume magic

Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix essential oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras. Use 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil (almond, sunflower, grapeseed, jojoba) – always patch test first!

Here are a few recipes to make a quick difference in your life –

“I Once Was a River”

Flow with the space-time continuum –

Cardamom    1 drop

Rosewood     1 drop

Lemongrass   1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Tiger’s Eye”

See clearly and try to be objective –

Frankincense    1 drop

Clary Sage        1 drop

Orange             1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————–

red roses

“I’m Lovin’ Myself Sick”

Love yourself, it just gets better when you do –

Rose 3% – use it straight from the bottle

* see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

“No More Nervous Nelly”

Reduce the amount of cortisol in your body by chilling out and stressing less –

Neroli 3% – use it straight from the bottle

* see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

——————————————————————————————————————

we are one

we are one

“Meditate More”

Says it all really –

Lavender       1 drop

Mandarin       1 drop

Vetiver           1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Intergalactic”

The truth is out there (it’s in here too) –

Basil           1 drop

Petitgrain   1 drop

Juniper       1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

"The Black Peal" pic via crystalinks.com

“The Black Peal” pic via crystalinks.com

“Seek”

You are the seeker – what will you find? –

Sage     1 drop

Lime     2 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

“Macro to Micro”

We are a star, an ocean, the wind …….

Sandalwood Mysore    1 drop

Lemon                         2 drops

——————————————————————————————————————

accept everything good

accept everything good

 

“Amazing Opportunities are Coming My Way”

It’s all about pure potentiality –

Petitgrain                   2 drops

Cedarwood Virginian 1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

“Lions and Tigers and Bears”

Be courageous –

Black pepper    1 drop

Black Spruce    1 drop

Palmarosa         1 drop

——————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

The Lovers – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

The Lovers - # 6 from the Rider-Waite deck

The Lovers – VI from the Rider-Waite deck

Ah the lovers. It’s always interesting when this card shows up in reading because there is hidden meaning in the symbols – as with all the tarot cards. When I was learning the tarot I always remembered this card was just as much about choice, as about love. You can see the resemblance to The Devil which is very much about choice.

The Devil - XV from the Rider-Waite deck

The Devil – XV from the Rider-Waite deck

Our lovers stand before us, naked, and representing Adam and Eve, with the apple tree and the snake in the background. The apples represent the choices between right and wrong, good and evil; however we know these degrees of behaviour lie within us, not without.The Bible story tells us that Eve had a choice to eat the apple or not. She did. The rest is history (or should I say her-story).

The sun is shining brightly indicating happiness and growth, and the 12 flamed tree behind our man indicates the 12 zodiac signs and his greatest desire for passion and sex.

Love - pic via eofdreams.com

Love – pic via eofdreams.com

And yes this card is about LOVE! Maybe it has popped up in your reading because you’ve just met someone interesting, maybe it’s because you are looking for love or maybe you need to love yourself more before you can share with another?

There is duality in this card as it is ruled by Gemini so these two could even be seen as the masculine and feminine parts of yourself, and a desire to achieve inner harmony. The love in this card is divined by God, represented by Archangel Raphael who is the healer. Maybe some of your relationships need healing?

Hey – and maybe this card is just about good old fashioned romantic love, orchestrated by the angels and created by you.

Let’s get into some great essential oils for love:

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

The classic Duralex glass dish is a handy thing to mix your oil blends and quick perfumes in

1. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Feminine Love”

Nurture yourself –

Rose 3% straight from the bottle        * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

————————————————————————————————————————————–

“Butterflies”

When you are a bit nervous with a new love or a first date –

Neroli 3% straight from the bottle        * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“Come Hither”

Oils for seduction –

Ylang Ylang     1 drop

Sandalwood    1 drop

Mandarin         1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————————————

oil burner

An oil burner with a candle helps transform stagnating energy

2. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“I’m Gonna Love You, Love You, Love You”

Get in the mood –

Cocoa CO2                  8 drops *

Orange                         5 drops

Cedarwood Virginian    6 drops

Palmarosa                    6 drops

* see my article for more info on CO2 extracts What are CO2 Extracts in the World of Aromatherapy?

————————————————————————————————————————————–

“Love is in the Air”

Try this light and breezy love blend –

Bergamot        12 drops

Patchouli           5 drops

Rosewood        8 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

 

The Perfect Aromatherapy Skincare Regime

Beautiful skin is easy with natural products - pic via nuimage.ca

Beautiful skin is easy with natural products – pic via nuimage.ca

I know its sounds corny but people always comment on how good my skin looks. When asked how I do it, I usually say there’s no quick answer but essential oils help. I’ve been using essential oils in my own handmade products on my skin for almost 20 years and would never use anything else. Apart from the natural simplicity of oils, it’s the scent of most skincare products detest. Even if I couldn’t access essential oils, I’d still use plain cold pressed oils on my face and body, and for sensitive skins this could be the best thing to use. I like to mix it up a bit and not use essential oils everyday.

Here’s an outline of my easy, natural aromatherapy regime:

Daily

Morning

1. Shower

* No soap or other foaming agents on my face just water, with a face cloth if I want a deeper cleanse

* No soap or other foaming agents on most of my body – maybe some natural soap on the underarms and nether regions

2. Moisturise

Moisturising with oil on your face can have fantastic benefits

Moisturising with oil on your face can have fantastic benefits

* Face – spritz first with a rose or neroli hydrosol or floral water to really boost hydration (see my article “Hydrosols vs Floral Waters – What’s the Diff?”) then use rosehip oil with rose essential oil

or plain rosehip oil

or a cream I have made myself containing essential oils

If you are buying a small bottle of rosehip oil you could add the drops of rose oil into the bottle or just add the rose on a daily basis. For quantities to add to your bottle please check the 3% article below or the article above about the basics.

For example, for small squirt of rosehip oil onto your fingers, add a drop or two or rose oil 3% (see my article “Essential Oils 3% in Jojoba – What are they, and Why?”) and spread liberally all over your face. The only downside is that it’s a bit fiddly. Practice makes perfect though.

nourish your skin with oil blends

nourish your skin with oil blends

* Body – a nourishing body oil containing essential oils all over my body (see my article “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics”)

or a rich cream I’ve made myself containing essential oils

or just a plain cold pressed oil like almond, grapeseed, sunflower, olive, coconut

 

Remove makeup with the best makeup remover in the world - oil!

Remove makeup with the best makeup remover in the world – oil!

Evening

* Remove makeup (if applicable) with a damp cotton pad, with oil on it. This is the best makeup remover n the world! You can use sunflower, almond, olive etc and any cold pressed oil really

* Wipe with a warm, damp face cloth and only moisturise if you feel you need it. Often there is enough oil remaining on your skin to leave it feeling hydrated and soft

or shower and repeat the morning’s step

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifyng mask. pic vis chiclooking.com

A clay face mask is the best and most natural clarifying mask. pic via chiclooking.com

Occasionally

And occasionally I’ll give myself a body scrub, face scrub and face mask to remove old skin and tone and refine the top layer.

Face Scrub

Try some almond meal mixed with a little water. Stand over the basin so falling almonds can be caught and gently scrub. It’s wonderful how your skin feels with the oils of the almond infused into your skin. Then either apply a face mask or add a little extra moisture if needed.

Face Mask

Mix a little clay (any colour – for more info see my article “The Wonderful World of Clay”) with water or a hydrosol. You can add a few drops of essential oil if you like just stay with lavender, geranium, chamomile, neroli and the softer oils. Apply. Rest for 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water. Moisturise.

A salt scrub is easy to make! pic via cambridgenaturals.com

A salt scrub is easy to make! pic via cambridgenaturals.com

Body Scrub

The easiest body scrub is a salt scrub. Use fine sea salt, add some water and a little oil and mix to a slurry. Scrub all over your body standing in the shower or bath. If you are in a bath, then take the opportunity to soak for another 15 minutes.

Add 5 – 10 drops of essential oil to your liking to create an aromatherapy treatment at the same time. Or get creative and add things from your cupboard or fridge like fresh lemon rind and juice, cinnamon or fresh herbs. For more info see my article “It’s Easy to Make Your Own Body Scrub”.

Moisturise with an oil blend or cream.

Body Mask

Same for face mask but you’ll need about a cup and a half of clay. Add water slowly and mix well. Add 20 drops of essential oil if you like, and then wrap yourself in towels and a blanket as the clay will make you COLD! Rest. Shower off and moisturise with an oil blend.

 

Rose and Rosehip – A Winning Combination for Youthful Skin

rosehips

rosehips

I declare the best facial moisturiser in the entire world to be essential oil of rose with rosehip oil. Some may disagree but I don’t care because I love it. And here’s why ……

Rosehip Oil

the orange colour of reosehip oil

the orange colour of rosehip oil

Rosehips are the little buds left on a rose bush after the flowers have gone. They are high in Vitamin C and are now being used in supplements for immune strength and as an anti-inflammatory agent in joint formulas too. We have been drinking delightfully pink rosehip tea for years too, which is high in anti-oxidants and can help with colds and flu. It is the fruit of the rose bush and is also used in jams and jellies.

The oil can be extracted by cold pressing the buds or by using CO2 extraction process. This sounds a bit technical but it is actually a good way to extract oils as not much energy is needed, and the products are very near to their natural state.

It is obvious that all these amazing properties are present in the oil which is a dark orange colour, quite viscous with a distinct scent. It is luxurious to say the least and I find it funny when I read the back of the labels of some retail products that say to use “a few drops”. I use way more than that everyday. I use a decent pump’s worth. It is hydrating. soothing, and the Vitamin C really keeps your skin looking and feeling youthful!

Sometimes the scent is what puts some people off but I use it straight and love it. This is where mixing some rose essential oil into it will turn it into a stunning serum.

Rose Essential Oil

Rosa damascena - the most used rose for oil production

Rosa damascena – the most used rose for oil production

As a skin oil rose is amazing because it treats heat and redness in the skin. It is a complex oil revered through the ages for its use in beauty and femininity. Great for any skin condition from eczema and psoriasis through to scars and sunburn.

It is called the “Queen of Oils” and will make you feel just that. It is an oil of inner strength and wisdom.

Who wouldn’t want to have it everyday? I’d take a drop of rose oil over any perfume or any scented skin cream, any day.

Quantities for mixing (assuming you have rose 3% in jojoba):

5 mls rosehip oil          add           4 drops

10 mls rosehip oil        add           7 drops

15 mls rosehip oil        add          11 drops

20 mls rosehip oil        add          15 drops

25 mls rosehip oil         add          19 drops

30 mls rosehip oil        add          22 drops

(These are my own ratios for any oil in 3% jojoba for the face. It will be a higher concentration for the body. They are also rounded up and down to get a whole drop – unless you can get 1/2 a drop or 3/4’s of a drop, but I cant seem to do that very well!)

Or just pump some rosehip onto your fingers and add a few drops of rose oil. Sometimes we just need to simplify things.

create your own natural skincare

create your own natural skin care

For more notes on rose oil please see my article “Stop and Smell The Roses”

 

copyright suzannerbanks 2013