June is National Rose Month, so what better time than now to plan your entire beauty regimen around your favorite bouquet of roses? "Rose extracts are some of the best anti-inflammatory and scar reducing ingredients out there," explains Dana Murray, licensed esthetician and Babe and Beauty blogger. "They reduce redness and calm the skin. Plus since they have astringent and antibacterial properties, they are especially wonderful for people with oily and acne-prone skin types. Rose extracts are high in vitamin C so they help to stimulate collagen and are high in vitamin E so it's very moisturizing."
You can layer rose oils under anything
"The best way to receive the benefits of roses would actually be in essential oil form since it is more concentrated. My favorite recipe is pretty simple: mix rose hip oil (made of the rose flower after the petals have fallen off) and rose essential oil in a dropper bottle," says Dana Murray. "It can be used as a moisturizer, a serum, or mixed with foundation for a dewy coverage."
Organic rose cell extracts fight skin dullness
Even if a bouquet of roses makes you sneeze every once in a while, you'll want to add them to your skin-care routine since they can protect your skin against pollution. Jane Iredale, founder and president of Jane Iredale explains, "Rose compounds condition the skin in a way you can feel as soon as it's applied. They work to moisturize, brighten and protect skin from trans-epidermal water loss and airborne pollutants." She recommends her BeautyPrep High-Performance Moisturizer, which uses organic rose cell extracts, an ingredient that helps keep your skin hydrated throughout the day.
Rose water is a treat for your skin
"The sugars and natural oils found in rose petals trap moisture in your skin, making your skin look smoother and softer—just like the beautiful rose petals themselves," write Deepak Chopra, MD, and Kimberly Snyder, Certified Nutritionist in Radical Beauty: How to Transform Yourself From the Inside Out. The authors suggest picking up some rose water from health store and adding a few drops of it to your usual cleanser and moisturizer; the fresh scent will help relax your nervous system while the rose water's antiseptic properties help restore your skin's pH levels.