Nothing beats a bouquet of roses when it comes to romance–or fragrance for that matter. But rose as a skin-care ingredient, who knew? Apparently, Dr. Hauschka, Fresh, Korres and Dr. Brandt, to name just a few.

Real petals abound in the Fresh Rose Face Mask. Photo courtesy of www.fresh.com.

Dr. Hauschka

According to Dr. Hauschka, the various types of rose ingredients can protect, soothe, harmonize, balance and tone. Its Rose Day Cream features rose petal and rose hip extract in a daily moisturizer formulated to protect and soothe dry, sensitive or mature skin. Reportedly, thirty rose flowers are required to produce each tube, which is priced at $42.95. Sold through natural food stores, specialized pharmacies and even the Four Seasons Hotel chain, Dr. Hauschka skin care is committed to a holistic philosophy that includes sourcing ingredients in an ecological and ethical manner.

Weleda

Weleda, another company with a commitment to natural ingredients and ethical cultivation, uses organic rosehip seed oil in its Wild Rose face and body products. Naturally rich in anti-oxidants vitamins A and E, the oil fights free radical damage, promotes new cell growth and enhances the skin’s elasticity. The collection comprises 11 products, including Weleda Wild Rose Night Cream, which helps rejuvenate the skin during sleep. Priced in the $20.00 to $30.00 range, Weleda Wild Rose products are available at Target, Whole Foods and select health food stores.

Korres

Korres Wild Rose Moisturizer is rich in vitamin C. Photo courtesy of www.korres.com.

Founded in a homeopathic pharmacy in Athens, Greece, Korres also appreciates the benefit of wild rose, particularly the oil of a scrambling rose native to Africa and western Asia. Featured in four Wild Rose treatments, the oil, chock full of vitamin C, works to diminish fine lines and hyperpigmentation. Wild Rose Moisturizer and Wild Rose Mask are bestsellers, priced at $35.00 and $29.00, respectively. Korres Wild Rose is sold at Sephora and www.www.korres.com.

Fresh

In addition to its daringly named Cannibis Rose Eau de Parfum, Fresh pays homage to the rose in two skin-care products. Rose Face Mask includes actual rose petals that melt into the skin to moisturize and protect. The mask is priced at $55.00. Rose FreshFace Primer is a lightweight lotion and complexion booster that contains rosewater, a natural astringent that tones and refreshes. The primer costs $36.00. Visit www.fresh.com for retail info.

Dior

Dior’s new moisturizing range, Hydra Life, utilizes Nobel-prize winning aquaporin technology to hydrate deep within the skin as well as on the surface. It also features plant extracts—including the Christmas Rose—grown in the Dior Gardens around the world. Cultivated in Brittany, France, the Christmas Rose brings antioxidant benefits to the seven product lineup. Previewing at Sephora in March, Dior Hydra Life treatments are priced from $39.00 to $73.00.

L’Occitane

In its ongoing commitment to products celebrating the natural beauty of Provence, L’Occitane regularly fetes the rose. The latest incarnation is Rose Nuit de Mai, a limited edition fragrance collection inspired by the traditional Provencal rose harvest in May. Priced from $16.00 to $40.00, the collection includes a shower gel and shimmering body lotion. Visit www.loccitane.com for details.

And many more…

As a perfume ingredient, rose is ubiquitous, appearing in fragrances from Chanel to Juliette Has a Gun. More and more skin-care products are falling under the thorny blossom’s spell as well. In addition to the brands mentioned above, check out the following to discover the soothing and protecting benefits of rose: Dr. Brandt’s Vacuum Cleaner, Sunday Riley’s Skin Adrenaline Anti-Aging Complex, Sampar’s Skin Quenching Mist and Velvet Cleansing Milk, Z. Bigatti’s Deep Repair Facial Serum, By Terry’s Teint de Rose Night Cream, Eminence’s Sweet Rose Cleanser, REN’s Rose Synergy 012 Restoring Facial Serum and Darphin’s Rose Aromatic Care.

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Photo Credit: Molton Brown UK

On days like today – gray, rain-teaser early fall days in in New York City — I am especially inspired by the bath & body products sitting on my desk. Right now, as my mind wanders off to a better place (zoom in: bubble bath, candles, Spanish guitar, bliss on earth) I am sniffing away at Molton Brown’s Bracing Silverbirch Thermal Muscle Soak. I have yet to meet a MB product that didn’t give me the urge to change into a plush bathrobe and slippers. This one, whose label assures me it will help to “Unravel the strains of the day with this dedicated muscle therapy created to restore a tense, weary body,” sounds like just what the doctor ordered. The salts are so inviting, and then there is that scent, like a shot of cool, pure SPA to the nostrils…

I have been using Lather’s bar soap in various aromatic blends for the last week or so now. Even as a recent convert to liquid soap, I was willing to give these solids a try. I enjoy the natural look of the seeds in certain formulations, the firm consistency that doesn’t turn to putty in the shower, and the fresh scent of each. With flavors like Oatmeal Lavender and Honey Almond, they smell so good I am almost convinced I can take a bite out of them. The Cucumber Wasabi Hand Wash comes in a liquid form, and sort of inspires me to pull up a bathside table with sushi and indulge in my relaxation time with a healthy snack.

Next on my hit list is Sacred Glo Citrus Burst Moisturizing Shea Butter Soap. The swirly design reminds me of a decadent bar of white chocolate, but the scent is 100% fruit burst.

While I’m soaking, I may as well light my Sacred Glo and Scandle body massage candles, which serve a dual purpose of setting the mood for relaxation and melt into moisturizing massage oil, a dreamy way to top off a warm bath on a cool afternoon.

I could, theoretically, never leave the powder room again.

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