In poetry, roses have long been symbols of beauty and love. And, when it comes to herbal medicine, the association continues!
People have utilized roses in ritual, medicine, and of course, art. From love potions, to aromatic baths, to ingredients in perfume, roses can be found in many recipes across diverse areas. Today, however, I want to focus on two aspects of rose medicine ~ heart and skin medicine.
A few weeks ago I spent a sunny morning sorting through the store of herbs that I have in my apothecary. I was pleased and surprised to see that I have a couple of jars full of dried rose petals and whole roses too!
Where I live there are a few stands of roses that have been growing for years, maybe even decades. Previously the owner of this land distilled them down into essential oil to use in her perfume business.
The downside to distilling essential oil is that such a great quantity of flowers must be used to create only a few ounces of essential oil. With my baskets and jars of flowers I would rather make dozens and dozens (& dozens) of liters of tea for myself and others. Roses have a subtle aroma that is, none the less, very relaxing. It is a great addition to teas to calm someone prone to nervousness. Roses seem to work particularly well for people who experience a racing heart when faced with anxiety inducing situations.
Not only in the ways of romance are roses associated with the heart, these beautiful flowers are wonderful medicine for the physical heart. One of my favorite tincture formulas for heart healing is : one part roses (petals or whole flowers), one part motherwort, and one part hawthorn (flowers and/or berries). This tincture aids both the physical heart and the emotional heart and is great for people suffering from heart break, depression, and even more serious heart issues.
(A little disclaimer :: I have read online that hawthorn can make some pharmaceuticals more potent or even interfere with doctor-prescribed-medications. So, if you are already using some sort of pills for a heart condition you might want to stay away from hawthorn and try taking roses alone or with motherwort.)
Besides teas and tinctures, I often include roses in my skin healing recipes. Particularly useful in my skin care routine is a rose infused oil that I add to creams, lip balm, and massage oil. The fragrance of the rose is subtle and combines very well with the scent of sweet almond or coconut oil. The healing action of the rose infused oil on the skin can make a huge difference in someone's day. Not only does the oil promote relaxation but also heals the skin and, lovely skin is a foundation of beauty!
How to Make Rose-Infused Oil
Start with a carrier oil - almond, coconut, or jojoba oil all work and have different properties for the skin. Pick your favorite and find yourself a glass jar with a lid.
It is best to use dried organic roses. In medicine making it is best to use organic herbs in general, ideally herbs you have collected yourself or acquired from a trusted herb seller. When making infused oil you have to be very careful about humidity, so avoid fresh herbs which could mold. Fill the jar almost halfway with loose petals or rose blossoms and then poor over the carrier oil of choice. Fill the entire jar to nearly the top and then securely close the lid.
The jar should be kept in a dark place and shaken up daily -- so make sure that the lid is screwed on tight!
After a month, or a full lunar cycle, the oil will be done. With the medicinal properties of rose fully infused into the carrier oil, you can now strain out the herbal material and use this homemade remedy to heal & nourish your skin!
I use my rose infused oil daily. After washing my face or taking a shower rose oil nourishes and moisturizes the skin. Using a small drop Overtime I have noticed so many improvements in my skin - from more even tone, to a decrease in acne, to scars that have healed with consistent use of the magical, medicinal, rose infused oil.