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This article first appeared in our Women: time for action issue of My Green Pod Magazine, distributed with The Guardian on 02 July 2021. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox
As we head into summer, we can all harness the incredible power of flowers in our skincare and beauty routines.
We’ve all heard the expression ‘wake up and smell the roses’, but this special flower is way more than just a clump of fragrant petals.
The essential oil derived from the rose plant has many benefits, including easing anxiety and stress, easing menstrual discomfort, increasing ‘feel-good hormones’, aiding relaxation, boosting self-esteem and of course soothing irritated skin.
Lavender essential oil is also fabulous in skincare and beauty products; it has antiseptic properties, promotes relaxation and can help with anxiety, allergies and insomnia.
It’s no surprise that lots of natural brands use the oils from these powerful flowers in their products; here are some of my current favourites!
Have you tried a facial bar? The Kentish Soap Company is a family-run business that lovingly handmakes soaps in small batches. It uses the traditional cold-process method to combine skin-nourishing oils – including avocado oil, olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil – with natural essential oils for fragrance and botanicals and clays for colour.
The new Rose Clay Facial Bar is scented with essential oils of rose geranium (soothing and balancing) and frankincense – and needless to say it smells divine. The bar also contains rosehip oil, which naturally regenerates and nourishes the skin, and rose clay, which is celebrated for its healing powers.
The bar gently exfoliates skin to help draw out impurities and keep it soft and supple.
Handmade Naturals is a Cheshire-based artisan brand that creates 100% natural skincare and haircare products.
Its bestselling Face Cleansing Lotion – an organic rose, hemp and jojoba cleanser – is made with Bulgarian rose, organic hemp and golden jojoba oil. It comes in a bottle with a pump dispenser for ease of use, and it’s suitable for normal and dry skin.
This lotion also doubles up as a light daytime moisturiser for oily skin.
You can of course treat yourself to a bottle of rose essential oil and add a few drops to organic coconut oil, or try the TIANA® Organic & Fair Trade Rose Fresh Coconut TLC Anti Ageing Moisturiser.
This is a very concentrated face balm with a unique formula of more than 300 nutrients, antioxidants and antibacterial properties that help to smooth and hydrate the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
It’s scented with highest quality Rosa damascena essential oil, known for its moisturising, soothing and smoothing effect on wrinkles and fine lines.
Niche & Cult Ltd, previously known as The Konjac Sponge Company, is the original (and in my view best) supplier of the amazing konjac sponge – and the company now also sells a Rosa damascena floral water.
Natural and alcohol free, this is a classic facial toner for soothing sensitive skin and works wonders on acne-prone skin.
It can be used as a facial toner, a light makeup cleanser, a moisturising body spray, a natural and gentle perfume, a makeup fixing spray, a mild deodorant, a hair and scalp treatment and to soothe skin after shaving.
Shui Me has a wonderful collection of aromatherapy products, including Lavender Epsom Salts. This bath soak helps you regain your sense of stillness, peace and total tranquility.
Harnessing the power of a single aromatherapy note – lavender essential oil – its purity amplifies its beautifully soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits.
This soap and shampoo bar subscription service helps stop plastic waste going to landfill.
Rose-infused beauty is experiencing a resurgence, but not all flowers are created equal.
Organic rose water is a multi-tasking beauty product that no bathroom should be without.
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