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The rose apparently originated in Central Asia about 60 to 70 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch, and spread over the entire Northern Hemisphere. Early civilizations, including the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Romans, appreciated roses and grew them widely as long as five thousand years ago.

The oldest rose identified today is Rosa gallica, also known as the French rose, which once bloomed wild throughout central and southern Europe and western Asia, and still survives there. Although the exact origin of Rosa gallica is unknown, traces of it appear as early as the twelfth century B.C., when the Persians considered it a symbol of love.

[edit] Uses

[edit] Aromatherapy

The essential oil rose is sought after for its aphrodisiac, and as a tonic for the heart and for its uplifting mental characteristics. The rose can be found worldwide, but in France, Morocco, Bulgaria, China and India it is mostly grown to produce its essential oil. The rose essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from fresh petals. It is used for its antidepressant, antiseptic, antiviral, laxative and tonic properties. Rose oil has a rich flowery aroma, and it is often blended with other essential oil such as bergamot, geranium, lavender and Roman chamomile when used in aromatherapy mixtures.

Roses have been a romantic symbol throughout history. It is the flower of love and marriage. It has been said that Cleopatra wore rose oil when she first met Mark Anthony to capture his love. The Romans used roses at weddings and funerals, and they scattered rose petals at banquets to prevent drunkenness. Persian Warriors are said to have adorned their shields with red roses. The rose was the symbol of many armies in medieval times. The rose has also long been used as part of mediation rituals for the monks.

In today’s aromatherapy it is often used for the skin, rose essential oil is good for all skin conditions, especially mature or sensitive skins. Roses play a psychological role; it has a calming effect for grief, resentment, anger and depression. Rose essential oil has a sedative effect, which aids in times of shock and bereavement. It is used to ease nervous tension and stress, and lifts the heart.

Rose essential oil also has many used for the internal body. It is used to relieve nausea, vomiting and constipation. Rose balances and strengthens the digestive system. It is also a great detoxifier it purges the body of toxins and waste products. Rose essential oil when mixed with Roman chamomile is good for sore throats and helps ease coughs.The word of caution for rose essential oil is since it has a highly soothing effect it is not advisable for use during the first four months of pregnancy.

[edit] Benefits

[edit] Rose Water

Skin toners are the next step after a facial cleansing routine. Skin toners ensure complete removal from the skin of all cleansing preparations.

They freshen and tone up the skin and prepare a clean surface for the application of make-up. They also restore the acid or alkali balance of the skin, because they are pH balanced.

They are designed to penetrate pores, refresh and cool your skin while clearing away excess oil, impurities and dead skin cells that were not removed with your cleanser.

Toners restore the skin's natural pH balance. When you wash your face, the pH balance of the skin is distorted leading to skin working overtime to restore pH levels; the process of skin restoring the pH levels on its own can take up as much as half and hour or more. By using a skin toner, the pH level of your skin is restored instantly.

Choose a toner appropriate for your skin type. A wide variety of toners are available. Alcohol dries the skin and harms the soluble collagen below the surface of the skin. It is thus safer to use an alcohol-free toner.

Use witch hazel, geranium, honey, lemon, ivy, sage, nettle and burdock, although Witch hazel has a tendency to dry the skin it is good to combine it with moisturizers such as Vitamin E, honey, etc. Rosewater helps keep skin and face moisturized, fresh and balances the pH levels.

Essential oils are the gentlest way of toning up. Rose water for normal or dry/sensitive skin or witch hazel for oilier skins is ideal bases for fresheners. These can be applied with cotton wool, using smooth, gentle upward strokes or sprayed on to the face. Oily skin benefits from juniper or lemongrass whereas drier skins would benefit from rose or sandalwood.

Apply the skin toner to a cotton ball and sweep it gently across your face. The cotton wool should come out relatively clean when toning. If it is not clean it indicates the cleansing has not been done properly.

Do not succumb to the temptation to tone the skin whenever you feel it has become dirty. It should be used only after the skin has completed a cleansing routine and not as a substitute for cleansing. So, remember that your toner must function as a toner and not as a cleanser.

Toning is pleasant and refreshing, can act as an additional cleanser on very oily or dirty skin, and is valuable in removing any traces of grease that the cleanser may have left behind. Think of it as the polishing touch in your skin care treatment.

[edit] Rose Oil

Anti Depressant: Rose Oil boosts self esteem, confidence, hope and mental strength and efficiently fights depression. This can be very helpful to drive away depression from those who are suffering from depression due to any reason. This also relieves anxiety. Being an anti depressant, patients of acute depression or who are undergoing rehabilitation can be given routine and regular doses of this essential oil to bring hope in their lives. This oil is widely used in aromatherapy and invokes positive thoughts, spiritualism and feelings of joy, happiness and hope.

Anti Phlogistic: It may calm down a patient of high fever by sedating the inflammation caused by fever. It can also be beneficial in other cases of inflammations caused by microbial infection, ingestion of poisonous stuff, indigestion, dehydration etc.

Anti Septic: This is the most fragrant and perhaps a majestic way (Just imagine treating wounds with Oils of Rose instead of those ordinary anti septic lotions) to treat your wounds and protect them from being septic and catching infections.

Anti Spasmodic: It efficiently relieves spasm in respiratory system, intestines and muscular spasms in limbs. It also helps cure convulsions, muscle pulls, cramps and spasmodic cholera which are caused due to spasms.

Anti Viral: Getting a protection from viruses or getting yourself vaccinated against all of them is a tough task, since some of them change their disguise every time they return and make a fool of our immune system, like our old friend who gives you cold and influenza. So what to do? Better use an anti viral which behaves as a shield against any virus that comes. Here is one such shied. The Essential Oil of Rose that protects against viral infections.

Aphrodisiac: Better I don’t try explaining this property of Rose Oil! Right from Cupid himself to modern day’s high tech lovers, every body knows how roses are indispensable in romance. And so is this Essential Oil of Rose. The very scent of it can arouse you. It boosts up libido and invokes romantic feelings which are essentials for a successful sex.

Astringent: The astringent property of Rose Oil has many benefits. It strengthens gums, hair roots, tones and lifts skin, contracts muscles, intestines and blood vessels, thereby giving protection from untimely fall of tooth and hair, wrinkles, loss of firmness of intestines and muscles of abdominal area and limbs associated with age, and above all, helps stop flow of blood from wounds and cuts by contracting the blood vessels. This astringents property can also cure certain types of diarrhea.

Bactericidal: It is a good bactericide. It can be used in treatment of typhoid, diarrhea, cholera, food poisoning and other diseases which are caused by bacteria. Further, it can cure internal bacterial infections like in colon, stomach, intestines and urinary tract as well as external infections on skin, ears, eyes and in wounds.

Cholagogue: It promotes flow of bile from the gall bladder and helps regulate the acid level in the stomach as well as in the blood, thus keeping you safe from problems like acidity and acidosis. This bile also helps in digestion of food, together with the acids secreted into the stomach.

Cicatrisant: This property of Rose Essential Oil can be of great interest for those who care a lot about their looks. It makes the scars and after marks of boils, acne and pox etc. on the skin to fade away. This includes fading of stretch marks and surgery marks, fat cracks etc. associated with pregnancy and delivery.

Depurative: It purifies blood by helping removal and neutralization of toxins from blood. Once your blood is purified and free of toxins, you are protected from nuisances like boils, rashes, ulcers, skin diseases etc.

Emenagogue: This is yet another beneficial property of Rose Oil. It stimulates the hormone secretions which trigger off menstruations. It is particularly effective on those who are suffering from obstructed and irregular menses. It also eases cramps, treats nausea, fatigue and reduces pains associated with the menstruations and Pose Menopause Syndromes.

Haemostatic: This property of the Essential Oil of Rose can be very useful for people who are suffering from hemorrhage (bleeding, external or internal) after an injury or surgery. This speeds up clotting or coagulation of blood and stops bleeding and can save life of such patients.

Hepatic: It simply means it is good for liver’s health. It keeps it strong, functioning properly and protected from infections. It also treats problems like excess flow of bile and acids, ulcers etc.

Laxative: There cannot be a laxative with a better scent than this and I can bet it, if not for its laxative properties. It can serve as a harmless and effective laxative with a beautiful smell and without any adverse side effect. It actually influences the intestinal and anal muscles to help clear bowels.

Nervine: It acts as a tonic for the nerves. It gives them strength to bear shocks and protects them from disorders resulting from age, injuries etc. It won’t let your hands tremble or let you go nervous when saying those three magic words to your dream girl for the first time, of course, with a rose in your hand.

Stomachic: Rose Oil is a stomachic too. It soothes stomach, sedates inflammations in it, helps it function properly and protects it from infections. It also protects it from ulcers which often happen due to over production of acids and their release into the stomach.

Uterine: This can take care of many feminine problems such as uterine discharges, tumors, bleeding, irregular menses etc. It purifies the uterus too and keeps it functioning properly even in higher ages and can push away the time of menopause.

Other Benefits: It regulates hormone production and helps balance them. It is one of the best oils which can give you a shining, fresh and youthful skin. Its aroma keeps you charged and feeling happy. It promotes circulation, takes care of heart, reduces blood pressure and helps cure headaches, asthma, dehydration and effect of loo (very hot winds), leucorrhea and certain infections.

Few Words of Caution: It can take away your headache if used in mild concentrations, but its strong aroma can just play the opposite if very high concentration is used. Being an Emenagogue, it should not be used during pregnancy.