Lemon Eucalyptus Oil – my Summer Friend!

Uncategorized

Living here in the Great Northern parts of NH, we generally experience the plague of Black Flies in the spring and summer, and now the threat of mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus. This year seems to be unremittingly brutal. Let me introduce you to the essential oil that is at the heart of our very own Insect Deterrent at Fields of Ambrosia. Lemon Eucalyptus Oil, the common name of one of the natural oils obtained from the lemon-scented gum eucalyptus plant that has gained popularity as an insect deterrent in the last decade. This use is important when you consider the dangers of DEET and other toxic solutions, and want to steer clear of them. This natural plant oil contains p-menthane-diol, which has proven to be more effective than its foremost chemical alternative DEET, which has been documented to cause serious adverse effects, especially in children.

NHBlackFly

According to The New England Journal of Medicine, “Insect-transmitted disease remains a major source of illness and death worldwide. Mosquitoes alone transmit disease to more than 700 million persons annually. Protection from arthropod bites is best achieved by avoiding infested habitats, wearing protective clothing, and using insect repellent. Applying repellent to the skin may be the only feasible way to protect against insect bites. Commercially available insect repellents can be divided into two categories — synthetic chemicals and plant-derived essential oils.”

The best-known chemical insect repellent is DEET. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is the only botanical or plant-derived ingredient registered by the EPA and approved by the CDC. The repellent originated as an extract of an Australian eucalyptus tree and studies suggest that products with 30 percent Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus repel as well as those with 15 to 20 percent DEET.

There are over 700 species of eucalyptus, so do not confuse Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) with its more common sister Eucalyptus globules. This oil is commonly known as Eucalyptus or Blue Gum Oil. It contains 60-75% 1, 8 cineol and is the eucalyptus that is known to provides support for a healthy respiratory system and soothe muscles after exercise. Note, however, that this pure oil is not registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an insect repelent.
3D render of a swarm of flies - they're headed your way!
3D render of a swarm of flies – they’re headed your way!

Lemon Eucalyptus oil is extracted from the leaves and twigs of the lemon-scented gum eucalyptus plant. The lemon eucalyptus is a tall tree that grows up to 50 meters tall and comes from the temperate and tropical northeastern Australia. Usually extracted through steam distillation, the essential oil3 has a pale yellow color and a thin consistency. It smells sweet, lemony, and fresh, with a woody hint.  In 2000, the EPA registered oil of lemon eucalyptus as a “biopesticide repellent,” meaning it is derived from natural materials. The resulting products can be applied to human skin and clothing for repelling insects such as mosquitoes, biting flies, and gnats. They are formulated as a spray or a lotion. When it was tested on humans, it gave complete protection from biting for between six to 7.75 hours. Compared to DEET, there was no significant difference in efficacy and duration of protection.

 Other uses for Lemon Eucalyptus Oil:
Anti-fungal and antiseptic – occasionally used to treat athlete’s foot. The oil is used in personal hygiene products, such as soaps, for its antimicrobial properties.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic – can be applied to wounds to help prevent infection. When diluted, lemon eucalyptus essential oil helps soothe aching muscles and joints as well.
Air freshener – The aroma is thought to soothe the nerves and awaken the mind.

Lemon eucalyptus oil is generally safe for adults, children and canine pets when applied to skin as an insect deterrent. Note, though, that some individuals might have a skin reaction to it. Children under the age of three should not be over-dosed with any repellent. Enjoy the outdoors this summer with the protection of a Lemon Eucalyptus based Insect Deterrent.

An Affair to Remember – with Grapefruit?

Botanicals, Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Facial Care, Ingredients, Organics, Outdoors

I have been in love with all things grapefruit since my childhood, so we are talking some 58 years plus here. Grapefruit in the morning for breakfast was my absolute favorite. Keep your Cocoa Puffs, Rice Krispies and Cap’n Crunch, your bacon and sausages and waffles and pancakes and give me the naked grapefruit sliced in half or cut into sections. It was, and still is, the best way to start my day. Oh, and back then, a bit of sugar sprinkled on top was magical. Today, I like it “au naturale”. GrapefruitBreakfast

Fresh or canned fruit was pretty much it when wanting the tangy twist of citrus on your taste buds, except for Fresca, Squirt and 50/50 sodas. Today you can find grapefruit in beer, vodka, sparkling water, wine coolers, lotions, body washes, facial care and bath salts. People are even grilling grapefruits! Why has it become so popular you ask?  Well, I think it’s because the scent and properties of grapefruit have multiple benefits. It brings out the inner child and calms frustration and is a wonderful essential oil to use in body and hair care products. Grapefruits support clear, healthy skin can help to lower our risk for many diseases and conditions and may even help with weight loss as part of an overall healthy and varied diet.

Research suggests that inhaling grapefruit oil or using it for aromatherapy within your home can help turn on relaxation responses within the brain and even lower your blood pressure naturally. Inhaling grapefruit vapors can quickly and directly transmit messages to your brain region involved in controlling emotional responses. On this I wholeheartedly agree!

Because cravings — especially for sugar, salt, fats and carbs — are closely related to stressful feelings, grapefruit can help minimize emotional eating. But according to study findings, the smell of grapefruit oil has even more powerful effects when it comes to fat-burning responses within the brain. Researchers from the Nagata University School of Medicine in Japan found that grapefruit has a refreshing and exciting effect when inhaled, which suggests an activation of sympathetic nerve activity that helps control body weight. And who doesn’t LOVE that aspect of Grapefruit.

Thanks to this Love Affair I have – I use Grapefruit EOGrapefruitEssential Oil in a lot of the products I make for my company. The essential oil derived from grapefruit is an incredible addition to many applications. My favorites are in shampoos, body washes, deodorants and hydrating body sprays. I personally choose to use these products year-round because the scent and benefits are so uplifting. My customers seem to think so too, I am constantly making new batches of those products bi-weekly!

If you are interested in making some of your own homemade products using Grapefruit Essential Oil please refer to these guidelines.  Grapefruit oil is very concentrated and should be diluted before use. Carrier oils like almond oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are effective choices. While grapefruit oil has a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status, it should not be taken internally without the advice or supervision of an experienced practitioner or health professional. The citrus oil may also cause allergic reaction when applied topically. To be sure, have a skin patch test before use – apply a drop to a small area and observe if a reaction appears.

Some of my favorite uses for Grapefruit Essential Oil:
Diffuser ~ Add a few drops to an aromatherapy diffuser when inhaled, grapefruit oil can help curb hangovers, headaches, mental fatigue, and depression.
Bath soak – .All you need is approximately 10 drops in your bathtub of warm to hot water and you should find some relief for muscle and joint pain, menstrual cramps, and headaches.
Air freshener and deodorizer – Its fragrance is similar to citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. It can eliminate unpleasant odors in kitchens and bathrooms.

Massage – Use a 5% dilution in carrier oil for massage to relieve menstrual cramps. This can also work in relieving headache, muscle pain, and arthritis.

Try some grapefruits – in whatever form you choose – you will feel the joy!

Summer Teas from the Garden

Uncategorized
MintTea
Mint Infused Green Tea

I have spent the last few months in my community newspaper focusing on Essential Oils and their benefits as well as their warnings. So, I wanted to lighten up the conversation to talk about the herbs and and flowers that can be used fresh from your garden to brew up a summertime favorite – Iced Tea! Or in the world of afficiandos – Tisanes.

 A Bit of History First

Herbal Teas are actually not tea at all, they’re tisanes, a pleasant French word that means’ herbal infusion.’ Tea is, properly, a plant originally from China: Camellia sinensis. How the word came to be used as a descriptor for any hot drink in which leaves were infused or decocted, we are not sure, but it is an accepted term in today’s world.

Tea is, of course, an infusion, but not all infusions are tea. If it doesn’t contain actual tea leaves, it should not be called a tea. The original word tea itself (te and its Cantonese equivalent, cha) have specifically meant Camelia sinensis in China since at least the eighth century CE. That’s what they meant when traders started bringing the mysterious herbs back into Europe

 Types of Herbal Teas (Tisanes):
There are real, herbal teas: a very few teas include both camellia sinensis and other plant products, such as Jasmine. But Earl Grey – which includes the essential oil of bergamot – is not a “herbal” tea because it lacks a herb, which is by definition, the “… the leafy green parts of a plant (either fresh or dried).” Orange teas on the other hand, are more properly called “spice” teas because spice is “a product from another part of the plant.

Tisanes can be made from just about anything: roots, bark, berries, dried fruits, herbs, flowers, mushrooms, seeds, etc. They are often chosen for a specific medicinal or therapeutic soothing benefit that they have identified with use.   Tisanes are what most people reach for when they are not feeling well. Because they will make you feel better!

Tisane Gardening: Growing Your Fresh and Unique Brew
There is something extremely satisfying about being able to sip a tisane lovingly grown in your own garden. Cultivating your own  garden is simple!

I found this List extremely helpful in starting my own Tea Garden from Jill Ettinger @ Organic Authority. Try harvesting these herbs and plants for your sipping pleasure:

  1. Mint: Leaves; calming, digestive.
  2. Rosehips: Buds after bloom has died; vitamin C boost.
  3. Lemon Balm: Leaves; calming and relaxing.
  4. Chamomile: Buds; relaxing and soothing tummy.
  5. Echinacea: Buds; immune support.
  6. Milk Thistle: Buds; detoxification.
  7. Catnip: Leaves; calming.
  8. Lavender: Buds; calming and soothing.
  9. Nettles: Leaf; detoxifying, nourishing.
  10. Red Clover; Buds; purifying, detoxifying.
  11. Lemongrass: Stalk; calming, relaxing, digestive aid.

    rose-hip-tea
    Rose-hip Tea

Lavender, orange spice thyme, lemon balm (often touted as a mild anti-depressant), and catnip make wonderful additions to a tea garden. For a particularly soothing tea, try combining chamomile, lavender and catnip. In humans, catnip has been found to help relieve both anxiety and insomnia. Be creative. Freshly ground cinnamon, orange rind and rose hips are also wonderful enhancers.

To make a tisane, simply boil 1 quart of water per ounce of herb (or 1 cup of water to 1 tablespoon of herb). Pour water over the herb(s) and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes. The proportion of water to herb and the required time to infuse varies greatly, depending on the herb. Start out with the above proportions and then experiment. The more herbs you use and the longer you let it steep, the stronger the brew. Let your taste buds and your senses guide you. Add local honey or fresh fruits to sweeten your elixer. Sit back and enjoy!

Once you’ve assembled the herbs you enjoy, you’ll find creating your own tisane is a snap in the garden. What are you growing?

For The Love Of Roses

Botanicals, Ingredients, Organics,

Roses play a prominent role in our lives. We marvel at their intoxicating fragrance; we enjoy the beauty of our favorites; and we give them to our loved ones to celebrate special occasions. The scent of rose always takes me back to my Grandmother’s garden in southwestern Pennsylvania in the 60’s. I have always strived to recreate that memory in my own garden, unfortunately not so successfully as she, but close.

PinkRoses

Our love affair with roses — for beauty and for health purposes — has a long history. For centuries the rose has been highly valued by many cultures not only for its beauty and perfume but also for its profound healing properties on both a physical and psychological level. Rosewater and rose oil were used in the traditional medicines of China, India, Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome, to cure a wide range of medical conditions. It is suspected that the rose was probably the very first flower from which essential oil was distilled; possibly in the 10th Century Persia. Today, most of the rose oils are still produced in that region of the world. A very large quantity of rose petals is needed to produce a very small quantity of oil. Thus, it is very costly. Thankfully only a small amount of rose oil is needed in therapeutic preparations. It is not used in its concentrated state, but rather in a carrier oil such as sweet almond, jojoba, argon and grapeseed.

 

The use of the rose has a long tradition in folk remedies, most commonly in the area of skincare. It is suitable for all skin types, but it is especially valuable for dry, sensitive or aging skins. Rose water has made its way into cosmetics and medicine for many centuries. Today, beauty experts still consider rose water a wonderfully gentle, natural ingredient with fabulous skin-enhancing benefits. Additionally, and perhaps most obviously, rose water has a pleasant aroma. This lovely perfume and its healing, rejuvenating effects make rose water a potentially valuable addition to your skin care regimen — whether used on its own or in toners, creams and lotions.

Rose essential oil is thought to be beneficial for helping treat broken capillaries just below the skin surface and in minimizing scars as it is believed to stimulate the circulation and promote the growth of new cells. It is used to help dry skin, eczema and considered safe to use on sensitive skin. It is also thought to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. In addition to preparations containing Rose Essential Oil, the use of Rosewater is another way to provide skincare. It is a tonic and antiseptic and is very soothing to irritated skin.

The rose also offers a soothing property to the nerves and emotional /psychological state of mind. It lifts the spirits, can alleviate depression and help people cope with difficult life situations involving emotions such as loss, grief or fear. This cephalic effect can be achieved either from a bath to which drops of rose oil have been added, from a vaporizer or aromatherapy diffuser fed with rosewater, or from simply wearing a rose oil perfume. In addition, a tea made with rose petals often soothes a mild sore throat. Rose hips (the flowers which have swollen to seed) are an excellent source of vitamins A, B3, C, D and E. Taken in the form of tea they are good for infections, particularly bladder infections. It is an especially good source of vitamin C. You can find Rose Hip Tea at The Local Grocer in North Conway, or you can brew it fresh from your garden. Roughly chop up entire rose hips and cover with distilled water and boil for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer or cheesecloth and add a bit of local honey if desired.

 

The essence of rose need not only be used to treat ailments. Whether inhaled and enjoyed from a freshly cut bouquet of sumptuous blooms or splashed on as rosewater after a shower or bath, it is simply a pleasure to be enjoyed by all!

 

RoseLine Skincare at Fields of Ambrosia

The precious rose oil is present in all of our products, and it is this that is responsible for their extraordinary powers of healing and rejuvenation. Whether moisturizing, curing skin disorders, reducing wrinkles, disinfecting, reducing swelling, or curing with aromatherapy, there is a lot more to the rose than just a beautiful flower.

 

Botanical Skincare Alternatives

Botanicals, Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Ingredients, Organics, , ,

My grandmother always taught me, if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. It’s good advice and we all know it is wise to heed the advice of our elders. However, not all skin care practices of yesteryear were good for our skin. If you are not familiar with some of the strange and dangerous cosmetic habits of our earliest ancestors, here are a few frightening examples: arsenic was a common ingredient in face powders, copper or lead was used to color the eyes, and face masks used by the Greeks to ‘improve’ skin condition  were lead-based.

There has been a big push for natural health, natural cosmetics and education about ingredients like the 2 P’s, parabens and phthalates. But how can you really know how safe so-called natural products really are?  As you may have heard from many in the natural beauty community, our skin is one big sponge and everything we spray, apply, bath or shower with makes its way into our system.

Botanicals
Botanicals

So, what’s a person to do? You can gather up all the beauty, bath and body products you currently use and run the ingredients through a database set up by the Environmental Working Group called the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. It will tell you the safety level of each ingredient on a scale of 1-10. Anything above a 5 is circumspect.

Or you can switch to skin-care products with plant-based ingredients that do more than just smell nice or look pretty. Herbs and botanicals have been used for thousands of years for their medicinal and dermatological properties, and they’re only getting more popular. These products are usually high in antioxidants, since plants are constantly exposed to sunlight and must build up defenses against the harmful ultraviolet rays that come with it. In addition, many are also anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. To reap some of the best-known benefits of herbs and botanicals, look for the following ingredients the next time you’re shopping for skin care.

Lavender
Lavender

LAVENDER: This sweet little flower is known for its relaxing scent — but when used in topical products like a face cleanser, it can also act as a soothing antiseptic.  It may help reduce inflammation, and is a good ingredient to look for if you have sensitive or irritated skin; it may also be helpful in treating burns or psoriasis.  If you can’t find lavender in a wash, you can also add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a spray bottle of distilled water and spritz your face with the solution after washing. A few drops in the bath are also a wonderful treat for your skin and your mind.

CALENDULA: Products containing petals of the calendula, or pot marigold, flower can help hydrate dry skin and clear up acne. The plant is also traditionally known for its wound-healing properties, as well, as it increases blood flow to the area where it’s applied; this makes it a good choice for treating burns, bruises and cuts. In a study done on breast cancer patients, calendula was even shown to help reduce inflammation and prevent dermatitis, a common side effect of radiation therapy.

WITCH HAZEL: This liquid is distilled from the bark or leaves of the witch hazel shrub. It acts as an astringent, cleansing the skin and removing excess oil, leaving it tight and firm. Because witch hazel contains anti-inflammatory chemicals called tannins, it can also be used to provide relief to burns, bug bites or other mild skin irritation. A witch hazel based toner, used after facial cleansing will give you a cool, refreshing tingle.

HELICHRYSUM: This flower essential oil ranks as one of the most ancient and valuable healing substances along with Rose and Frankincense.  It is beneficial for it’s anti-inflammatory and cell-regenerating properties and is a wonderful ingredient for treating symptoms of rosacea. Added to a witch hazel toner, it can reduce redness within minutes of application. Added to an oil free base such as aloe vera gel, it can curb the redness and irritations associated with facial inflammation.

Botanical Skincare at Fields of Ambrosia

Fields of Ambrosia was developed in 2001 in response to a search for cleansing, nourishing and therapeutic skin and body care products – beneficial to the body and earth friendly. In researching natural soap making and aromatherapy, I recognized that many of the ingredients for creating these items could be found in the gardens, orchards and fields around my home at Intervale Farm. Combining the life force energy of healing plants, which is absorbed by your skin to generate healthy new cells, with the aromas and healing powers of pure essential oils, gives each creation a signature fragrance which can help to enhance health and psychological well-being. The “aroma” of aromatherapy is not as important as how it makes you feel..

Natural Botanicals are found in all of our products, whether moisturizing, reducing wrinkles, disinfecting, reducing swelling, or curing with aromatherapy, there is a lot more to the herb garden than just beautiful flowers.

My journey with a Monarch Butterfly

Company Philosophy

The Monarch Butterfly and I

“Just living is not enough, said the butterfly,
one must have sunshine,
freedom and a little flower.”
~Hans Christian Andersen

As a child I was always fascinated with the gardens of my grandmothers in the rural mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. I loved the colors, the scents the tranquility and, oh yes, the butterflies. I would lie in the grass and watch them float through the air for hours on end. Butterflies have always had a magical quality to me. They appear so ethereal and fragile, much like fairies dancing on air. I did not know it then, but maybe somewhere deep inside my soul, that these beautiful creatures do more than just look pretty and pollinate flowers. They can serve as wonderful spiritual messengers—both literally and figuratively.

*“Overwhelmingly, cultural myth and lore honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation because of its impressive process of metamorphosis. We can relate the butterfly’s stages of life to our own life-phases…growing pains, times of ravenous hunger, times of vulnerability, moments of miraculous expansion”.

We start out as simple beings and learn to function in the world, much like the caterpillar. We move along through life in our day-to-day activities, but search for deeper meaning. At some point, we are ready to emerge and share our true essence with the world. Much like the butterfly, we spread our wings and fly.

EGG(growing pains)

Throughout my childhood, my family moved house and neighborhoods several times, which was basically asking my three sisters and I to reinvent ourselves in new environments. We learned early on that change was something inevitable and that it was both frightening and exhilarating simultaneously.

CATERPILLAR(ravenous hunger)

Two of us embraced the thrill and the other two were more cautious. Wild, impetuous Karen chose a military career, flying with the Air Force as our father did. Beverly and Kimberly stayed in the familiar world in which we were raised. I chose a life in theatre, which took me on journeys across the country and the Atlantic. Each trip took me to a new home and a new show onstage which was  ever changing. I embraced the new environments, the new friends, the constant challenges that the theatrical stage brought to my drawing table. It was magical yet a bit frightening at times. I found love and marriage on three of those journeys, although none of them were with the soul mate I was seeking, so I continued onward and more inward as well.

In the mid-90’s, I finally recognized that a friend who had spiraled in and out of my life over the course of fifteen years was the person I wanted to accompany me on the remainder of my life journey.  He spent the summer of 1998 with his mother in NH as she lost her final battle with cancer and after twenty-five years of travelling, we decided to move to the family farm in Intervale. This beautiful Valley has now become home to me. The first thing I did? Planted gardens!

CHRYSALLIS(vulnerability)

I started with a perennial and herb garden which I designed as a healing labyrinth path. After the whirlwind of life on the road for so many years – it was part of my inner focus establishing itself in the new environment.  Walking a labyrinth is a wonderful meditation for practicing mindfulness. It brings your awareness into the present moment. It also connects you to nature and all its creatures.

I had no idea how much change was still in my future. That first garden led to three more gardens along with a discovery of healing plants and flowers and their uses. My company, Fields of Ambrosia was in it’s early beginnings when my sister Karen was diagnosed with cancer at 44. Her young passing was devastating for me. It was also the beginning of a catharsis that was long unheeded. Imagine the whole of your life changing to such an extreme you are nearly unrecognizable at the end. Although we live much longer than the butterfly, life is fleeting and time moves quickly. Sometimes we do not realize it and then, all of a sudden, the years just slipped away. I had missed so many years of my sister’s life, and my families’ lives, that the loss of her brought me back to the rest of my family with a passion. Now I spend as much time as I can with both of my  remaining sisters and their children so as not to miss anything more. I believe that butterflies can teach us to enjoy the present moment and to make the most of our existence here on earth.

BUTTERFLY(miraculous expansion)

What began as a love of flowers transformed into a small venture of making natural soaps & lotions for family, friends and myself then expanded into aromatherapy products using essential oils to help my sister through her treatments. The positive effect that these products had on her body and her mind then led me to establish Fields of Ambrosia: BATH-BODY-AROMA as a full time business and to bring my new found knowledge to others. I also became a part of Jen’s Friends Cancer Foundation in North Conway, NH. Ten percent of my profits, as well as product donations, are given to Jen’s Friends each year in the memory of Karen and Francis’ mother who both succumbed to this unfortunate disease.

My heart has been opened by the changes that I have experienced. I love more. I care more. I empathize more. I am more sensitive to the energies around me and strengthened to be less victimized by those energies. I am less wasteful in my life and have learned to keep my demands small.  I am more than I was before this journey began. I also came full circle back to my other love, the theatre, thanks to the amazing people at M&D Playhouse in North Conway, NH.

It is no surprise that my early fascination with flowers and butterflies is so prevalent in my life today. I chose the Monarch butterfly as the symbol of my business because its connection with my soul is so fitting. It also symbolizes the work that I do with Mother Nature’s bounty in creating my products – transforming simple ingredients into wonderful lotions and creams, therapeutic and healing remedies and sometimes just plain and simple good stuff!

*”We are all on a long journey of the soul. On this journey we encounter endless turns, shifts, and conditions that cause us to morph into ever-finer beings. At our soul-journey’s end we are inevitably changed – not at all the same as when we started on the path”.

*Excerpts from Animal Symbolism by Avia Venefica

FOR THE LOVE OF ROSES

Facial Care

Roses ~George Eliot
You love the roses – so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet: and it would be
Like sleeping and yet waking, all at once.

Roses play a prominent role in our lives. We marvel at their intoxicating fragrance; we enjoy the beauty of our favorites; and we give them to our loved ones to celebrate special occasions. The scent of rose always takes me back to my Grandmother’s garden in southwestern Pennsylvania in the 60’s. I have always strived to recreate that memory in my own garden, unfortunately not so successfully as she, but close.

Our love affair with roses — for beauty and for health purposes — has a long history. For centuries the rose has been highly valued by many cultures not only for its beauty and perfume but also for its profound healing properties on both a physical and psychological level. Rosewater and rose oil were used in the traditional medicines of China, India, Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Rome, to cure a wide range of medical conditions. It is suspected that the rose was probably the very first flower from which essential oil was distilled; possibly in the 10th Century Persia. Today, most of the rose oils are still produced in that region of the world. A very large quantity of rose petals is needed to produce a very small quantity of oil. Thus, it is very costly. Thankfully only a small amount of rose oil is needed in therapeutic preparations. It is not used in its concentrated state, but rather in a carrier oil such as sweet almond, jojoba, argon and grapeseed.

The use of the rose has a long tradition in folk remedies, most commonly in the area of skincare. It is suitable for all skin types, but it is especially valuable for dry, sensitive or aging skins. Rose water has made its way into cosmetics and medicine for many centuries. Today, beauty experts still consider rose water a wonderfully gentle, natural ingredient with fabulous skin-enhancing benefits. Additionally, and perhaps most obviously, rose water has a pleasant aroma. This lovely perfume and its healing, rejuvenating effects make rose water a potentially valuable addition to your skin care regimen — whether used on its own or in toners, creams and lotions.

Rose essential oil is thought to be beneficial for helping treat broken capillaries just below the skin surface and in minimizing scars as it is believed to stimulate the circulation and promote the growth of new cells. It is used to help dry skin, eczema and considered safe to use on sensitive skin. It is also thought to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. In addition to preparations containing Rose Essential Oil, the use of Rosewater is another way to provide skincare. It is a tonic and antiseptic and is very soothing to irritated skin.

The rose also offers a soothing property to the nerves and emotional /psychological state of mind. It lifts the spirits, can alleviate depression and help people cope with difficult life situations involving emotions such as loss, grief or fear. This cephalic effect can be achieved either from a bath to which drops of rose oil have been added, from a vaporizer or aromatherapy diffuser fed with rosewater, or from simply wearing a rose oil perfume. In addition, a tea made with rose petals often soothes a mild sore throat. Rose hips (the flowers which have swollen to seed) are an excellent source of vitamins A, B3, C, D and E. Taken in the form of tea they are good for infections, particularly bladder infections. It is an especially good source of vitamin C. You can find Rose Hip Tea at The Local Grocer in North Conway, or you can brew it fresh from your garden. Roughly chop up entire rose hips and cover with distilled water and boil for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer or cheesecloth and add a bit of local honey if desired.

The essence of rose need not only be used to treat ailments. Whether inhaled and enjoyed from a freshly cut bouquet of sumptuous blooms or splashed on as rosewater after a shower or bath, it is simply a pleasure to be enjoyed by all!

RoseLine Skincare at Fields of Ambrosia
Each of the Rose Facial Care products is compatible with all skin types but formulated with mature skin in mind. The Rosewater Glycerin Soap or cream-based Jojoba Scrub are both gentle cleansers for daily use. The Rosewater Toner, used regularly, will close the pores first and foremost, then soften, stimulate and hydrate the skin – a superb wrinkle reducer. The Daily Moisture Cream with SPF15 is lightweight and melts into your skin, wear it alone or under your makeup. A traditional Night Cream for intensive repair, Under Eye Cream to tackle those dark circles and Daily serum with Rose Hip Oil and Hibiscus extract to combat wrinkles, round out the product line.

The precious rose oil is present in all of our products, and it is this that is responsible for their extraordinary powers of healing and rejuvenation. Whether moisturizing, curing skin disorders, reducing wrinkles, disinfecting, reducing swelling, or curing with aromatherapy, there is a lot more to the rose than just a beautiful flower.