Inspired by a rose...

It's almost that time of year... You might wonder what I am on about now. Recently someone complimented me on my complexion and I told them that I have been using rosehip oil on my face for several months. I personally love roses - their aroma and visual beauty is amazing. So is it any wonder that I would be drawn to rose hip oil. 

I am embarrassed to admit that it was only a few years ago that I realized the rosehips are the seed pods of roses (next phase after a rose has bloomed). Little did I know when I was younger (ok - a lot younger) one of my after school chores was to pick these little critters for drying so that they could eventually be made into rose hip tea.

​So now I am more interested! Nature is truly fascinating - did you know that roses are in the same family as apples and crabapples? It's no coincidence that rosehips look like tiny crabapples and also have a bit of the tartness of crabapples. Rosehips are a great source of essential fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin C and B-carotene, a form of vitamin A. Compared to oranges, rose hips contain 25 percent more iron, 20 to 40 percent more vitamin C, depending on variety. Because of the antioxidants listed, when using rosehip oil on your face, it has the ability to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and the vitamin C helps stimulate collagen production.

Now before you rush out and start picking rosehips, apparently rugosa roses are the best species to pick and one should wait until after the first frost. Hopefully, we have a little bit more summer before that happens!

I was speaking with an old friend, MarLyn Collins, founder of Inspiral Creations, who tells me she makes her own rosehip tincture - another way of getting the benefits.  If you are interested, here's a link for more information on it. Apparently it's relatively easy to do - it involves drying the rosehips first and then letting them sit in a mason jar full of vodka and covered with cheesecloth for about 6 weeks. You need to shake the jar a couple of times each day. The end result is that it can then be taken internally as a natural remedy for many afflictions.

​Nature in it's many forms - plants, herbs and foods are my fascinations - have such wonderful gifts to offer to all of us. I know personally I have not taken advantage of the wealth of information and resources all around me. Besides that, it's fun to experiment and make things for yourself! Plus, this fall it may be added inspiration to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while picking rosehips!  

References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/228464-what-are-the-benefits-of-rose-hip-oil-on-the-face/