Roses are red…

Posted by Li Wong on Feb 14, 2021 in Articles, Herbalism | 4 comments

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is a day that symbolizes love. What better way to celebrate than to learn about rose petals! The rose has a special place in my heart since it is a part of Plant Alkemie Institute of Holistic Botanical Studies’ logo. I chose the rose to be part of my school’s logo since it is the plant that I resonate the most with energetically.

There are many species of rose. Some of the species I have used in herbalism are Rosa × damascena, R. centifolia, R. alba, and R. gallica. But you can use any rose species you like. As long as the petals are fragrant, unsprayed (roses are usually sprayed with pesticides), and preferably organic!

Rose petals are astringent and anti-inflammatory. Rose is considered an aphrodisiac. It is a nervine. Rose is associated with love and all manners of the heart.

Rose petals are widely used in skin care; it is excellent for ‘aging’ and sensitive skin. I have used rose for minor burns and minor irritation. It can be used for minor wounds.  Rose is well known for its effect on the emotions; it is great for many emotional concerns, including depression and grief. Its aroma is divine so it is used in skin care products and in perfumery. Rose petals are also in a lot of food recipes! There are so many other uses, but I have just listed a few of my favorites!

A really simple way to add rose to your life is to make an infusion. In herbalism, the term infusion refers to a strong medicinal tea. Rose infusion can used for many purposes: you can drink it as a tea, use it in skin care as a toner, use it as a hair rinse (your hair will be so fragrant and soft), use it on minor skin irritations, and add it to many other skin care products. I like adding rose infusion to the bath!

Rose Infusion

Ingredients:

1 to 2 grams (~ 1 to 2 Tablespoons) unsprayed and/or certified organic dried rose petals (Rosa spp.)
8 oz of water

Directions:

Boil the water. Take your pot off the heat. Add the rose petals, and cover the pot with a lid.

If you are making the tea to drink, I suggest using 1 gram (about 1 T) of rose petals and steeping for 5 minutes.

If you are making the infusion for skin or hair care, I recommend using 2 grams (about 2 T) of rose petals and let it steep for at least 15-20 minutes.

Strain and enjoy!

Ingredient, Direction, And Shelf Life Notes:

You might want to start out with a little more water than 8 oz, to account for evaporation.

I suggest using only 1 gram of rose petals and steeping for 5 minutes for a beverage tea. I have found that if rose is steeped for longer periods of time (like 20 minutes), then it tastes very strong, and it might become bitter and too astringent. Rose tea has a light, floral sweet taste, but some roses can taste bitter, especially if steeped too long. But some people may prefer to steep it a couple minutes longer than 5 minutes. Others may prefer to use more than 1 gram per cup. Experiment and see what you prefer!

For skin and hair care, I suggest infusing the roses in the water for at least 15-20 minutes, and using 2 grams of rose petals to make a strong infusion. However, it is totally fine to steep it for longer. Sometimes I let the roses infuse in the water for an hour or more!

The amount of rose petals you can use is very flexible. Although I don’t typically suggest using measurements like Tablespoons in recipes, it is totally fine to use Tablespoons or regular spoonfuls when making rose infusion. You can use less rose petals or you can use more rose petals, if you like!

I used dried rose petals but you can use fresh too! Generally you usually need to use more fresh roses than dried, but as mentioned, there is a lot of leeway with the amount of roses you can use!

I enjoy using infusions in skin care and hair care. However, since an infusion is a tea–so it uses water as its solvent–it has a short shelf life! I suggest storing any excess you have in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you would like a longer shelf life, you can freeze the rose infusion in ice cube trays and then defrost what you need.

Want to Learn More About Herbalism Or Roses In Aromatherapy and Perfumery?

Confused about the difference between an infusion (which a lot of people confuse with other herbal preparations), an infused oil, infuse, infused, infusing, and a decoction? Then check out my Herbal Definitions article!

If you are interested in using other rose ingredients like rose essential oil, then be sure to read my Good Fortune New Year’s Aromatherapy Blend!

Damask rose essential oil has a low max dermal concentration. Learn more about it in my Total Concentration & Max Dermal Concentration In Aromatic Blending article!

Learn about which aromatics blend well with which in my Aromatherapy And Natural Perfumery Blending Notes article. While rose is not one of the main aromatics I focus on in the article, it is mentioned several times (you can learn some of the aromatics it blends well with).

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