Rosa damascena is one of the oldest roses in the world with a history as ancient as Biblical times. It is a popular plant in the beauty industry. People also refer to it as Damask rose or Rose of Castile. Apart from its use as an ornamental plant in gardens and houses, Damask rose is principally cultivated for use in beauty, perfume, food, and medicinal products.
Thought to originate in Damascus, Rosa damascena, was brought to Europe from Syria in the 14th century by knights returning from the Crusades. Other accounts state that the ancient romans brought it to their colonies in England, and a third account is that the physician of King Henry VIII gifted him one circa 1540.
The scent of the Damask rose essence is rosy and floral, with a honey aspect, and slightly sweet notes. The largest cultivator of Damask rose is Iran where Kashan, Fars, and Azerbaijan are the major areas of cultivation. It is also grown in Bulgaria.
Liquid Gold
The method of extraction of Damask rose makes it more precious than other essential oils. The labor-intensive production process has a very low yield; takes more than 10,000 freshly picked rose blossoms to produce only one 5mL bottle of Rose essential oil. Because Rose petals are so delicate, the petals are harvested very early in the morning and must be distilled within a maximum of 24 hours. This is why it is called the liquid gold of Bulgaria, as an ounce of Bulgarian rose oil is more expensive than liquid gold.
Skincare Benefits
Each type of rose used in skincare has a slightly different benefit, however generally you’ll find the likes of Damascus rose in anti-ageing skincare and those that target dry and sensitive skin types. This is because rose oil has amazing moisturising properties and is known to soothe and calm the skin. In addition, studies have shown that it also carries antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - everything you want in your everyday skincare.
Its antimicrobial properties of the rose oil are especially suitable for acne prone skin. A 2010 study discovered that rose oil has one of the most potent antibacterial actions when compared to ten other essential oils. They also found out that the application of rose oil (a 0.25% dilution) destroyed the bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes within five minutes. Additionally, Propionibacterium acnes is one of the acne-causing bacteria.
All of our Tapir's Tale products (besides Protect UV) contain this skin beneficial oil. Besides skincare benefits, its beautiful scent promotes feelings of harmony and inner peace to have a beautiful start to the day or a restful night.
References:
Bown D. The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.; 2001.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586833/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411015000954