Rosy Face Moisturizer

Rose petals macerating in almond oil, to prepare a homemade skin moisturizer.
Number of Servings: 
makes 6.75 ounces
Recipe Source: 
Excerpted from The Art of Natural Beauty © by Rebecca Sullivan, used with permission from Kyle Books.

Ingredients

  • 4 large handfuls of fresh rose petals (any color), unsprayed and perfumed
  • 1 cup avocado or extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 grams beeswax  (about .35 oz)
  • 2 tsp vitamin E oil
  • 10 drops of rose essential oil wide-mouthed jar sterilized jar, for storage

Directions

  1. Start by shaking off any wee critters inside your rose petals. Put the petals into a wide-mouthed jar and cover with the avocado or olive oil. Use a wooden spoon (or smaller jar that fits inside the larger jar) to bruise the petals (drawing out some of the moisture). Put the lid on the jar. Leave in the sunlight (inside, but not somewhere too hot—just a place where it can get sunlight) for a couple of weeks. Strain the oil into a bowl and discard the petals.
  2. Put the strained rose oil and the beeswax into a double boiler over a low heat and heat until melted and combined. If you don’t have a double boiler, then instead use a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water underneath).
  3. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little and then stir in the vitamin E oil and rose essential oil. Pour into a sterilized jar and leave to cool completely before putting the lid on. The mix will emulsify like coconut oil does, but will melt when touched. Keep in a cool, dark place for up to a month.
  4. Use as required, gently rubbing into your skin.

Notes

Roses are the greatest for skin care. They are active, hydrating and anti-aging, so this moisturizer is perfect for dry skin. More than that, roses just smell utterly delightful. Search out the roses that actually smell—they are few and far between in the shops these days, so maybe make friends with your neighbor (the one with the scented roses) and swap them for a jar. The amount of extra oil you will get from the roses is dependent on their moisture level.

Looking for More?

If you want your skin to maintain a healthy and youthful glow, be in the know about what nutrients are key in your skin care regimen. We also have other fantastic DIY beauty care recipes you can try!