The Magic of the Bulgarian Rose

Hello everyone! I have been MIA for a while due my trip to Bulgaria (aka the homeland). Out of the many wonders of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian rose is one that has had people talking about it all over the world for centuries. This is a special breed of rose called Rosa Damascena or more commonly known as the Damask Rose . It does not look or smell, like the roses you buy for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. It’s a very different creature. For many hundreds of years Bulgarians have been extracting the benefits of the roses in the form of rose oil and rose water. Sound foreign? Well you have most likely spritzed yourself with Bulgarian rose oil without even knowing it. How you ask? Well, most of the world’s perfumes have some percentage of rose oil in them. Yes, Gucci, Hermes, Armani and many more. One of my absolute favorites is Marc Jacob’s Decadence. This perfume’s main note is the Bulgarian rose. The way the rose is mixed with the Jasmine Sambac, Italian Plum and Liquid Amber is absolute perfection. Now this is a night-time (though I wear it at all times) perfume, it’s a stronger heavier scent that is very sultry and seductive.

The smell though is far from the Damask rose’s only benefit. Bulgarians have been using rose oil and rose water in their beauty regimen for many years. There are several Bulgarian lines of face creams and skin care cosmetics that are based on rose oil. Rose water is the most commonly used cosmetic product, it’s basically used as a toner to calm and de-puff skin or can be spritzed on your face for refreshing moisture during the hot season. It is relatively cheap (in Bulgaria). Rose oil on the other hand is extremely expensive, a single milliliter of the pure stuff costs about $25.00. Most of it comes from a very special place called the Valley of Roses in Kazanluk, Bulgaria. A valley covered in rosa damascena, check out the video to see it and learn a little more about Bulgaria.

Pure rose oil is extremely strong and usually diluted in some kind of carrier oil, which can be a much more cost-effective alternative. It should generally be used diluted. The reason for the price is that it takes thousands of roses (usually hand picked) to yield a single ounce of rose oil. The roses are harvested at dawn when the oil content is at its highest and immediately moved to the distillery.

Below I am going to highlight some of those benefits and talk about how I myself use it. I am also going to give you some links to where you can buy both rose water and rose oil and talk about how to get and use this without breaking the bank.

The findings below are discoveries through my own research.

Skin Care Benefits of Damask Rose:

• Tightening effect on capillaries
• Reduces redness and inflammation
• Moisturizes skin
• Helps with acne due to its astringent and antiseptic properties
• Can help refine skin texture helping with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
• Can help heal wounds
• Anti-aging
• Fights free radicals and stimulates collagen production

Aromatherapy Benefits of Damask Rose:

• Rose oil posses aromatherapy properties that calm and soothe
• Inhaling rose oil (used in a diffuser for instance) lowers the concentration of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body
• Helps battle depression
• Inhalation aromatherapy has overall analgesic effect; for example it can help pain intensity of patients with burns
• It can improve libido by balancing sexual hormones and reducing anxiety
• It can be beneficial to the treatment of dementia (inhalation aromatherapy)

All of the above benefits were found through my research of Damask Rose as highlighted in studies or other articles which I have tried to provide links to.  One of the articles I have read which summarizes the pharmacological effects of the Damask Rose has provided this very helpful table below.

If you are interested in learning more about the Damask Rose and it’s special qualities visit the blog of Lubka Henry, she’s a fellow Bulgarian blogger who talks about an array of topics (lifestyle). The link I have provided is of one of her few articles on rosa damascena. She has also captured a lovely picture of the distillery in Kazanluk.  A play that I have not visited but it is definitely on my list.

How I use Rose Water and Rose Oil:

I started using rose water a few years ago and I love it! Its an amazing toner and a great refreshing mist in the summer. I usually like to have some in a spray bottle and some in a regular bottle.

1. What I love to do is spray my make-up brushes with the rose water. I find that slightly wet make-up brushes apply foundation and brow pomade much more smoothly.  I want to underline how much better it makes my foundation blend. My preference is use rose water due to its antiseptic properties. When I do not have any i use tap water but rose water is always the better alternative; cleaner and fresher.
2. I also use rose water as a toner. After I wash my face in the mornings and evenings, I like to saturate a cotton swab with the rose water and wipe my face down. Its moisturizing and definitely tightens up the skin but not in that drying way that toners with alcohol do.
3. I like to use rose oil sometimes and sparingly. I bought a milliliter of 100% pure rose oil in a vial (not pictured above) in Bulgaria. So I got it for a bit of a better price than what you can find outside the country. It is a small amount and in colder room temperatures it solidifies. If that happens I just run the hot water and put the glass vial under it and it liquifies right away.  I put a bit of the pure stuff on my finger and put it on problem areas on my face such as creases, before I go to bed. After I have cleansed and toned my face of course. I use Curology on regular nights so this happens only once in a while. I see results in the morning, my skin is tighter and the creases are more shallow than before. You can also put a few drops of it in a carrier oil and use it that way. I will talk about that a little bit later.

Other Benefits:

• Rose tea can help menstrual cramps. A study in Taiwan which was conducted in 2005 observed 130 adolescent girls who had menstrual cramps over a 6 month period. During these 6 months the girls ingested rose tea on a regular basis. The findings suggest that rose tea is a safe and effective way to alleviate menstrual pain.
• Helps digestion and helps maintain the needed bacteria in the intestines.

Some of this information I have found through the blog of a Bulgarian nutritionist Maggi. You can read more about her and her very cool recipes, including one on how to properly prepare rose tea, on her blog. I haven’t tried rose tea yet but I plan to and this is the one I plan to try! I will give you guys an update!

  Where to Buy Rose Water and Rose Oil:

There are several places you can buy rose water and rose oil. Here are several options at different price points. The ones that I personally use are in the bold print.

1. Rose Water: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Rose Water $7.00, Aloe, and Herbs: $7.00, Aloe, and Herbs: This is a well know Romanian brand, but it is not pure rose water.
2. Rose Water: Alteya 100% Organic Rose Water  . This is a great Bulgarian brand at a decent price point $12.95.
3. Rose Water: Gya Labs 100% Rose Water Facial Toner . Cheaper alternative $7.69.
4. Rose Water: Biofresh 100% Natural Rose Water $10.00 from eBay. This is the one that I buy, if you buy it from eBay it ships directly fro Bulgaria and you will probably have to wait a little bit longer to receive it.
5. Rose Oil: 100% Pure Bulgarian Rose Oil : $28.90 This is similar to the one that I have, I recommend getting a carrier oil such as coconut oil or jojoba oil in say a 7-10ml bottle and adding in a few drops of rose oil.
6. Rose Oil: Rose Essential Oil Rosa Damascena  $199.95 for 5 ml. This oil has great reviews and is incredibly expensive. But if you are feeling like splurging here it is.

My Recommendation:

There is a version of the rose oil called rose absolute oil, which is much more affordable. The difference between rose absolute oil and rose essential oil  is the method of extraction.  As per definition from Edens Garden Oils : Absolutes are obtained through solvent extraction. A solvent can be a chemical or alcohol. In solvent extraction, a solvent is combined with plant material. The solvent attracts the oil from the plant material, and the solvent and oil are then separated.

I recommend purchasing this oil and using it on its own in a very sparing manner and combining it with carrier oils such as coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or almond oil. There are a few recipes listed on Edens Garden’s website and their specific uses, such as massage oil, or a combination for mature skin. As you know from my previous blog posts they are my favorite company for essential and carrier oils. I truly love their stuff! They also have a blog which has tons or recipes and uses for different essential/carrier oils.

Rose Bulgarian Absolute oil: 5 ml for $53.95 

OR  you can purchase the one that I have and also mix that with carrier oils, that one you must use even more sparingly.

**Disclaimer: Now for the fun legal part. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above.  These are my personal thoughts. Some affiliate links and ads may appear on my site, and if you purchase something through those I will be paid.

**There are some affiliate links in this article, however I have tried to give options to different retailers if you are interested in any of the products mentioned. These are all my own opinions and thoughts. I am not being paid to endorse any of these products.