MARKETING DOCUMENTATION Rose milk Family: Rosaceae Specie: Rosa Damascena M BOTANY A rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. It is a common error to refer to roses having thorns. Thorns are modified branches or stems, whereas these sharp protrusions on a rose are modified epidermal tissues (prickles). Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance. The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound, with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets. The plant's fleshy edible fruit is called a rose hip. Rose plants range in size from puny, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 20 meters in height. Species from different parts of the world easily hybridize, which has given rise to the many types of garden roses. Rosa Damascena Originated in ancient times with a natural cross of (Rosa moschata x Rosa gallica) x Rosa fedtschenkoana. Robert de Brie is given credit for bringing damask roses from Persia to Europe sometime between 1254 and 1276, although there is evidence from ancient Roman frescoes that at least one damask rose, existed in Europe for hundreds of years prior. Summer damasks bloom once in summer. Autumn or Four Seasons damasks bloom again later, in the fall: the only remontant Old European roses. Shrubs tend to have rangy to sprawl growth habits and Information sourced from various bibliographical information and websites. Biocosmethic is not liable for any medical claims or traditional uses reproduced in this document. Biocosmethic – 6, rue du grand chêne 78830 Bonnelles – tél. : (+33)1 30 88 49 18 [email protected] – www.biocosmethic.com Page 1/3 MARKETING DOCUMENTATION vicious thorns. Rosa Damascena cannot be cultivated everywhere as it needs a gentle temperature and a humid air during the flowering time to get a good yield of oil. That is why this rose is mainly grown under temperate climates, usually at an altitude between 300m and 1200m. When cultivated in fields, rose bushes are planted in parallel rows laid out 2 meters apart, from seedlings grown in glasshouses during winter. The first crop of roses may be collected after 2 years of plantation. It will take five years before the crop reaches its maximum. Then a well-managed field may produce more than 7 tons of flowers a year per hectare. A field may last up to 20 years, depending on the care given to the rose bushes. Climate directly influences the crop and the yield of oil. Therefore, the production can vary considerably from one year to the other, depending on the weather conditions during spring time. Rose milk is obtained from the flowers of “Rosa Damascena”. TRADITIONAL USES Attar of rose is the steam-extracted essential oil from rose flowers that has been used in perfumes for centuries. Rose water, made from the rose oil, is widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The French are known for their rose syrup, most commonly made from an extract of rose petals. In the United States, this French rose syrup is used to make rose scones. Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high Vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products. Therapeutic Uses Damask rose oil soothes and harmonizes the mind and helps with depression, anger, grief, fear, nervous tension and stress and at the same time addresses sexuality, self-nurturing, self-esteem and dealing with emotional problems. It is most helpful for poor circulation and heart problems, which would include heart palpitations, arrhythmia as well as high blood pressure and is also used to boost the liver and gall bladder. For the respiratory system Damask rose oil assists in cases of asthma, coughs and hay fever, and in the digestive system for liver congestion and nausea. In vapour therapy or dilute to the bath, rose oil is helpful with respiratory problems, headaches, migraine and nervous tension. As blended massage oil, it boost poor circulation, calming the heart and general skin toning. CHEMISTRY The main constituents of the Damask rose flowers include tannins, pectins, vitamins (C, E, K and B group) carotenes, essential oils and nicotinamide. The content of essential oil in the petals is poor and far below 1%. The chemical composition of rose oil is one of the most complex and contains more than 300 known compounds. Characteristic components of rose oil are acyclic monoterpene alcohols, geraniol (up to 75%), citronellol (20%) and nerol (20%), and long-chain hydrocarbons like nonadecane or heneicosane (up to 10%). An important trace component of rose oil is β-damascenone (0.01%). Characteristic of the fresh flower’s odor is 2- phenyl ethanol, which is, though, lost during steam distillation and accumulates in the rose water. Thus, rose oil and rose water do not equal each other exactly. Information sourced from various bibliographical information and websites. Biocosmethic is not liable for any medical claims or traditional uses reproduced in this document. Biocosmethic – 6, rue du grand chêne 78830 Bonnelles – tél. : (+33)1 30 88 49 18 [email protected] – www.biocosmethic.com Page 2/3 MARKETING DOCUMENTATION COSMETIC PROPERTIES Rose oil is used topically for all types of skin conditions from dry skin to aging skin as it softens and enhances tone and texture. Burners and vaporizers - In vapor therapy, rose oil can be helpful with allergies, asthma, baby blues, headaches, migraine, nervous tension and as a relaxant. It is particularly effective to fight depression, anger and grief, while dealing with emotional problems, sadness and loss. Blended massage oil or in the bath - As a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath, rose oil can help with allergies, baby blues, asthma, hay fever, headaches, depression, migraine, nervous tension, depression, grief, stress, sadness and also to boost poor circulation, calming the heart, stimulating the liver and gall bladder and for general skin toning. Lotions and creams - When rose oil is included in a cream or lotion, it stimulates the skin, while moisturizing and hydrating, boosting all skin types and being particularly beneficial to dry, mature and sensitive skin. It helps to reduce skin redness, fight inflammations, as well as fix broken capillaries on the skin and also acts as a general skin tonic with its astringent properties. On the skin it is most effective for moisturizing the skin, while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action, which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation as well as skin redness and is useful in eczema and herpes. Rose water can be used for conjunctivitis. Cold cream was originally known as ‘ointment of rose water’ because it contained rose oil and rose water. External application of rose essential oil is useful in soothing irritated skin. Moreover, Damask rose is also used to treat any kind of inflammations and bounds. It enhances the natural defenses, cleanses and helps to avoid the consequences of the oxidative processes with its vitamin content (carotenes and vitamin C, E and K). BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils26/EssentialOils26.htm Leffingwell, John C. (1999). "Rose (Rosa damascena)". Aroma from Carotenoids. Leffingwell & Associates. http://www.leffingwell.com/rose.htm. Retrieved 2006-06-08. Jack Goody. The culture of flowers. Cambridge University Press, 1993 Information sourced from various bibliographical information and websites. Biocosmethic is not liable for any medical claims or traditional uses reproduced in this document. Biocosmethic – 6, rue du grand chêne 78830 Bonnelles – tél. : (+33)1 30 88 49 18 [email protected] – www.biocosmethic.com Page 3/3 .