Rose

Raw material profile

Over 20,000 varieties; countless colors from yellow to orange to white, pink, and red; single and double flowers; bushes, vines and trees. The range of rose (Rosa spp.) varieties is seemingly endless. Its wild, bushy forms originate in Asia and are thought to have spread from Persia and Babylon via Egypt to Greece and Italy. Despite the many differences in variety, roses have one thing in common: the five-fold symmetry of their flowers. In other words, each flower head has five petals or a number of petals that is divisible by five. Within the flower, each of the five petals has its own unique form. Even the five green base leaves that cup the blossom petals differ from one another. Rose hips develop from the rose petals. As the fruits of the rose, their form is as diverse as that of the petals. A further similarity between roses is their thorns, which are classed as prickles from a botanical perspective. Unlike thorns, which are created through the transformation of stems or leaves and grow as a fused part of the plant, prickles can be easily detached. The original rose varieties firmly embed themselves in the ground with their deep roots. Some hybrid tea roses lack this strong root system and are therefore grafted to the roots of a dog rose.

The value of a rose extends well beyond its beauty. Rose petals contain essential oil, tannins, nectar, lipids, wax and resin, among other things. With the aid of distillation, both rose water and rose essential oil can be obtained from rose petals. Rose oil has been shown to contain more than 400 individual constituents. Due to its complexity, the natural scent of a rose cannot be 100% synthetically replicated. In aromatherapy, rose essential oil is celebrated for its relaxant, de-stressing and mood-lifting qualities. The wax extracted from rose petals has a very fine and silky consistency. Rose hips contain fortifying components such as vitamin C, plant acids and pectins.

Origin, cultivation and processing

For Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products, we use rose extracts that have been prepared in several different ways: essential rose oil, rose water, rose wax, oil extracts from dried rose petals, aqueous, rhythmitised extracts from fresh rose petals and extracts of wild rose fruits (rose hips).

We procure rose essential oil from our independent partners in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Bulgaria and Turkey. The oil comes from Damask rose petals via steam distillation. It takes approximately 2.5 acres of roses to obtain a single kilogram (35 oz) of the valuable oil, which is used in many Dr. Hauschka Skin Care products. Our partners grow the roses using certified organic or biodynamic cultivation methods. Our agricultural consultants regularly visit the countries to offer on-going support. We offer grants to new partners who are just starting out in rose cultivation for the purchase of rose cuttings or the construction of distilleries. This is in line with our commitment to high quality ingredients and products. As we use raw materials obtained from biodynamic or certified organic cultivation, whenever possible, we also believe it is very important to establish new, independent raw material partnerships. With the aid of our support and guaranteed purchase prices, new jobs and better living standards are created locally. In Afghanistan, for example, the cultivation of roses offers people an alternative to growing opium poppies.

Why is rose used as an ingredient in Dr. Hauschka products?

While it may not be obvious, a rose expresses itself with qualities that contrast and contradict one another. A rose is strong but soft; resistant and thorny but tender; upright yet enticing, and with a fragrance that can be sweet yet bitter. It invites us in with its fragrance and contracts with its abundance of astringent tannins. And yet, the rose is a symbol of the purest harmony. It has the strength to bring together its contrasting elements and create complete strength of expression. It shares this strength with man. The manner in which the rose is processed highlights these different aspects: the essential oil sends us on a journey full of dreams, inspiring feelings of confidence and strength. The warm oil extract with almond oil accentuates the rose’s soothing, rich and protective qualities. Aqueous preparations are dominated by the rose’s fortifying and harmonizing abilities.