Coming Up Roses

Roses are more than pretty centerpieces or romantic gestures. The flower has a rich history as one of the most celebrated ingredients in skincare — a history Sunstone Spa at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage knows well. The Forbes Four-Star spa offers several treatments and products that engage the flower’s medicinal and beatific benefits. These lovely flowers that vary in size and shape and bloom in almost every shade of white, yellow, pink, and red are full of antioxidants, antibacterial properties, nutrients, and minerals.

Appearing at least 35 million years ago in the fossil record and growing naturally throughout North America and beyond, the rose has been prized by many civilizations around the world. For centuries, the flower served as an important ingredient in Persian traditional medicine, and archaeologists have even uncovered petrified rose wreaths in Egyptian tombs. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, roses symbolized love and beauty; the Romans filled their cities with lush rose gardens, crowned newlyweds with roses, covered banquet tables with the petals, and used the flowers as currency. Rose petals, rose water, and rose extract were also active elements in early facial masks, eye shadows, and blush. It may come as a surprise to some that the rose is even a winter delicacy for wild birds and others animals.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, as the science of beauty grew more sophisticated and the benefits of rose oil extract became more known, the product became widely available in perfumes, lotions, soaps, and creams. Today, it remains one of the most treasured and effective natural ingredients in luxury skincare and spa treatments, with the Moroccan rose extract being one of the most sought-after throughout the world.

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Moroccan Rose

Rosa damascena, the damask rose, originates from ancient Syria and is best known for its intense perfume. According to some legends, returning Crusaders brought the flower to Morocco from Damascus in the 13th century. It now grows wild in one valley in Morocco, yielding between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of blossoms each spring. The rose maroc extract, or essential oil, from these blooms possesses intense hydrating properties, with a sublime fragrance that helps calm and balance the mind and body. (You can experience its calming effects for yourself with Sunstone Spa’s Mommy-to-Be Massage, which incorporates a unique blend of rose maroc with ylang-ylang and other essential oils.)

The blossoms are picked by hand at sunrise, when the oil yield is highest and the dew still settled on the flower. When the sunlight begins to intensify, the flowers are immediately transported to the distillery. It takes tens of thousands of petals to create one drop of rose extract; as a result, it remains one of the most expensive and sought-after ingredients in the beauty industry.

A Powerhouse for All Skin Types

Chemists have identified more than 440 different compounds in rose extract, making it extremely complex as well as popular for all skin types. It gently helps regulate and balance hormone production throughout the body, promotes circulation, and reduces blood pressure, adding a natural glow that cosmetics cannot mimic.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES

Rose extract also contains high levels of antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals and prevent premature aging. It’s a superb moisturizer, protecting the skin from dehydration and environmental toxins.

Rose water with organic rose oil extract is a gentle antiseptic and astringent that refreshes skin after cleansing, restores a balanced pH level, and prevents blemishes. Anti-inflammatory properties enable rose oil extract to minimize redness, soothe irritation, and subtly reduce red spots and discoloration.

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Noted health authority Deepak Chopra, MD, writes that “the sugars and natural oils found in rose petals trap moisture in your skin, making your skin look smoother and softer — just like the beautiful rose petals themselves.”

As powerful as it is in beauty, rose extract is also known for balancing emotions and creating a sense of tranquility and calm. It has been extensively studied and proven to reduce cortisol levels, anxiety, and postoperative pain. The lovely scent creates feelings of comfort and relaxation and has a significant anti-depressant effect.

In one of the most innovative spa treatments today, aestheticians combine organic rose extract with various formulations of the soft pink crystal rose quartz. Rose quartz is known for its use in attracting romance, easing heartbreak, and promoting self-love. In many ways, the crystal complements and reinforces the effects of rose extract, making the two the perfect combination for beautiful skin and self-confidence.   

Knesko rose quartz rollers handcrafted from fair-trade rose quartz and dipped in rose gold; sold in a set with face and eye masks, $150

Knesko rose quartz collagen eye mask, $48

Knesko rose quartz collagen face mask (four-pack), $120

Body Bliss Heartful rose massage oil; each bottle contains clear quartz crystals to protect the vibrational signature of the oil, $24

Body Bliss Heartful rose lotion, $24

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These Sunstone Spa treatments combine rose petals and perfume for the ultimate self-pampering.

Diamond Radiance and Nanogold Repair Facial
In this treatment, a blend of diamond, nanogold, and rose essential oil brightens and gently exfoliates the skin. “The addition of marine collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera also creates deep hydration,” says Sunstone Spa Manager Daniel Spencer. The aesthetician uses a beautiful, hand-crafted rose quartz roller in a soothing massage, which encourages lymphatic drainage and aids circulation. The result: Signs of stress and fatigue vanish almost instantly as fine lines and wrinkles take a step back in time.

Mommy-to-Be Massage
A deeply relaxing blend of rose maroc, ylang-ylang, and tangerine essential oils takes pressure off the lower back and legs and aids in mental clarity, creates deep relaxation, and helps skin retain elasticity.

Gemstone Polishes
For its two Gemstone Polishes, Spencer says, Sunstone Spa has created an exclusive blend of Dead Sea, Pacific, and desert salts; kaolin clay; powdered rose quartz; and coconut milk powder. “The combination works to exfoliate, buff, and brighten skin,” he says, noting that the coconut milk powder adds an extra layer of hydration that’s activated in the shower. Both polishes incorporate the nurturing and healing oils of rose, sandalwood, primrose, vetiver, and geranium. The Heartful polish treatment includes a 50-minute scrub with heated stones, the Sunstone gemstone polish blend, a refreshing shower, and a 50-minute massage with rose extract–infused oils and hot stones, followed by a final application of rose lotion to lock in the deep hydration of the oil. The Polished Gem consists of a 25-minute scrub, a shower, and a 50-minute massage.

This story originally appeared in MeYah Whae, The Magazine of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Fall/Winter 2019-20. To read the current digital edition, click HERE.