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Skin Treatment With Rose Water and Shielding Lotion - Something Old, Something New

04/07/2008

yurvedic doctors, who practice the traditional medicine of India, often recommend spritzing your face with rose water for a therapeutic pick-me-up skin treatment. While it doesn’t replace regular cleansing routines, it is definitely refreshing and invigorating. Best of all, it keeps you hydrated in dry weather, while in the sun, or when indoors with the heat or air conditioning blasting. A good shielding lotion is excellent skin treatment to help the body maintain natural moisture, but you may also want to consider a rose spritz – especially for sensitive skin.

In modern times, the rose is associated with love. Roses are traditional Valentine’s Day gifts and are given as tokens of love throughout the year. However, from the ayurvedic viewpoint, there is science behind this tradition. According to ayurvedic texts, each of us is dominated by one of three body and mind types called doshas. The three doshas are Pitta, Vata and Kapha. While we have all three doshas, one is usually dominant.

Those dominated by the Pitta dosha, characterized physically by good proportions, medium size, and average energy and stamina, tend to be intelligent, witty and focused. From the viewpoint of natural elements – always a factor in ayurveda – they are fiery. Pitta governs the emotions and the heart: The rose is used to soothe both.

Centuries ago, royalty often gave gifts of rose petal conserve – just like a fruit conserve – to their loved ones to ensure their love and loyalty. This has now become our traditional gift of roses on Valentine’s Day.

What does all that have to do with the skin treatment? The fiery Pitta skin type is also characterized by sensitive skin – more breakouts, sensitivity to the sun, ruddy, and warm. And Pitta skin is often freckled. As the rose cools the skin and calms that fire, a rose spritz has become a traditional skin treatment for the Pitta dosha.

How do you make a rose spritz? You can simply buy rose water, found in the food section or on the skin treatment shelves, or you can make it yourself by removing the stems and leaves from roses and gently simmering the flowers and rose hips for about 15 minutes in just enough water to cover them. Strain into a bottle and store in the refrigerator. It’s a good idea to also get a small spray bottle you can take with you when you go out so you can spritz throughout the day.

To help maintain that moisture, you should also use a shielding lotion. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that locks in moisture. It also keeps chemicals out, so the benefits of your rose spritz skin treatment aren’t nullified by environmental pollutants.

Ayurvedic skin care traditions have helped millions of people for centuries. Combined with the breakthrough technology of a shielding lotion, you’ll have the best skin care treatment science has to offer.

Technorati Tags: skin treatment, skin care treatment, shielding lotion

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