We love Rosemary in skin care at The Summit! Every day clients will probably have rosemary used in their skin treatments! That's how much we love and respect this plant. We don't talk about it much though. We thought it was time you knew why and how we use and recommend it.
What is this ancient skin care ingredient all about?
It is an herb, like lavender, from the lamiaceae family. Like lavender, it comes in many forms. At The Summit, we use mostly Rosmarinus Officinalis with cineole.
This small Mediterranean shrub was the sacred plant of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Hebrews. With its evergreen foliage, like cypress, it symbolised immortality, but also stability and sincerity. It was a sort of good luck charm that kept evil spirits away. It became a well respected treatment for many health and skin concerns throughout Europe as it's virtues spread.
Today, we know it as a powerful antioxidant due to it's rosmarinic acid, which is much more powerful than Vitamin E. Rosemary leaf extract is skin rejuvenating and can firm and tighten your complexion due to these antioxidant properties.
Rosemary leaf extract is also toning, stimulating, anti-fatigue, oxygenating and anti-infectious.
It's anti-infectious or antibacterial qualities are very potent, making rosemary essential oil exceptional for fighting acne bacteria. In lab tests , rosemary essential oil destroys acne-causing bacteria P. acnes, damaging the cell walls and ultimately killing the bacterial cells themselves. In addition to its antibacterial properties, rosemary can also be used to decrease redness and puffiness, which is helpful when treating cystic acne and other skin concerns. This quality, combined with rosemary oil's non-comedogenic properties, means that acne has no foothold as the oil both clears out pores and forms a protective barrier against future breakouts.
PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT APPLY PURE ROSEMARY ESSENTIAL OIL DIRECTLY ON THE SKIN!! Unlike lavender essential oil, rosemary when applied undiluted to the skin can cause serious skin irritation. Even a small drop of rosemary essential oil is a very concentrated cocktail of plant chemicals. Rosemary essential oil for skin care must be in a properly diluted formulation.
Rosemary can be described as having a strong personality with it's mind-clearing aromas! This strength in personality has also contributed to it's effect on memory and concentration. Take a little wiff of rosemary to sharpen your senses before exams, to kick start your day or for a mid afternoon revival. It's connections with memory made it a staple in many cultural traditions at funerals and wearing rosemary was a way to remember and honour the departed.
How we use and recommend Rosemary at The Summit
Yonka, Yonka, Yonka! That is how we use and recommend rosemary! Yonka is a line of natural, therapeutic skin and body care from France with a 75 year history. The foundation of the brand is their quintessence of essential oils. Five essential oils make up this quintessence that is found in most of the products in the brand. They include rosemary, lavender, cypress, thyme and geranium.
At it's most concentrated, this quintessence can be found within Yonka's
Pure Emulsion - a watery opaque liquid - ideal for spot treating blemishes, burns, insect bites and boo-boos. It is also part of the basics of a skin care program - the toner or treating mist.
Yonka Lotion or toner has been an multi-award winning toner for many years. The aroma will seduce and relax you and the rosemary and it's friends will deliver the skin rejuvenating results.
Yonka also has a specific collection, within the brand, with an even greater focus (%) of rosemary. This is called their PHYTO range. This is a list of these remarkable products:
Yonka Phyto 52 - for facial and neck firmness, tightening of dilated pores, radiance of the complexion, and those acne-prone or prone to milia.
Yonka Phyto152 - a
firming, refreshing and hydrating body cream ideal for tired legs and after pregnancy.
TIP: Feeling Tired? Dab a small amount of Phyto 52 or
Phyto 152 under your nose and on your temples. Breathe deeply.
TIP: regain your energy with a 10 minute partner massage - apply
Yonka Phyto 152 to the soles of the feet and along the spine and massage for 10 minutes. You will both remember the kindness and experience.
However you incorporate rosemary into your life, you will surely be seduced by it's effectiveness - just as we have been!
