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All About Rose Geranium Hydrosol
This year Botnia celebrates the big 7! As something special for this lucky birthday, we’ve brought back our most beloved hydrosol, Rose Geranium! This year’s batch is extra special, as all the rose geranium used to make this dreamy hydrosol was 100% sourced from our micro-farm in Sausalito.
In addition to being a friend to all, Rose Geranium has so many useful properties and benefits for the skin. The type of geranium we use for our hydrosol is Pelargonium graveolens (its botanical name). Did you know that there are zero roses in rose geranium? The common name for this plant refers to the rosy floral note of its scent. What we find so cool about this plant is that the oil in rose geranium is excreted from the leaves and stems in a similar way to how our skin functions, through tiny follicles and hair shafts on the plant. Keep reading to see why we love rose geranium so much!
Botnia's Power Plant
Its antibacterial and antifungal properties make it a powerful ingredient that naturally preserves our skincare. This is why we use rose geranium in almost all of our water-based formulations!
What even is a hydrosol?
Hydrosols, also known as floral waters, are the water by-product of a botanical that includes the immune system of the plant.
We create our own hydrosols using an alembic still, where steam captures the oils trapped in micro-pockets within the plant tissue. The result is a bright and floral aromatic liquid that contains all the most potent parts of the plant.
The process of making a hydrosol is very similar to that of essential oils. The key difference is that the water content in a hydrosol is much higher, allowing it to be gentle enough to apply on the skin while still containing all of the plant’s healing properties.
We like to think of a hydrosol as added sustenance to your skincare regime - a skin vitamin if you will! Just like daily supplements we take to keep us healthy, hydrosols can help our skin to do the same.
For more fun facts about hydrosols, read up on our seasonal hydrosols here!
How to use in a skincare routine
On cleansed skin, use Rose Geranium Hydrosol as a toner or with hydrating serum to bring deep hydration to the skin.
You can also use the hydrosol mixed in with powdered masks. To avoid the mask drying out, periodically spray the hydrosol to keep the mask moist on your skin. (Pro tip: Spray the hydrosol into your mixing bowl first, before you add powder so it doesn’t make a mess!)
For extra relaxation, we recommend taking a few deep breaths after applying your hydrosol to really absorb all the plant energetics. Plus, it’s the perfect reminder to take a moment for yourself: a self care win!
Key benefits for the skin
Rose geranium is mildly astringent, which means it shrinks or constricts body tissue and tightens pores. This helps to minimize the appearance of enlarged pores. It’s a natural humectant, attracting moisture and holding it in the skin. The terpenes citronellal, linalool, and geraniol help to keep bacteria off the skin, and their antiseptic properties also help heal the skin. The terpenes also contribute to the lovely scent of the hydrosol.
The reason why this special hydrosol is so limited is that we provide it year-round for our holistic spa partners and there’s only so much plant material to go around! In a Botnia facial, rose geranium hydrosol serves as a soother to bring down inflammation and also buffers the potency of stronger botanicals when mask mixing in the treatment room. Its astringent qualities help aid in cellular turnover by weakening intracellular proteins and lipids.
This year we’re happy to share that we’ve made 1,000 bottles of this magical hydrosol. Hydrosols for everyone!
Who it’s for
Normal, acneic, oily, dry, and sensitive skin types are great candidates to use Rose Geranium Hydrosol. But really, Rose Geranium is everyone’s friend – we especially love how universal this product is!
Shelf life
Rose Geranium hydrosol is self-preserving; it’s a stable product that usually lasts 12 to 14 months or longer if stored properly.
Sourcing
We grow our own rose geranium on Botnia’s micro-farm in Sausalito, CA. This particular batch of hydrosol is extra-special because it was 100% sourced from our micro farm. It’s our birthday batch and we can’t wait to share the magic of it with the Botnia family!
The story of the artwork
This year, we were lucky enough to work with the very talented Grace Helmer, an illustrator based out of Brighton, England. We hope you are just as in love as we are!
“For this label, I was excited to focus on a close-up view of the rose geranium with its delicate leaves and striking pinky purple tones. After sketching and finalizing the composition digitally, I painted the final illustration using oil paints. I love to work with oils because of their rich colors and the opportunities for different textures.”
–Grace Helmer
Insert cards - and all the fun ways to use them!
This year we are so excited to share our one-of-a-kind insert card for Rose Geranium Hydrosol!
Last year was a big year for Botnia with the roll out of our new packaging which allows us to include this special touch with every product. Our beautiful insert cards are printed on recyclable paper. Inside each box, you will find a window into our world – an original piece of art inspired by the beautiful botanicals inside each product. On the back side of the illustration are instructions on how to use your skincare and in what order—a little prescription created just for you.
We’ve been so inspired by our community and all the fun and creative ways you’ve used your insert cards! From bookmarks, to framing as artwork, making holiday ornaments, or even using them to write a love note to your Valentine; we are so delighted to see all the fun ways to repurpose Botnia’s packaging.
We hope you enjoy the (gentle) power of this amazing botanical!
Xo,
Botnia
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