Rose Geranium

Rose geranium has many useful properties and benefits. The most common form of rose geranium in Botnia’s skincare is in the form of a hydrosol. Hydrosols are considered to be a humectant, meaning they can help with retaining moisture.

We hand-make most of our hydrosols in our micro-farm in Sausalito, California using an alembic still. In this specific process, steam captures the oil trapped in micro-pockets within the plant tissue. The steam then passes through a cold-water serpentine to be condensed into liquid. Upon exit, the collected liquid is a mixture of oil and floral water. This water contains all the beneficial parts of the rose geranium plant we use in our skincare.

Rose geranium is mildly astringent, with antibacterial and antifungal properties. We use rose geranium as a part of our preserving system. Its aroma is sweet, green, and leafy-rosy with a fruity/minty undertone and a sweet rosy drydown. One scientific study found that aromatherapy with rose geranium essential oil was beneficial at stimulating secretion of salivary estrogen. Researchers theorized that rose geranium essential oil might be of value for women experiencing reduced estrogen and health-related symptoms. Anecdotal evidence suggests that rose geranium essential oil may be beneficial for stopping minor wounds from bleeding. It may do this by speeding up coagulation and by causing blood vessels to contract.  Rose geranium’s antibacterial and antiseptic properties are also beneficial for healing skin and preserving our skincare. We love this multi-tasking botanical!

We grow our own rose geranium on our micro-farm in Sausalito, California and also source it from the western United States. We always use organic farming practices and never use any pesticides in the cultivation of our botanicals.