ROSE PETALS IDEAS – VALENTINES SPECIAL | ROSE PETAL CRAFTS | ROSE PETAL RECIPE | ROSE PETAL BEAUTY

The fabled rose — queen of the plant kingdom. Did you know there are over 150 species of roses? And they are used not just to make valentines day special, but are also used in beauty recipes, are totally edible–so lend their wonderful aroma and healing properties when consumed and make for great craft options too!

While the wild roses, Rosa rugosa, are considered the queen of roses for medicinal purposes, you need not go out into the wild, to look for roses. All roses lend their soothing and nurturing support in many ways. Use them straight from your garden to make this 2020 valentine- a day to remember!

Simple rules to grow the perfect rose !!

1. Soil: Plant them in rich, well drained soil.

2. Mulch: Add 2-3 inch layer of coarse organic mulch. A dose of phosphorous promotes flowering. Put your banana peels to work.

3. Water: Water often enough to create consistently moist soil – not overly wet or bone dry.

4. Sun: Roses crave sun, at least six hours a day is ideal.

5. Inspect: Check roses frequently for inspects or disease outbreaks. Catch problems early!

6. Prune: Roses need regular pruning. Every cut results in healthy growth that will eventually bear flowers.

Now that you know how to grow that perfect rose, lets us look at how this beautiful flower can be used to enhance your beauty boudoir !

# 10 MAGICAL ROSE PETAL USES IN YOUR BEAUTY BOUDOIR

If you have been slacking off as far as your skin care regime is concerned, know that the only way to get things in check before Valentines Day is to start off with a good skin care routine that nourishes and cleanses and brings a youthful glow to the skin. The ancient Greeks and Romans used rose petals in an array of beauty uses. Here’s looking at the beauty benefits of roses and how you can make your own rose water, rose oil, rose soaps, rose face masks and reap in their benefits on your skin and hair care routine.

1. ROSE PETALS FLORAL FACIAL STEAM

Facial steams are a great way to prep up the skin for further skin treatment. A steam is a perfect precursor to before applying scrubs or masks, since it opens up the skin pores and allows nourishing oils from the masks to penetrate deep into the layer of the skin. Roses add a pampered feeling to any facial steam. Add some in hot water before doing a facial steam or mix with other herbs such as chamomile and mint.

A well over 10 days to go before valentines and a good time to start exfoliation and nourishment. Use this nourishing rose and clay face mask that does both.

Mix 2 teaspoons white clay with 1 teaspoon dried roses, ground or powdered. Add enough water to form a paste. Spread over the face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for 15 minutes before removing with warm water and a wash cloth.

2. ROSE AND CLAY FACE MASK

A well over 10 days to go before valentines and a good time to start exfoliation and nourishment. Use this nourishing rose and clay face mask that does both.

Mix 2 teaspoons white clay with 1 teaspoon dried roses, ground or powdered. Add enough water to form a paste. Spread over the face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for 15 minutes before removing with warm water and a wash cloth.

3. ROSE AND SUGAR BATH SCRUB

Picked up this recipe over at Martha Stewart’s. This natural scrub is comprised of a 4 natural ingredients: coconut oil, sugar, dried rose petals and green tea. Rose petals give this scrub a soft floral aroma. Organic white sugar gently exfoliates while coconut oil will hydrate skin and smooth uneven skin tones. Green tea has antioxidant properties that remove impurities and can improve dry skin.

Note: This scrub will keep for up to one year in a waterproof, airtight container.

Get this recipe here

4. ROSE OIL

Rose oil is a very versatile oil, something that can be applied straight on the skin, used in a diffuser, or combined with a carrier oil. Distilled from the petals of one of the most recognizable and valuable flowers on the planet, rose essential is a true prize to have in your essential oil arsenal

Learn how to make this wonderful oil. Get step by step instructions here

5. DIY ROSE WATER TONER

Valentines day is just a round the corner. You want to look and feel your best. And Iam pretty sure you wouldn’t want your lacklustre skin to play the downer. Rose water can be used by itself as a skin toner or it can be combined with cucumber juice or aloevera juice as a refreshing toner to combat dull skin days. whether sprayed on bare skin to nourish it or on makeup to set it….rose water toner is one great go to beauty product. Know how to make it here

6. ROSE PETALS AS A NATURAL MOISTURIZER

The natural rose oils in the rose petals are great for moisturizing the skin naturally. Big brand moisturisers swear by the moisturising benefits of rose oils and promote rose oil based moisturizers heavily for valentines day. Irrespective of season, it is a good idea to keep skin hydrated, supple and beautiful looking at all times.

You can pull the natural oils from rose petals with this easy Rose and Almond moisturising face pack.

Soak some rose petals and almonds overnight. Crush them together the next morning to prepare a paste. Add a few drops of raw milk if your skin feels dry, but otherwise almonds do the job quite effectively. Let it dry and wash off with normal tepid water. Enjoy supple skin!

7. ROSE PETALS BATH SOAP

Dreaming of a luxurious, romantic bath? This bath soap, made from rose petals is a perfect addition to your bath time ritual. Or, are you planning on a little Valentine’s Day get together with friends? What about a wedding or a special party?

Even if it’s just you and your family or you and your girlfriends, why not make something extra special? This is a great idea to use left over roses, just pull a few petals off for the soaps. Simply toss a few into the bath water, and they will float. As the soap dissloves, the fragrance is released into the bath water. Get instructions here

8. ROSE PETALS TUB TEA BATH SOAK

Tub tea bags make great Wedding favours, Valentine’s day gifts, Mother’s day gifts, or for anyone who needs to relax. Made from a combination of Dead Sea Salts, French green clay and natural rose petals; this is healing and therapeutic in different ways. Detailed DIY instructions here

9. ALL NATURAL ROSE PETALS BLUSH

It is important to pay attention to the ingredients that go into the making of our cosmetic products.

Learn how to make this all natural blush here

10. MAKE YOUR OWN FUN FLORAL BUNDLE OF SMUDGE STICKS WITH ROSES

Smudge sticks are bundles of dried herbs and flowers bound together by twine. Smudge sticks are used in a practice known as smudging, in which the dried herbs are burned to produce a cleansing, positive-energy smoke cloud.

There is however a great deal of scientific evidence proving smudge sticks’ effects as a pesticide, a meat preserver and in increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain. Learn how to make this fun floral- fragrant smudge sticks. Get instructions here

# ROSE PETAL RECIPES

HOW TO COOK WITH ROSES

Rose petals are most commonly associated with Middle Eastern dishes, most notoriously Turkish Delight, and make beautiful patnership with saffron, honey, dried apricots, cardamom and coffee. Deserts like almond sponges or semolina puddings take on rose flavouring beautifully.

Rose petals are often used in a savoury context too- they’re added to traditional mixes, along with cinnamon, clove, cumin, turmeric, pepper,coriander and many more spices. The Great Indian Biryani is a case in point that uses a mix of both rose water and dried rose petals to lend a royal sweet aroma to the dish.

In the context of British cooking, clean flavours like cucumber or apple pair well with rose petals. Take inspiration from all things evocative of a classic English afternoon- rose petals steeped in hot water, rose and cucumber gin and rosehip jams.

Crystallised petals are commonly used as decoration for wedding cakes, fairy cakes or Victoria sponges.

1. ROSE PETAL JAM

Imagine eating roses for breakfast, ….what an intoxicating, exotic, beautiful and romantic way to start your day!

Rose Petal jam is a simple delicious recipe made with wild rose petals, perfect on toast, scones or crepes, or spooned over ice-creams or cake.

Rose Petal jam is a simple delicious recipe made with wild rose petals, perfect on toast, scones or crepes, or spooned over ice-creams or cake.

How To Make Rose Petal Jam

1. Makes about 700 grams of jam

2. 600 grams of white castor sugar

3. 200 grams of rose petals, preferably red or dark

4. 600 ml water

5. The juice of one lemon

Very gently rinse and drain the rose petals and place them in a large bowl with 200 grams of sugar and lemon juice. With both your hands massage the rose petals with this mixture until you reduce the petals to a sort of paste. Remember, the petals should remain whole, not torn, but with the sugar and lemon they will release their colour and perfume.

In the meantime, add the rest of the sugar to the water and heat in a large sauce pan until the sugar dissloves. Add the rose petals and bring to a boil. Allow to boil until the syrup thickens and the petals no longer float. Give it about 30 minutes to cook.

Remember this is a jam made from flowers, not fruit pulp! It won’t be jammy, but more a lovely silky syrup. Keep an eye on it, and stir every now and then .

While still hot, place the jam in clean,sterilised jam jars and allow it to cool. This delicately perfumed jam is beautiful on fresh white bread, with or without unsalted butter. Stir it into organic yogurt to dunk in some divine!

2. ROSE MILK

Rose Milk is simply a blend of milk and tender fragrant rose petals. It is simple but elegant and conjures up an image which is truly unique and very much like a fairy tale; dreamy pretty pink, exotic and meant just for girls and little dainty glasses. As exotic as it may sound, rose milk is very popular in India. However, there are rarely any places where they serve rose milk with fresh petals. The milk shake is usually made with ready made rose syrup. I am fortunate enough to be using roses from my own little garden and I like the taste of fresh petals way more than the bottled syrup.

How to make rose milk

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup milk, chilled ( almond or coconut milk if you want a vegan shake)

2. About 15-16 lightly toasted almonds

3. 1/2 cup fresh organic/untreated rose petals

4. 2.5 tablespoons water+ 1.5 tablespoons sugar

5. A few drops of rosewater

6. Honey (if you like this sweeter)

Method

Combine water, sugar and rose petals in a pan and simmer over very low heat for about 2-3 minutes; just long enough for the petals to soften a little and the sugar to dissolve. Let cool.

Blend the rose petals and sugar mix and all the other ingredients together till smooth and frothy. Garnish with more rose petals. Serve!

3. ROSE PETAL- CARDAMOM, PISTACHIO CUSTARD (AFGHANI FIRNI)

My mom made this every morning for breakfast to cater to my dad’s sweet tooth. An otherwise traditional milk pudding made with cardamoms and nuts; it easily transforms into a special occcasion delight. The subtle rose flavours blend well in this sweet custard with green, red, and white colours.

How To Make Rose Petal Custard

Ingredients

1. 1 quart whole milk

2. 1 cup wild rose petals (the desi variety)

3. 1/4 th cup sugar

4. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5. 1/2 cup rice powder or semolina

6. 1 teaspoon rosewater (optional)

7. 2 tablespoons coarsely ground unsalted pistachios

Method

1. In a large heavy saucepan, bring the milk almost to a boil, then remove from heat. Divide the milk in two cups and set aside. Gently mix the rose petals into the warmed milk in the pan and let infuse for 20- 30 minutes. Strain the milk using a strainer, discarding the rose petals.

2. Pour the infused milk back into the saucepan, add the sugar and vanilla, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Whisk the rice powder or semolina….both work great into the reserved 1/2 cup milk until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and simmer over low heat, stirring gently with a rubber spatula, for 7- 10 minutes, or until it thickens or coats the spatula. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. I love the subtle taste of wild roses in this dish but if you prefer a stronger rose flavour, add the rose water. Ladle into separate desert dishes and sprinkle the top with pistachios. Cool in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temprature

4. ROSE PETAL CUPCAKE

This is one gorgeous cup cake recipe to try out for valentines day. The cup cakes are garnished with real rose petals and look so dainty and elegant! They are perfect for a tea party or a fancy desert. Get recipe here

5. FLORAL TEA

This tea is a fragrant and delicious floral …almost sensory drink. Dried rose petals – the main ingredient in this tea has plenty of health benefits when included in skin care or sipped in tea. Get it here

6. FRUIT AND NUT STUDDED RED ROSE PILAF

I have a huge soft spot for flavoured rice. Give me flavoured rice that’s tasty enough to eat plain, and I am one happy girl.

Let’s face it- plain rice is no comparison to a great Rice Pilaf! And on that note- I present to you a fabulous Rice Pilaf. It’s aromatic. it’s well seasoned. It’s littered with fresh brilliant res rose petals, plump dried fruits and toasty nuts.

How to make Fruit and nut red rose pilaf

Ingredients

1. Two cups white rice (preferably long grain)

2. Two teaspoons of Pure Ghee

3. 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, cashews and pistachios)

4. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste

5. Petals of 2 red roses

6. 1 teaspoon rose water

Spices

1. 4 cloves

2. 2” sticks of cinnamon (about 4 of these)

3. 4 cardamoms

4. 1/4th teaspoon ground pepper

Method

Heat ghee in a large skillet and throw in all the whole spices- cloves, cinnamon and cardamom). Lower the flame and add the half of the rose petals, fruits and nuts. Toast lightly.

In a separate pan heat 3 cups of water . Bring it to a boil and add this water to the skillet. Add the washed rice. stir in the salt and cook covered over medium flame for about 20 mins.

Rose petal rice pilaf is ready. Serve hot garnished with fresh rose petals. Note you can chew the rose petals and they taste divine in this rice. This rice pilaf is perfect for a Valentine dinner, Eid lunch as well as for Christmas and Thanksgiving parties.

7. GARDEN PEA AND ROSE PETAL SALAD

This is one healthy salad made with a mix of fresh greens, green peas and rose petals. Perfect as a side dish to go with your rose pilaf or enjoyed as a standalone. This is a beautiful salad recipe particularly if you like to eat with your eyes.

Get recipe here

8. CANDIED ROSE PETALS

If you don’t like the idea of eating rose petals right off the flowers; try these candied rose petals. Perfect for decorations on deserts, cookies or cakes. They are an easy, fun and creative way to dress up any special treat. They help preserve the petals too…so you’ll have bright, cheery, slightly crunchy candy like petals, that you can make the night before serving.

How To Make Candied Rose Petals

Ingredients

1. 1 Egg White

2. Petals from 1 rose or equivalent

3. 1 cup powdered sugar

Method

1. Lightly brush each side of a rose petal with egg white. Works best if holding with tweezers for more flexibility and coverage.

2. Sprinkle powdered sugar

3. If the petals look wet, or sugar absorbs quickly, add more

4. Set on wax paper or parchment paper and let harden, about 3-4 hours

5. Add to deserts as a topping and enjoy

9. ROSE BIRYANI

Use fresh Rose petals to make this aromatic vegan Biryani. Great on the tastebuds and light enough for kids.

Get instructions here.

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# ROSE PETAL CRAFTS

Here are 4 fun rose petal craft ideas, for kids to try out for Valentine’s day

1. WHIMSICAL BUTTERFLY

Head out on a nature walk and collect leaves, flowers and twigs of different shapes, colour and texture. Use them to make your nature craft. Learn how to make a whimsical butterfly here

2. ROSE PETAL LUMINARY

Make a beautiful luminary with rose petals for a magical effect. Get instructions here

3. ROSE PETAL WALL ART

Use dried rose petals to create wall art in a shadow box as a keepsake from valentines or anniversary. Look for instructions here

4. ROSE PETAL KEEPSAKE

This crushed rose petal craft makes for a cute valentine gift. Personalise them to any shape you want with the crushed rose petals. Learn how to make this cute craft here

In Conclusion

These are some ideas and suggestions of how you can enhance your beauty bodoir, your meals, and creative crafts for your home with rose petals.

If you have other uses for rose petals that I’ve overlooked here, go ahead and comment below to share your ideas with us here. Let a whole carte blanche of a wholesome dose of love and perfume overpower you. Enjoy your valentines this 2020!

Rose Petal Recipes FAQ