Homemade Rosehip Syrup & Rosehip Facial Oil

Have you ever notice these vibrantly red, fruit of the wild rose bushes? They are plentiful in the English countryside and it is a super wild food for immune systems as well as for youthful skin! Rosehip is a great source of vitamin C, 20 times the amount of vitamin C in oranges. To keep the nation health, during the austerity of the WWII, the British government encouraged the public to gather rosehips. They were then collected and processed into rosehip syrup by the Ministry of Food and were sold to the public at a discounted price in Welfare Clinics.

Rosehip syrup has an unique and delicate flavour. It can be enjoyed as a cordial, spooned over pudding or ice cream.

Today our high street is full of various vitamin supplements and those who uses rosehip syrup as vitamin C supplement is rare. However, another form of rosehip product has become immensely popular in recent years - rosehip oil. Apparently it is the best kept secret of many celebrities to keep their skin youthful and hydrated. There is a huge selection of branded rosehip oil available on the high street. I am sure they are as pure as they claimed to be but surely nothing is better for the skin than products made by your own fair hands?

This autumn I've been busy harvesting rosehips in the country to make my own rosehip syrup to fight off the cold/ flu, and the best rosehip oil to keep my skin looking youthful. They are a bit of a bugger to gather as we all know, rose bush is very thorny so considered you are warned!

Rosehip Syrup

Make approximately 1L

1kg rosehips

250g white granulated sugar

1. Clean the rosehip under cold tap water.

2. Bring 1.5L water to the boil in a preserving pan.

3. Mince the rosehips in a food chopper and transfer into the boiling water.

4. Bring to boil and allow to stand for 15 minutes before pouring the mixture through a muslin cloth, and allow it to drip until most of the liquid has come through. Reserve the pulp.

5. In the cleaned preserving pan, bring 750ml fresh cold water to the boil. Stir in the reserved pulp and repeat step 4 but discard the pulp in the end.

6. Combine the 2 solutions to the cleaned preserving pan and boil to reduce the liquid at around 1 litre.

7. Add the sugar and boil for a further 5 minute so it dissolve well.

8. Bottle the liquid into hot sterilised bottles and seal.

Rosehip Facial Oil

Make approximately 200ml

400g rosehips
250ml organic jojoba oil*
5ml pure vitamin E oil**
5ml Frankincense essential oil**
7 x amber pipette bottle
1 Milton tablet
1L water

* I have chosen to use jojoba oil as the base oil here as I feel it would suit my skin type the best. Jojoba has excellent moisturising properties and can be easily absorbed without leaving the skin feeling greasy. Depending on your skin type, you may choose to use other odourless carrier oil, such as wheatgerm oil, apricot oil, almond oil etc

** To create a truly tailor-made serum, I've added a few drops of vitamin E & Frankincense essential oil into concoction. Vitamin E is a powerful source of antioxidant which helps to regenerate and nourish the skin; Frankincense helps to relieve anxiety and to prevent ageing of the skin. There are plenty of other essential oil widely available so choose the ones that suit your needs best. Always go for the best quality you can afford.

1. Clean the rosehips under cold tap water.

2. Ensure the hairy heads and stems are cut off.

3. Slightly crushed them in a mortar and pestle so the goodness can easily released into the oil.

4. Preheat to oven to its lowest heat available.

5. Put the rosehips into an oven proof jar (I used a Kilner jar here) and pour in the carrier oil of your choice.

6. Cover the jar and place in the middle of the oven for a few hours.

7. Take the jar out and let it cool down.

8. Once the oil has cooled down, pour the oil through a muslin cloth and allow it to drip until most of the oil has come through.

9. Meanwhile, dissolve a Milton tablet in a saucepan of water in accordance to the instructions on the packet.

10. Soak the amber pipette bottles in the Milton solution for a period of time (always check instructions on the packet).

11. To dry the bottles, place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave in a low heat oven until they are completely dried of Milton solution.

12. Add in the vitamin E & Frankincense oil into the jojoba & rosehip solution.

13. Mix the oil gently. Whatever you do please DO NOT shake the oil as it could change the properties of the oil and cause it to go off much quicker.

14. Decant the oil into the amber pipette bottles and seal.

They should last for about a year. Keep them out of direct sunlight.

To avoid contamination, when applying the oil please take care so the dropper doesn't touch the skin.

Where would I be without Philips Visapure?

Our life is surrounded by personal electrical: electric toothbrush, electric hair remover, hair driver, hair straightener.... and the list goes on. Where would we be if electrical transmission were never invented and electricity became widely available to the masses? Would we all have rotten teeth and hairy legs instead? What I know is we the annual budget personal grooming would be much less, and so would the annual electricity bill. Oh and mother nature would be much happier, of course. 

Anyway, the reality is we are becoming increasingly reliant on electrical items, as generally they are more efficient and convenient than anything manual (perhaps except driving). The latest hot potato is facial brush. As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie who are obsessed with lotions and potions, I was fascinated by this latest beauty gadget and couldn't wait to get my hands on one. The question is, which one? 

RiO, Clinique, Philips, Avon, Olay, Clarisonic.... even Lidl sells one called Sanitas! I was overwhelmed by all these different settings, rotations, speed, shapes etc it took me a long while do shop for the right product that suits my needs. It needs to be waterproof, has a self-timer, not bulky and having a slick design would be a desirable. Yes, it really does help to narrow the gene pool if there is a list of criteria to work with. I spent some time in various shops touching and feeling a variety of (brush) heads and handle the appliance this way and other, just to ensure I find The One.  There is nothing more irritating than purchasing something that 'isn't quite right, wish I've gone for the other one'.

After some research, I've finally settled on Philips Visapure.

Its shape is totally different to any other facial brush, and I find Philips Visapure much easier to clean the T-Zone area properly an to handle.

A full charge allows 30 treatments and I have yet had to recharge it. It also comes with a clear cap which is handy for when staying away from home.

After each use, I would rise, pat dry and leave it to air dry in its silver charging case in the bathroom. It just sits neatly on the windowsill.

Having used it every evening with a foam base cleanser for a month, I can really see and feel the difference. My skin seems to absorb product better and my T-Zone is less shiny during the day. Moreover, my skin tone also looks brighter! I used the normal brush and the bristles were not abrasive or caused any skin irritation. More importantly, I didn't feel the need to visit a beautician for a regular facial since the purchase, as it probably does a better job at deep cleansing than a pair of hands.

For those who have yet tried out an electrical brush and are tempted to purchase one, I would highly recommend this. It is at a mid-range price, more affordable than Clarisonic and better quality than Clinique. By registering the product online Philips will send you a complimentary replacement head (needs to be changed every 3 months for hygiene reason), saving yourself £12.

Rituals...

I am a proper beauty product junkie who loves to experiment with new brands and products, as well as stocking up on all sorts of goodies, regardless I may already have a dozen of unused body lotion stashed away for rainy days... as they say, 'It is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it'!! I first came across this Dutch beauty brand 'Rituals...' a decade ago when I was visiting family in The Netherlands. The shopfront was minimalistic and modern on a busy Amsterdam high street. All their products are inspired by Eastern rituals and there are 5 different rituals, each has its own benefits and properties - Ayurveda, Hammam, Sakura, Tao & Tatsu. The products are made of organic and natural ingredients where possible and safe alternatives are introduced where nature cannot provide. Most importantly, the company does not believe in animal testing but instead, products are tested by volunteers - I'd love to be one! Base on the brand's concepts and ethos, I suppose one can say this is the Dutch version of The Body Shop with a more chic image, marketing towards 20-something onward who shops at certain places, instead of  targeting towards the wider high street audience.

I honestly cannot remembered what were the products I tried on a decade ago, but I do remember my first purchase from 'Rituals...', which was the 'Rice Milk Hand Cream'. The quality was incredible. Lightly scented with a silky smooth texture, only a small amount is enough to rehydrate my hands - not that they were ever awfully dry. It was a 75ml tube size back then, perfect for the handbag (THE most essential item in my handbag after lip balm) and if I remember correctly, it was only €7, very economical for what it was.

'Rituals...' has since spread across the globe, and there are a few shops in the UK, primarily in big cities, and quite a number of counters within big department stores. They used to have a store in Cambridge few years ago and I introduced a friend to the products who has since become a follower of its products. As I have probably vaguely mentioned in a previous post, I visited The Netherlands in early January this year and indeed I did stock up some goodies from its home country. It is true I could have made a purchase in the UK but to me, it feels a little extra special to have bought these from The Netherlands.

From left to right: Infinity Hand Lotion, Mild Eye make-up Remober, Wai Wang Body Exfoliating Cream, Sereni-Tea Foaming Shower Gel and Lip Treat.

This ultra rich hand lotion is scented with refreshing Sweet Orange & Japanese Mint, which is a winter must-have, to protect the hands from the bitterly cold Arctic wind. It has a silky texture so and can be quickly absorbed by the skin, great for those who uses their hands a lot to avoid  leaving grease mark behind on objects or surfaces.

I have used a variety of 2-phase formula eye make-up remover before, and some of them are actually rather greasy and leaves a shine on the eye lids. This eye make-up remover is great, only need a tiny amount to remove eye shadow and eyeliner. I don't wear a lot of make up in general and seldom wear mascara, so I have yet to test this product to the max.

I have used the Wai Wang Body Cream a while ago and I absolutely adore the smell. It is a rich exfoliating cream but when massaging around the body, it feels as light as feather and skin immediately feels smoother (I am quite lazy when it comes to body exfoliation!). It also leaves the skin hydrated enough so I don't necessary feel the need of applying body lotion on after showering.

I have yet started on the shower gel or the lip treat yet, saving them for another time. Nonetheless, I must recommend its other lip treatment - Eve's Kiss. I was given a personalised Rituals... gift set last year and this lip balm was part of it. I carry this wonderful little tube of lip balm everywhere with me, perhaps I should buy one for each of my handbags... The reason why I love this product so much is because it smells (taste!) great (apple and karite), it also works as a lip gloss. It stays on for quite a while and a little amount can go a long way. One stone keeps two birds and a less product having to carry around :)

Ritual... currently have stores in these locations within the UK: Bluewater, Belfast, Brighton, Bromley, Canterbury and Gatwick. It also offers online shopping service for those who doesn't live near these areas, or check and see if there's a counter within your local major department stores.