We are long time advocates of taking a mindful moment when applying your Rosalena to benefit both skin AND mind to connect wellness with an everyday occurrence. Written here by the very talented and articulate Davina Catt, is her personal account of the surprsing benefits of natural wisdom and a Pause Breathe Be moment everyday.
ROSALENA SKINCARE Back to Journal + Musings
In the hyper-paced, global, constantly connected world we now live in, it’s become near impossible to take any time to slow down, relax and reflect. Or just be. As one whose an inherent over-thinker and continuously struggles to deal with the problems that go with it, living a high octane life (work not play!) and never a moment switched off from devices, I have been pressured by friends to try it all – meditation, yoga, healers – and I have. Little did I think my best route to mindfulness would actually come from a new skincare brand I recently have been lucky enough to come across. Rosalena Skincare.
Pause, Breathe, Be’ is the mantra, the female design duo, Helena and Maja, behind these mini bottles of goodness are encouraging us to imbibe with each morning and evening use of these carefully curated oils (the mantra is cleverly even inscribed on the opening lid). Indeed, I now find myself taking just a few moments to stop and reflect and slow down whilst I enjoy a (very quick) beauty regime easily constructed with my favourite combination from Rosalena: Goodness& Tonic Face Mist (spritz first like a primer), Rock and Rose Face Oil (revitalise & brighten in the morning), Beauty & Beast Face Oil (Rejuvenate & Energise in the evening). That is my preferred way around but the beauty of this skincare brand, the authentic nature behind it and the quality ingredients is you can to some degree mix and match to suit you.
Rosalena for me embodies everything I want in a skincare brand today. It also fills a large gap in a current beauty market saturated with brands now updating their offering to include scientific research and trained skin doctors behind the product but sorely lacking a personal approach, authenticity, and sense of storytelling. I was impressed by the intense research the founding duo have done into beauty and ingredients from the ground up (quite literally) – Helena is a self confessed science nerd and botanist type, whilst Maja has a ‘nose’ and fragrance obsession. I connected with Helena instantly over our love of ancient wisdoms, which have been a determining factor in the construct of the oils – so whilst latest scientific technology in skincare drives performance, interestingly the most potent part of the formulations have been around for centuries, ‘and there is something quite magical about not having to reinvent the wheel.’
One of the core ingredients (and a personal favourite for my skin type) is Rose Otto oil – it has been used as a beauty elixir for so many years, it is virtually synonymous with beauty, however due to its expense (its roots are the Bulgarian fields) it is either omitted from mainstream products or largely watered down/chemically fused with before it reaches the consumer. I learnt from Helena the story of Rose Otto oil descended from Roman traditions: Cleopatra famously bathed in Rose Otto Oil & milk, often several times a day, to keep her skin soft and smooth and apparently even used Rose Essential Oils to perfume the grand purple sails of her royal barge, so that the luxurious smell would announce her presence long before she was even seen. In Roman times Rose Otto was used after their drunken orgies to help detoxify the liver not so pretty but shows the amazing multi-function use of this fascinating oil). Rosalena use enough in the Rock & Rose Face Oil to have a detoxifying affect on the liver as well as the skin, which is why it reveals such a bright, glowing complexion. And the Rosalena brand use it in the maximum volume permitted under European cosmetic law for the scent and incredible skin loving properties.
Infact, the Rosalena products between them contain like a glossier of the best of the best in ingredients (Buriti oil, Baobab oil, Camellia Kissi oil – go check out the rest) all with no parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, PEGS, SLS’s, mineral oils or any unnatural chemicals – and this I can guarantee, as someone with super sensitive skin any form of preservatives, often cleverly disguised by luxury brands, causes me acne like breakouts. And whilst the texture is soothing and not over-oily, the founding duo spent two years researching carrier oils that would recess into the deepest levels of the skin cells, so my skin looked brighter, felt more supple and regenerated.
And getting back to the beginning, I’ve taken my time to ‘Pause, Breathe and Be’ – I recommend checking out the snazzily named range immediately for experiential skincare with a function, story and meaning. www.rosalena.co.uk
Davina has worked as a features journalist writing and editing for leading publications across the world including Vogue.com, British Vogue, Financial Times, Observer and as a features writer at The Evening Standard. She is currently a UK contributing editor at Interview magazine. She also serves as contributing editor at new biannual print title, Violet, alongside world known film directors and actors across London and the States.