Behind the Scenes at the Rose de Mai Harvest
The rare and gorgeous Rose de Mai is at the heart of many of our products. Here’s how we source this most extraordinary and soothing ingredient.
The May rose harvest in Grasse, France is a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. Our love for the Rose Centifolia, or Rose de Mai, began when Sylvie stumbled upon a field of this rare, coveted rose in 1998 on a trip across Provence — it was blooming next to a field of jasmine flowers, which she and Olivia were perusing for use in a fragrance.
Intoxicated by the scent of this increasingly hard-to-find bloom, Sylvie immersed herself in its history and its powers.
A local farmer shared with Sylvie a rosewater distillation process in which 100% of the flower essence distills into artesian well water. Loaded with Vitamin C, this revolutionary pure rosewater was found to possess unprecedented anti-aging and skin-perfecting benefits. Chantecaille has continued to maintain its own field of roses in Grasse, which Sylvie visits annually to oversee the May harvest.
Since then we've found umpteen ways to use our Pure Rosewater. Sylvie reaches for hers every morning before she does anything else, to lift her spirits and start the day with its energizing aroma.
Here are a few ways we use our Pure Rosewater throughout the day:
- Take a rose break and spritz Pure Rosewater around your face and body to boost energy and alertness.
- Spritz between skincare and foundation steps to lock in moisture.
- Sylvie sprays it on damp hair for a smoother, more voluminous blowout.
- Olivia uses it to calm frizz on humid days.
- Refresh your makeup mid-day with a quick spray at your desk.
- Add a few spritzes to your cotton pad with cleanser to sweep away and leave skin softened and refreshed.
- Spritz onto the face to soothe the skin (like after Hibiscus Smoothing Mask)
- Spritz your pillow before bedtime to inhale the lovely scent as you drift off to sleep.
