t seems my grandmother was on to

something with her rose bath salts andlavender talc. Floralsare fashionable again.

No longer consigned to the back shelf as

unwanted Christmas pressies, they are new,improved, and minus the 'granny' cliche!

'We always revert back to what we knowworks, and flowers have been proven over

the years to have beauty benefits: saysVivianZarvis,creator of Zarvis,London.

Elizabeth King,principal of the Dr

Hauschka UKTraining School,feels therevivalof flowers is linked to the need for

feeling grounded. 'Life'space is fast: she says.

'Connecting with nature is our way to returnto who we are.'

Here are a few of our floral favourites.

'Take a look at a rose - such perfection!'

enthuses King.'Arose is full of fruit acids,

fatty oils and vitamins C S,E and K,whichare good for strengthening the capillarywalls and great for sensitive skins.Rose

uplifts,protects, heals and balances.'There are so many rose products around

at the moment, it's difficultto know where

to start. TryElemis Gentle Rose Exfoliator(£1950 for 50ml;020 8954 8033) a light gel

containing absolute of rose and tiny

exfoliatingjojoba beads. Followwith

Jurlique's bestselling RosewaterFreshener (£ 18.95 for 1OOml;020 8995

2293, www.apotheke20-20.co.uk) which

calms the skin superbly.

For star treatment, slather on Kate Moss'

favourite, Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream

(£14 for 30m I;01386792642), a fragranced

ointment for dry or mature skins. Or try

Rose Maroc Oil by Zarvis (£4450 for 60ml;

0208968 5435) said to repair broken capillaries.

To add a little romance to your life, sink

into a bath strewn with petals, a la American

Beauty, with Lush's Tisty Tosty Bath

Ballistic (£2.25 for 95g; 01202 668545).

..I ::

'Stress,hydration and oxygen are the threebuzzwords in skincare at the moment:

says Noella Gabriel,director of product and

treatment at Elemis.'And nothing can

.rl'

~ KneippOrangeandLinden~ BlossomHerbalBath,£5.99if 'Formulatedto"harmoniseandreduce~ stress'; this is wonderfully uplifting. Just

~ pouringtheoil(with40per~ centessentialoils)intoahot~ bathsentupheadyvapours.~ After20minutes'relaxation,

I I felthappyandsoothed:if Call01543480100.~ .....::;

alters

powerFloralsareback,andwe'renot talking the 'granny'fragrancesof yesteryear,saysAspenWeatherburnsurpass lavender for its de-stressing powers.'Lavender is the most universal oil for

healing, nurturing and comforting; it's also

one of the most hydrating. 'It has fantastic

antiseptic and cleansing properties, yet can

calm and soothe the skin too: says King.

If you're new to lavender, start by adding

Dr Hauschka Lavender Bath (£12 for

150ml) to your tub, and follow with

Jurlique Lavender Body Oil (£1750 for

100ml) to calm body and mind.

Elemis SOS Emergency Cream (£26 for

30ml) is ideal for irritated or damaged skin,

and 100 per cent organic Green People

Help At Hand (£8.99 for 50ml, 01444

401444) will get your mitts in tip-top shape.

Finally, for a natural approach to suncare, try

Neal's Yard Lavender Sun Screen (£7 for

40g; 0207627 1949) with SPF20.

Taken from the white petals of the bitter

and sweet orange tree, this essential oil andabsolute is known as neroli. It smells

beautiful, is great for oily skin,and has a

reputation as a skin regenerator. It's safe touse on mature skin,but not on sensitive

skin. Lush's solid bubble bath, Happy (£ 1.90

Dr HauschkaLavender Bath, £12

'ThoughI'm not normallythe biggestfan of lavender,I foundthis bathsoak

surprisinglypleasantbecauseof itsverysubtleandnaturalfragrance.Thescentstaysin the air forhoursafterbathingandI foundit extremelycalmingandrelaxing:Call01386 792642.....

Lush Happy Bubble Bath, £1.90'A delicateandsweetorangesmell,whichwasupliftingandsoothingat the sametime.Thebardissolvedslowly,meaningthearomastayedconstant,and it turnedthe

~1i,"~h"ll wateronlyslightlyoily.left a gentlesmell- ontheskinafterwards,too: Call 01202 668545

formailorder.....

for100g) uses neroli for a relaxing and

uplifting bathtime. Or try Kneipp's Orange& Linden Blossom Bath Oil (£5.99for

100ml) to reduce anxiety and tension.

DeclE!orHydra Floral Eye Contour Gel(£19.25for 15ml;020 7402 9474) contains

orange blossom water to get rid of puffinessand help your peepers sparkle again. Finally,for sensitive,stressed skin,smooth onDec"!or Baume de Nuit Rose d'Orient

(£23.25 for 15ml).

Uplifting, confidence-boosting and stress

relieving, jasmine is great for dry, sensitive

skin. Neal's Yard Jasmine Enriching Cream

(£9.95 for 40g) is a luxurious moisturiser for

dry skin, leaving it baby soft and smelling

heavenly. Jasmine carries oxygen to the skin,

which is why Elemis Active Skin Complex

(£5650 for 50ml) is for tired, stressed skin.

Finally,jasmine can be pure indulgence. 'At

Lush, jasmine is used purely for the fragrance:

says says Helen Ambrosen, Lush product

development officer. 'Our soap Alkmaar

(£1.95 for 100g) - used by Russell Crowe on

his cleaner days - is a great example. It'scalming and warming for the emotions.'

BATH SOAKRen MoroccanRoseOtto Bath

Oil, £19.50

'This has a very authentic fragrance,

with no trace of synthetic chemicals.

The oil disperses in the bath,

so it's not at all greasy and

it left my skin silky smooth

and beautifully fragranced:Call 0845-225 5600.....

HeaIth&frtness43