The legend says that Cosimo I de Medici was the first who cultivated jasmine in Italy. But he became so jealous and bewitched by the intense aroma that was released from the corollas of this flower, that he ordered that no other human being laid his eyes on it. Jasmine was not supposed to come out of the Florentine Grand Ducal gardens. But one day, a gardener saw the jasmine and decided to steal a seedling to give it to his beloved. So he did, the woman took care of the plant with affection and dedication and she, grateful to the man for her gift, agreed to marry him, so, they lived a long and happy life. The plant stolen from the gardens of Florence grew thanks to the care of the woman and multiplied so much that, it is said, all jasmine plants in Italy derive from this plant, which was not to be seen by anyone but which became a symbol of love and freedom. So let's revive the magic and charm of this legend by creating precious jasmine-based cosmetics at home. Before seeing the recipes for DIY cosmetics, simple but beneficial, let's analyze the properties of jasmine on skin and mood.
Jasmine, properties
Jasmine oil shows antioxidant properties, useful in countering free radicals, aging processes and cellular degeneration affecting the skin (Manjunath et al, JCRT, 2021). Not only that, topical applications of jasmine oil have been shown to act on the nervous system as a tonic, increasing energy and attention, as well as improving mood and counteracting depression (Ayaz et al, Front Aging Neurosci, 2017 - Hongratanaworakit et al, Nat Prod Commun, 2010). Inhaling jasmine has been observed to calm nervousness, to increase confidence and also to improve memory (Siripornpanich et al, Journal of Health Research, 2013). Jasmine is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory (Rath et al, Indian J Pharm Sci., 2008 - Li et al, Natural Product Communications, 2020).
Jasmine, do-it-yourself cosmetics
To benefit from the properties of jasmine, an idea is certainly to make jasmine oil. Fill a glass vase with fresh jasmine flowers. Pour a vegetable oil, such as jojoba oil, until all the flowers are covered. Close the jar with the lid and place it on the windowsill for two weeks, taking care to shake it every day. After this time, filter with gauze. You can use it for scented, anti-aging, invigorating and soothing massages on the body after a shower, or use a few drops on the moistened face after spraying floral water, such as rose water, better in the morning to benefit from the energizing as well as anti-wrinkle action. Moreover, you can even directly apply jasmine oil as a mask on the hair before shampooing. If you don't have fresh jasmine flowers available, you can use the essential oil and add 4-5 drops to 50 ml of vegetable oil. The essential oil of jasmine in the pure version is very precious and expensive, but you can use the diluted version, even easier to find. For a nourishing hair mask but also capable of counteracting dermatitis and itching, you can mix a tablespoon of coconut oil, which is one of the best vegetable oils that prevents and repairs damaged hair, counteracting the loss of proteins (Rele et al, J Cosmet Sci, 2003), a tablespoon of jojoba oil and 4-5 drops of jasmine essential oil.
