Coming up roses

Your garden might have gone to sleep but your beauty regime doesn't need to, says Harriet Walker

Take heart that, as the leaves wither on the branches and summer's lush greenery goes the way of so many empty sunscreen bottles and used lollipop sticks – where beauty is concerned, at least – everything is still blooming.

Revitalise your regime with fresh and floral products that make use of rose extracts – the last word in sophisticated scent – to beautify and bolster your skin even in the face of wintry winds and unpleasant chills.

The Victorians used rosewater to soothe eyes and spirits, relying on its naturally calming properties to restore radiance and help recover after even the most taxing fits of feminine hysteria.

Thankfully, modern products are a little more practical than mere smelling salts. Beauty balms and bath oils use the natural extracts to heal and relax, while rose-inspired blushes and lip-glosses add a dewy glow to even the most seasonally affected complexions. Delicate pink cheeks and tinted lips are just the ticket for colder weather – and Topshop's Neon Rose cheek colour will have you looking healthy again in no time.

Rose fragrances are classically romantic, whether of the traditional garden variety – such as Jo Malone's Red Roses, which smells of freshly cut stems – or something more up-to-date, like Swedish perfume house Byredo's Rose Noir, a darker and more abstract take on the familiar tang. Roses have thorns too, after all.