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	By Carole Tessier
	The love affair with jasmine has forever been. Since ancient times, Jasmine has been thought of as the “queen of flowers”…and of romance! Read More...

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Romantic Jasmine

Derived from the Persian name “yasmin”, meaning a fragrant flower, Jasmine is known for its very floral and sensual fragrance, as well as its spellbinding powers. Used in the creation of bridal bouquets, jasmine’s “magical charm” is believed to bring about romance, fertility and prosperity.

Romance of the highest order
Cleopatra is said to have wooed Anthony with it, Louis XVI scented his sheets with it, and to this day, jasmine remains the favorite fragrance of French women.

Ancient Asians wrote that jasmine penetrated the deepest layers of the soul and opened emotions. It is no wonder then, that its oil is renown for helping people be more at ease in their own bodies and more in touch with their sexuality.

Native to the Himalayas and plains of Ganges, jasmine has been commercially cultivated in the temperate regions of India and has been taken to China, France and Mediterranean regions. Spread on palace grounds and planted for kings, jasmine remains the favorite “romantic” flower of royals and laymen alike.

Ceremonial grace
Acclaimed for its role in holy rituals and ceremonies, the Hindus string jasmine flowers together as neck garlands for honored guests, while one variety is held sacred to Vishnu and is used as votive offerings in Hindu religious ceremonies.

The Sacred Jasmine is one of Indonesia’s national flowers and plays an important part in traditional rites, such as Javanese weddings.

On the wedding day, the bride and groom are adorned with jasmine flowers and wrapped in jasmine-scented fabrics. Before the wedding day, a luxurious ritual called “lulur” is prepared for the bride-to-be. The ritual, which lasts for 40 days, is honored as a time for nurturing and is given to beautify, soften, and sweeten the skin.

The ritual begins with an infused coconut oil massage, followed by exfoliation with a blend of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, jasmine flowers and a hint of jasmine oil, and ends with a flower bath laced with petals of jasmine, rose frangipani, seasonal aromatic blossoms and astringent leaves.

Today, lulur treatments are a welcome addition to spa menus everywhere, consisting of jasmine and frangipani applications, and only take about 2 hours.

So whether you’re wearing garlands of jasmine flowers in your hair, or applying its sensual extracts to your body, jasmine will forever be an exquisite symbol of divine hope, love and romance.