When Patricia and Caroline Rose bought an old druggists shop in Yorkshire, they began a project that would grow and develop over several years and become not just a family business but a way of life that would incorporate both their interests and pastimes too. The mother and daughter team are avid collectors of original mahogany fittings, glass cabinets and their beautiful contents, and fascinated by the history of the shop, they began restoring the interior to its former Victorian splendour and a quirky but elegant beauty apothecary was the result.

Wanting a range of products to fit in with the style of the shop, Caroline Rose created Rose & Co. – preparations based on traditional recipes using natural, old-apothecary ingredients. Her first product was Rose Petal Salve, a rose-scented beauty balm made by hand on the Aga at home. Quickly picked up by the beauty press, Rose Petal Salve became a cult must-have product with demand exceeding supply almost immediately. A range of lotions, balms, aromatic bath mixtures and hand-wrapped scented soaps followed, delightfully packaged in traditional tins, jars and French glass bottles. Boxes are richly decorated with vintage images of deco flapper girls, dancers and show girls and sumptuous gift collections encapsulate the most popular products in hatboxes and tutu net.

Designer, stylist and entrepreneur Caroline uses the delicacy and elegance of the packaging in her vast collection of vintage cosmetics and perfume bottles as inspiration for her designs and is surrounded by a fairy-tale world of beautiful objects both at work and at her home, which has been featured in the Sunday Times Style Magazine and Marie Claire. She has also worked with Channel 4 on The 1940s House series, The Victorian House, The Edwardian House and Treats From the Edwardian House with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Caroline’s products are now available in Harvey Nichols, Harvey Nichols Hong Kong, John Lewis and selected fine stores and have been featured in countless magazines including Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Period Living, Red, Essentials, Vivid, You, FT Magazine, BBC History Magazine etc. The company recently picked up the Beauty Magazine Award for Best Skincare Brand and has now expanded into pretty lingerie and retro hosiery with Rose & Co. Delicates. Future projects include old-fashioned powder compacts, cosmetics and perfume – all exquisitely packaged, of course!