It is believed that the forerunner of all creams was cold cream, developed by the Greek physician Galen. When cold cream is applied to the skin, the water evaporates almost immediately, leaving a cold feeling. The original formula for Galen's cold cream included beeswax, olive oil, rose petals, and water. The beeswax was the base of the cream, the olive oil was used for softening the skin, and the rose water as a perfume.

Later creams used different types of oils. Mineral oil was preferred because it was light and did not become rancid like olive oil. Glycerine was also used, but it was heavier and didn't dry into the skin as well.

The hand cream made at Sherbrooke Village is very similar to Galen's cold cream. It is made from mineral oil, beeswax, borax, and rose water. Rose water is made from distilling fresh rose petals in water. Borax is used as a preservative and antiseptic and also to give the cream a white colour. The white colour comes about by a chemical reaction between the borax and beeswax. These ingredients are combined to make a nice, white cream which dries very quickly on the skin.

Our Rose Water Hand Cream is great for cleansing skin, and soothing the sting of fly bites. We keep the exact recipe secret but visitors can come watch our guides make the cream and can buy it at our Drugstore or Company Store.

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