Beauty trends come and go, but Smith’s Rosebud Salve from Rosebud Perfume Co. is one of the few products that has stood the test of time. The very definition of “an oldie but a goodie,” the salve was first sold 128 years ago and today is lauded as a reliable do-it-all product. Most people use Smith’s Rosebud Salve as a lip balm while makeup artists keep it on hand to tame flyaway hairs and add glossy sheen to eyelids, among other inventive uses. Its sweet, rosy scent and blue and white decorative tin make it a natural fit for the vintage beauty enthusiast’s cosmetics kit.
I bought Smith’s Rosebud Salve on an impulse recently, partly in a moment of desperation. You see, I have perpetually chapped lips. I have tried countless lip balms, from drugstore products to pricey lip treatments by natural skincare brands. Nothing has really worked. I’d tried Smith’s Rosebud Salve before and it didn’t leave an impression, but something made me pick up one of the round tins near the checkout counter at Ulta.
I’ve been using it for a few weeks and while it’s not a miracle product, it’s worked far better than most of the other lip balms I’ve tried. Since it’s petroleum jelly-based, it acts as a barrier against wind and dry weather to keep moisture in.
I also like the look of the tin, which hasn’t changed much over the years. The National Museum of American History has an old tin from after 1908 in its collection, though it’s not currently on view. Back then a 1-ounce tin would only set you back 25 cents!
Today an 0.8-ounce tin retails for around seven dollars. You can buy it at beauty retailers around the world and its become somewhat of a cult beauty favorite, with everyone from Beyoncé to Julia Roberts touting its benefits. It has 4.7/5 stars and nearly 5K reviews on sephora.com.
I was curious as to how such a ubiquitous product came to be and read up on the history of the company.
The History of Smith’s Rosebud Salve
George F. Smith creates Rosebud Perfume Company
George F. Smith was born on March 25, 1865 and grew up on a farm near Woodsboro, Maryland. He earned a teaching degree from Shenandoah Normal College in Harrisonburg, Virginia and taught in various towns in Maryland for five years before getting into the pharmacy business.
At 30 years old, Smith founded the Rosebud Perfume Company in 1895, starting with a small drugstore. As any smart entrepreneur does, he listened to the wants and needs of his customers, who desired an all-purpose salve to treat minor skin irritations. Thus, Smith’s Balsam of Rosebuds was created. The name would eventually change to Smith’s Rosebud Salve and the formula was registered for a patent in 1908.
As the bottom of the an original tin reads, this “Reliable Soothing Salve” claimed to serve as “A valuable preparation for chapped lips, face and hands; minor burns and scalds; bites and stings of non-poisonous insects and all other conditions for which a soothing salve is useful.”
Rosebud Perfume Company expands
Smith placed advertisements in newspapers for his salve and got a successful mail order business going. He employed over 70,000 agents to sell the salve door to door, along with another salve, two kinds of perfume—Rosebud Perfume and Vivian Perfume, named for his granddaugther—and later, two kinds of aftershave. The agents were rewarded with interesting incentives ranging from BB guns to silverware to phonographs.
After a while, Smith was able to purchase the Smith Hotel across the street from his drugstore to serve as a larger base of operations (Smith Hotel was named for James M. Smith, who built the three-story brick building in 1886 and is of no relation to G. F. Smith). Now its known as the Rosebud Building and still acts as company headquarters. It also houses a collection of original drugstore bottles and pharmacy equipment, offering a glimpse into the past.
A man of many interests, Smith raced bicycles, collected cars and was an agent for Columbia Records. He even served as mayor of Woodsboro, Maryland for 19 years. He and his wife Minnie had eight children and their heirs run the family business. As of 2018, Vivian Smith Pruit Clipp, the inspiration for Vivian Perfume, still serves as the company president (she was 93-years-old in 2018 when she did an interview with The Frederick News-Post).
How Smith’s Rosebud Salve has changed
According to Clipp’s daughter and Rosebud Perfume Co. vice president Linda S. Pruitt-Michielli, the salves made today aren’t that different from the first batches made with essential oils imported from France. The only notable difference in the formula is that some of the dyes have changed.
No longer in the business of perfume or aftershave (or awarding salespeople with silverware), today the company sticks to what it does best: its popular salve. The salve is sold worldwide and comes in a (more sanitary) squeezable tube and adventurous scents like Tropical Ambrosia, Mocha Rose and Rose & Mandarin.
If you’re interested in trying this classic beauty product, here’s more information on what it’s made of, how to use it and where to buy it.
Are Smith’s Rosebud Salve tins collectible?
Smith’s grandson Allen R. Smith has shared that original tins could be worth $2,500 a piece, though there are few left.
What are some Smith’s Rosebud Salve uses?
I’ve only used the salve as a lip balm, which I think is what most people use it for, but I’ve seen other beauty bloggers use it to tame flyaway hairs and shape eyebrows. Beyoncé even used it to prime her eyelashes before curling them.
Rosebud Perfume Co. offers these additional suggestions for use:
- Accent cheekbones, collarbone and shoulders (highlighter)
- Base for powdered eye shadow
- Eye makeup remover
- Cuticle softener
- Sunburn eraser
- Dry skin healer
What’s in Smith’s Rosebud Salve?
The ingredients in the classic Smith’s Rosebud Salve tin are: Petrolatum, Gossypium Herbaceum (COTTON) Seed Oil, Parfum/Fragrance, Linalool, Limonene, CI 73360.
Is Smith’s Rosebud Salve safe for sensitive skin?
I have sensitive skin that’s prone to breakouts and have not had any negative reactions to the salve since I started using it.
The Environment Working Group gave the product a Skin Deep rating of 2 on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the best). The rating noted that data availability was limited.
SkinSAFE, founded by Mayo Clinic and HER Inc., rates cosmetics based on how many allergens (like parabens, soy, gluten and nickel) are in the ingredient list. SkinSAFE listed a standard 0.8 ounce tin of Smith’s Rosebud Salve as 91% top allergen free.
The salve does contain fragrance so keep that in mind if you have a sensitivity to fragrance in products.
Is Smith’s Rosebud Salve cruelty free?
I entered Rosebud Perfume Co. into the PETA cruelty free company search, the Leaping Bunny approved brands search, and did not come up with any results.
However, the FAQ on the brand’s website states, “…we never have allowed animal testing in over 100 years, and it is prohibited for any other Company or Country to test on animals on our behalf.”
Additionally, the bottom of the tin is printed with “Cruelty Free/Gluten Free” under the barcode.
Is Smith’s Rosebud Salve vegan?
The FAQ states that some of the products “are free of animal-sourced ingredients” while others may contain lanolin, honey, beeswax and carmine.
Where to buy Smith’s Rosebud Salve:
You can buy Smith’s Rosebud Salve at major beauty and fashion retailers including Sephora, Ulta, Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. I even found it on Hot Topic’s website, ha! You can also buy it on amazon.com and apothecary websites like C.O. Bigelow and Smallflower.
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