1950s Oddity: Rose-tipped Cigarettes

For centuries roses have been the pinnacle of taste when it comes to flowers. Their colors, scents, and the texture of rose petals have been prized in many products over the years, from soaps to candies to perfumes and beyond. But, despite the popularity and perennial popularity of roses we had never heard of rose-tipped cigarettes before.

Apparently, the British roses being grown in post-war England were not only used in cosmetics, but also for making the tips of cigarettes softer. These luxury smokes were sold to women, whose supposedly delicate lips fared better with rose cigarettes than with the regular paper and cork kind.

To make these cigarettes a stamp was used to cut through several layers of rose petals at a time. Then a little rectangle of cut rose petal was applied over the golden cigarette tip, leaving a tricolor cigarette of white, gold, and red. The color on the tips was said to last for about 18 months, though in some cases could stay for years. As they were made for ladies, it is reasonable to presume that the red color of the rose petals would have masked any smudged red lipstick.

Have a look in the video below at how this 1950s oddity was produced back in the day.