A floral ingredient you need in your daily life
We all know a rose is the flower of love — luxurious, fragrant and eternally romantic. But this iconic bloom is more than just a pretty face. It’s also an amazingly effective skin care ingredient, known for its nourishing, skin-soothing properties.
There are innumerable benefits of rose water for skin, and it’s actually been used for thousands of years to keep people looking youthful and refreshed. And, since roses are au naturale, it’s green skin care at its best!
Rosewater for Your Face: 10 Benefits
Rose water has been used for thousands of years as a skin care ingredient and nutrient-rich botanical — and it’s particularly effective as a facial toner. The benefits of rose water include:
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It balances skin’s natural oils
Rose water is known for its ability to clarify and balance your skin, leading to a refreshed, revitalized appearance.
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It can help reduce the look of temporary redness
Should some redness flare up on your skin, rose water can actually lessen its appearance — and any accompanying discomfort. It’s a great way to cool and calm your skin.
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It helps to naturally hydrate
Moisture is key for youthful, glowing skin, and rose water is a natural hydrator. It gives your skin an instant, refreshing boost and provides rejuvenating moisture.
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It has antioxidant properties that nourish and protect the skin
Used since the 7th century for a variety of purposes, rose water is rich in antioxidants which provide the nutrients your skin needs!
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It smells like roses!
Who doesn’t love the sweet, subtle fragrance of a rose? And on your skin, no less! Rose water has the advantage over many other botanicals for its lovely scent.
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It can help prevent fine lines and wrinkles and diminish the look of existing ones
Rose water is known for its ability to help people defy age. It can temporarily plump fine lines and even help to prevent new ones from forming.
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It can help to unclog pores and create a smoother looking appearance
When your pores get clogged up with everyday residue and toxins, rose water can help to decongest them and clean impurities for a fresh, bright complexion.
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It minimizes the appearance of large pores
Speaking of pores, rose water can actually help to diminish the appearance of those pesky large ones. It has cleansing properties that both clarify and balance.
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It can temporarily tighten skin
Thanks to its toning properties, rose water can temporarily tighten the look of your skin, giving you a firm, plump look. Baby smooth!
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It provides a clean base for nutrients
Rose water can help to remove impurities and set your skin up for success. It cleanses and leaves skin looking luminous, making it an excellent addition to your natural skin care routine.
What is Rosewater? Where Is it From?
Rose water is super simple and exactly what it sounds like: roses and water. It’s been used for thousands of years for beauty treatments and skin care, and it’s made by steeping rose petals in water. It dates back to the Sasanian Empire of Persia, and was called golāb — gul (rose) and ab (water).
Typically, rose water producers take crushed petals and add boiling water in large containers. Condensation is collected, and rose water is the result. One liter of rose water takes 600 to 700 flowers.
Most commonly, roses come from South America (and Ecuador in particular), though they are grown in other parts of the world including Asia, Europe, Northwest Africa and North America. Fleur & Bee’s rose flower oil comes from Bulgarian roses.
What Skin Type is Rose Water Good for?
It’s good for all skin types! There are four different standard skin types, each with its own unique needs. Here’s a breakdown of how rose water toner works for each.
Sensitive Skin: Rose water is known for being gentle, so it’s beneficial for sensitive skin that may have issues with other ingredients. It’s also soothing and nourishing, so it has a lot of properties that make sense for sensitive skin.
Oily Skin: Because rose water balances skin’s natural oils and works wonders as a toner, it’s a great fit for oily skin.
Dry Skin: Rose water is a natural hydrator, providing moisture where skin needs it most. It’s perfect for dry skin as it can offer a nourishing boost.
Combination Skin: Like oily and dry skin, rose water benefits are clear with combination skin. It balances the natural oils and helps to hydrate any dry areas, keeping combination skin in check.
Rose Water for Your Skin: the Flowery Ingredient You Need
Now that you know why you should use rose water, how it works, where it’s from, and what skin types it’s suited for — give this bloom a shot!
It makes for a fragrant, soothing and effective addition to your natural skin care routine.
Frequently asked questions about rose water:
What does rose water do for your face?
Rose water for skin is known for its ability to balance natural oils, reduce the appearance of temporary redness, hydrate your skin naturally, provide antioxidant protection, diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, create a smoother looking appearance, minimize the appearance of large pores, temporarily tighten skin and provide a clean base for your other products and vital nutrients.
What is rose water best for?
Rose water is best used as a skin care ingredient for your face and neck in order to reap the benefits mentioned above.
Is rose water safe?
Yes. Pure rose water is just distilled rose petals. But be sure and check the label of any products to make sure there aren’t any unnecessary ingredients or toxins lurking.
Is rose water safe when pregnant?
Yes. Pure rose water is a natural ingredient and perfectly safe during pregnancy. Just watch out for any added ingredients. We still recommend checking with your doctor for any questions related to pregnancy.
Is rose water good as a toner?
Yes. Rose water toner is a highly effective natural toner that offers an array of benefits including hydration, balancing natural oils, temporarily tightening pores, and offering a refreshing, soothing scent.
Can you drink rose water?
Some rose water is drinkable, and people use it for various purposes. However, only pure rose water (rose petals and water) is ok to drink; many skin care products contain additional ingredients and are not appropriate for consumption. Always check the labels!
How to use it
You can purchase rose water, or you can make it yourself. Once you have it, there are a number of different ways you can use it, including the following:
Use it as a facial cleanser or toner. Just rinse your face with rose water after washing with your normal cleanser.
Use it in recipes, such as hibiscus iced tea with rose water.
Create a rose water mist by adding it to a spray bottle. This can relieve stress. You can mist the rose water on your wrists, face, or even onto your pillow.
Potential risks
Rose water is considered to be safe. There are no known risks for the general population to use it either topically or by ingesting it. The only exception is if you are allergic to the substance.