DIY Rose Water

Save those rose petals to make this really simple and easy recipe for rose water! Rose water has so many beautification benefits for both your skin and your hair. You can use this recipe as a base ingredient to create moisturizing skin toners, bath bombs, lotions, hair conditioners, body scrubs, and more!

The Benefits of Rose Water

I want to take some space to actually outline why your beauty routine will benefit from rose water (If you want to skip to the recipe, scroll further down the page). Rose water not only smells amazing, but it has powerful anti-inflammatory and and antioxidant properties as well. Historically, according to Medical News Today, rose water has been used to to treat sore throats, a number of eye problems, wounds and infections, digestive issues, and more.

Besides its medicinal qualities, it offers amazing benefits to moisturize and heal damaged skin and hair. It can be used to soothe common skin irritations, such as eczema, acne, and rosacea and is an effective anti-aging treatment. Rose water has also been said to stabilize hair’s pH balance, reduce dandruff, frizz and oiliness, and promote hair growth.

How to Make Rose Water

I make this recipe every time my husband buys me roses and I love it because it allows me to extend their life after being cut. It's simple and zero-waste as it relies only on distilled water and rose petals from a dried bouquet that you would otherwise just throw away.

This recipe is very flexible to adjust to how many and what type of roses you have. The darker the rose color, the darker the color of your rose water will be. In the image below, my roses were a really deep red and gave me a wine-colored rose water.

This recipe does not include any preservatives, so it's very important that you store your homemade rose water in the refrigerator to avoid mold or bacteria (lasts up to 6 months). I extend that time by freezing mine in an ice cube tray, that way I can just take a couple cubes out when I want to make a new batch of lotion, toner, or body scrub.

Please enjoy!

Instructions:

1. After your roses start to wilt or dry, gently remove their petals from the stems and rinse in warm running water.

2. Place rinsed petals in a large pot and fill with distilled water (use your best judgement for how many rose petals you have).

3. Cover the pot with a lid and put it on the stove at low heat for about 30-40 minutes or until the petals have completely lost their color.

4. Strain the rose water and discard the petals.

5. Store rose water in glass jars in the refrigerator or freeze into cubes and store in a ziploc bag in your freezer.

Easy Uses

There are so many fun recipes on Pinterest that rely on rosewater on a fundamental ingredient. Below is just a list of very simple and easy ways to implement rose water into your beauty routine:

Skin Toner

This toner will do wonders for your skin: reduce redness, remove excess oil, clean pores, and hydrate your skin, all at the same time. I use this toner once a day and then moisturize my skin with coconut oil afterwards.

In a little spray bottle, add 1/4 cup of rose water, 1/3 cup of witch hazel, and a couple drops of an essential oil of your choice (I personally recommend tea tree, rosehip, or lavender). Shake to mix and store in a cool place.

Body Scrub

I use this body scrub about once a week to rub away dry and dead skin (especially in the winter). It smells amazing and will leave your skin feeling soft and new.

In a bowl, thoroughly fold together 1 cup of sugar, 3 tbsp of rosewater, 1/4 cup of coconut oil (slightly melted), and 1/4 cup of Himalayan pink sea salt (it can be normal sea salt, but the Himalayan gives it a pretty color).

Hair Rinse

I use this in place of conditioner, but you can also use it after you shampoo and conditioner as a boost. It promotes hair growth, reduces dandruff, calms frizz, and restores your hair's healthy PH balance. Simply spray in your hair and massage it in, let it sit for 3-4 minutes, and then rinse.

In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of rose water, 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, and a couple drops of rosemary essential oil. Shake the bottle to mix.