Rose Water: Health and Beauty Benefits
Rose water is one of those products many of
us know about, but aren't sure how to use. You probably saw it in store
a few times, and you may even know that it's an ingredient you can use
in desserts, but what the vast majority of people don't realize is that
rose water is a real multitasker, capable of making your skin become
healthier, younger and more radiant, but also to lift your mood after a
stressful day, soothe a sore throat and even help with digestive issues.
If you'd like to learn more on how to use rose water, what it's good
for and even how to prepare it at home, simply continue reading.
What is Rose Water?
Roses aren’t just nice in gardens or
bouquets, they have been an essential medicinal, cosmetic and even
ritualistic ingredient since ancient times. Rose water specifically is
an ancient recipe of flavored water made of Damask rose petals steeped
in water or distilled with steam.
This technique is believed to come from ancient Persia, but ancient
Greeks and Romans likewise used rose water for a variety of purposes. A
scarce resource in the olden days, rose water turned into a widely
available product today.
Rose water shouldn't be confused with rose oil or rosehips, both of
which are remarkable in their own right but aren't quite the same as
rose water. Rose water is a by-product of the production of rose oil,
which is more concentrated and has somewhat different uses, whereas
rosehips are the fruit of the dog rose plant, which is a different
species of rose altogether.
How to Use Rose Water
Traditionally, rose water has been used as a skincare product and a
soothing remedy, but also as a frequent feature in several dessert and
drink recipes, such as puddings, cakes, sherbet, and herbal teas. Rose
water is used to prepare rose syrup and rose jelly as well, both of
which are popular confectioner’s ingredients.
You can apply rose water on a cotton pad a swipe across your face as a
hydrating toner. Finally, you can also transfer the rose water into a
mister bottle and spray to rehydrate your skin or on your pillow or
clothing to relieve stress and lift your mood.
Using rose water in cooking and topically is associated with a multitude
of health benefits, which is exactly what we’ll discuss next.
1. Soothes Skin Redness, Irritation, and Acne
Rose water is frequently used in cosmetic products as an ingredient that
can help lower the inflammation in the skin. Rose water is very mild
and can even be used by those suffering from inflammatory skin
conditions, such as eczema, rosacea, acne or psoriasis to soothe and
decrease the redness in their skin.
Rose water also has some antimicrobial effects, making it a great choice
for acne-prone skin. But everyone’s skin, regardless of your age or
skin concerns, can benefit from the soothing and hydrating properties of
rose water, so just use it before you apply a moisturizer on clean skin
and you’ll see how your skin becomes more balanced, less puffy, dry,
red or inflamed over time.
2. Has Anti Aging Benefits
Apart from being capable of soothing the skin, rose water is full of
antioxidants, making it an excellent choice for aging skin. The
antioxidants in rose water will protect skin cells from UV damage,
pollution and free radicals, all of which contribute to the development
of fine lines and wrinkles.
That’s exactly why you frequently see rose oil, rose water and other
ingredients derived from roses in skincare products intended for mature
skin. The only thing is that these products can be quite expensive, so
if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, rose water may be a good
choice for you.
3. Improves a Sore Throat
A sore and inflamed throat can be remedied by a rinse with rose water,
which has known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can
help soothe the lining of the throat.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that rose water can replace the treatment
prescribed by your doctor, but it’s a good extra remedy to keep in mind.
One study also showed that it can release muscle tension in one’s
throat, so it might even help relieve a hoarse voice.
4. Promotes Eye Health
Rose water is frequently added to products
as an antiseptic, particularly to eye drops and has been shown to
prevent and treat irritation and infections. These drops are used to
relieve the uncomfortable symptoms and pain that come with eye
conditions like conjunctivitis, dry eye, as well as degenerative
conditions, e.g. some types of cataract.
We don’t recommend using kitchen or cosmetic grade rose water as eye
drops, however, as these types of rose water may not be safe for your
eyes. Rose water eye drops intended for the eye area, on the other hand,
undergo additional clarification and can be safely used in your eyes.
5. Heals Small Cuts and Burns
The antiseptic properties don’t just help
heal acne or inflammatory skin conditions, you can use it to clean and
make small burns, cuts, including razor burn, heal faster. Some people
also swear by rose water to help decrease the appearance of scars.
6. Relieves Headaches and Fights Stress
We can all benefit from a little
de-stressing, and rose water has been shown to relieve the effects of
stress, help stress-related headaches and boost one’s mood. This may be
due to the pleasant scent of roses, which can have an overall calming
and relaxing effect on your brain and central nervous system altogether.
Rose inhalations and compresses soaked in rose water are even sometimes
used as an extra treatment to relieve anxiety and depression.
7. Boosts Digestion and Relieves Constipation
For millennia, rose water has been used to
both help an upset stomach and treat bloating. Studies show that this
may be because consuming rose water promotes bile secretion. Apart from
that, ingesting rose water may have a laxative effect, which makes it a
good choice in relieving constipation.
How to Make Rose Water at Home
Rose water is available in stores, but if
you want to try to make your own rose water at home, you can follow this
quick and easy recipe. But before you run into your rose garden and
start plucking rose leaves, keep in mind that not all roses are edible
and suitable to make rose water.
First of all, the roses have to be pesticide-free, preferably organic,
and fresh. The three edible rose species are Rosa damascena, Rosa
centifolia, and Rosa gallica, pictures of which you can find above.
The preparation is actually quite simple. Simply place 1 packed cup
(only about 2 grams) of fresh rose petals into a glass jar, then pour 2
cups (473 ml) of boiling distilled water over them, cover with a lid and
steep until cool. Then strain the liquid and keep sealed in a
sterilized jar in the fridge.
You will be able to use this liquid both for cosmetic purposes and in
cooking, but we don't recommend using it as eye drops or to treat open
wounds because homemade rose water is not sterile.