Rose water is great for your skin and it is a staple in most skin care routines. The use of rose water dates back to early Egypt, when Cleopatra was believed to use it as a part of her beauty regime. This distilled water of roses softens your skin, maintains your skin's pH balance and gives it a natural, healthy glow.
Read on to find out why rose water is one of the best skin care ingredients.
Why Is Rose Water Good For Your Skin?
Rose water or Gulab Jal is incredibly versatile thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and rich content of antioxidants. The water helps soothe your skin, tone it, and keep it moisturized. Its versatility allows it to be combined with various ingredients to suit the needs of each skin type. Here, I've put together a list of the 10 skin benefits that rose water offers.
Benefits Of Rose Water For Skin
1. Maintains The pH Balance Of Your Skin
The pH of your skin falls in between 4.5 to 6.2, making it slightly acidic. The excessive use of soaps, facial cleansers, and products can disrupt this balance and lead to the growth of bacteria, resulting in issues such as acne. With a pH level of 5.5, rose water helps balance out the disruption by bringing your skin's pH levels back to normal.
2. Curbs Acne
Rose water helps remove the excess oils from your face. It also helps discourage the growth of acne-causing bacteria with its pH balancing properties. This helps reduce acne while controlling future breakouts.
3. Tones Your Skin
While most us are aware of the importance of the CTM (cleansing, toning, moisturizing) routine, we tend to neglect the toning part. What most people don't realize is that it is one of the most crucial parts of any skin care routine. Toning helps remove residual dirt and oils, preparing your skin for optimal hydration. Rose water is an excellent toner, thanks to its pH balancing properties. It helps remove oils and dirt from your skin, preparing it for skin treatments that are to follow.
4. Hydrates Your Skin
A common misconception when it comes to the use of toners is that they dry out your skin. This is not true when you are using natural and mild ingredients such as pure rose water for skin. Rose water helps freshen up your skin by settling into your pores and providing it with mild hydration. This goes a long way when it comes to improving the texture of your skin. The best part is that the ingredient is super easy to spritz on whenever your skin starts to feel dehydrated.
5. Reduces Puffiness
Rose water's anti-inflammatory and cooling properties not only leaves your skin feeling refreshed but it also tackles puffiness, especially under your eyes. By simply placing two cotton pads saturated with cold rose water over your eyes, you can tackle puffiness within minutes.
6. Suits Sensitive Skin
Because of how mild this natural ingredient is, it perfectly suits sensitive skin. The water helps soothe redness and irritation with its anti-inflammatory properties. The best part is that it has no side effects.
7. Slows Aging
Your skin ages faster because of exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun, due to the use of products laden with harsh chemicals, stress, an unhealthy lifestyle, and pollution. All of these factors assist the generation of free radicals that damage your skin. Rose water's high antioxidant content helps tackle this by neutralizing the free radicals and keeping your skin healthy.
8. Soothes Skin Conditions
If you are suffering from a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis, pure rose water can help. The ingredient's cooling properties coupled with its anti-inflammatory properties help soothe the irritation and aggravation caused by such skin conditions.
9. Refreshes Your Skin
Carrying a spray bottle filled with rose water in your bag is the best way to ensure that your skin feels fresh all through the day. Not only does the water help keep your skin hydrated but it also works as a face mist and makeup setter that keeps your skin feeling fresh and supple for long hours.
10. Soothes Sunburns
Rose water helps soothe and heal sunburns with its cooling properties. If you ever forget your sunblock and end up with a nasty burn, rose water can help soothe your skin while accelerating the healing process.
How To Use Rose Water For Your Skin?
1. Rose Water As A Toner
You Will Need
- Pure rose water
- Cotton pad
Time
2 minutes.
Method
- Saturate a cotton pad with rose water.
- Dab the cotton pad onto your cleansed face.
- Let the rose water dry.
How Often?
1-2 times a day.
Why This Works
Rose water has mild astringent properties that help shrink your pores while removing residual dirt and oil from your face. This prepares your face for optimal hydration. If you have dry skin, you can add 5 ml of glycerin to 30 ml of rose water. For combination skin, add 5 ml of glycerin and apple cider vinegar each to 30 ml of rose water. For oily skin, combine 5 ml of apple cider vinegar with 50 ml of rose water.
2. Rose Water For Sunburns And Rashes
You Will Need
- 10-15 tulsi leaves
- 200 ml pure rose water
- Spray bottle
Time
2 minutes.
Method
- Crush the tulsi leaves and add the paste to the rose water.
- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours and then spray the mixture onto the affected areas.
- Store the remaining mixture in the refrigerator.
How Often?
Whenever your skin feels aggravated.
Why This Works
This tulsi and rose water mixture has excellent cooling properties. The solution helps calm your skin, soothing sunburns and healing red and itchy patches of skin.
3. Rose Water As A Lip Stain
You Will Need
- 1 small beetroot
- 1 tsp pure rose water
Time
10 hours + 15 minutes.
Method
- Chop the beetroot into small pieces and place them in the oven at 60°C for 8-10 hours until there's no moisture.
- Grind the dehydrated beets to a powder.
- Add a teaspoon of rose water to the powder and mix well until you get a thick paste.
- Apply the paste to your lips and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Wash the paste off.
How Often?
As often as you like.
Why This Works
Not only does this pack add a beautiful pink tint to your lips, but it also makes them super soft. If you don't like using cosmetics, this natural treatment is an amazing way to add some color to your lips.
4. Rose Water As A Moisturizer
You Will Need
- 3 tbsp pure rose water
- 1 tbsp glycerin
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil
Time
2 minutes.
Method
- Pour all the ingredients into a small bottle.
- Shake well to combine.
- Take a small amount of the mixture and apply this onto your skin.
How Often?
1-2 times a day.
Why This Works
This mixture is one of the best natural moisturizers. The coconut oil and glycerin help hydrate your skin and form a protective barrier over it while the rose water provides you a fresh feel. If you have extremely dry skin, this mixture will hydrate it in no time.
5. Rose Water As A Cleanser
You Will Need
- A spray bottle
- Pure rose water
- Tissues
Time
2 minutes
Method
- Pour the rose water into a spray bottle and spritz your face until it is wet.
- Let the water stay on for about 20 seconds.
- Proceed to wipe the water off with a tissue.
How Often?
As often as you like.
Why This Works
This cleansing method is ideal for when you are on the go. The rose water helps eliminate dirt and sweat that keeps building up on your face through the course of the day.
6. Rose Water For Acne
You Will Need
- 1 tsp lemon
- 1 tsp rose water
Time
30 minutes.
Method
- Mix the ingredients until they are well combined.
- Apply this mixture onto the acne-affected areas of your skin.
- Leave it on for about 15 minutes and then wash your face with cool water.
How Often?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
Lemon helps exfoliate your skin while killing off bacteria. In combination with rose water, it helps eliminate acne, giving your skin a chance to heal.
7. Multani Mitti And Rose Water For Exfoliation
You Will Need
- 1 tbsp multani mitti
- 2 tsp rose water
Time
10 minutes.
Method
- Combine the ingredients until you get a coarse mixture.
- Cleanse your face and apply this mixture onto it as you would a face pack.
- Gently massage your face for a couple of minutes and then leave it on for an additional 5 minutes.
- Wash the mixture off with cool water.
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Multani mitti is rich in minerals that help nourish your skin and keep it healthy. It is also an excellent exfoliating agent that can help eliminate dry skin. Multani mitti face packs help tackle acne, get rid of a tan, and exfoliate your skin to keep it looking soft and healthy.
8. Glycerin And Rose Water Moisturizer
You Will Need
- 1 cup glycerin
- ½ cup rose water
Time
2 minutes.
Method
- Combine the ingredients to get a smooth mixture.
- At night, apply this mixture onto your skin and keep it on.
- Store the remaining mixture in a refrigerator.
How Often?
Every night.
Why This Works
Both rose water and glycerin are excellent moisturizers. This mixture helps keep your hair hydrated, thanks to glycerin's humectant properties that seal moisture into your skin.
9. Saffron And Rose Water Toner
You Will Need
- A couple of saffron strands
- ½ cup of rose water
- Bottle for storage
- Cotton pad
- Moisturizer
Time
2 minutes.
Method
- Soak the saffron in the rose water until the saffron changes the color of the water.
- Pour the mixture into a bottle and shake well in the morning.
- Saturate a cotton pad with the solution.
- Start dabbing the cotton pad onto your cleansed face.
- Let it dry.
- Moisturize
How Often?
1-2 times a day.
Why This Works
This toner helps control oil production. It also gets rid of the residual dirt and grease that is left behind after cleansing. The mixture helps bring about a pH balance without drying out your skin. In fact, it helps soothe your skin, while improving its texture and adding a subtle glow.
10. Honey And Rose Water For Brightening
You Will Need
- 3 tbsp rose water
- 4 tbsp honey
Time
15 minutes.
Method
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Apply this mixture onto your face like a mask.
- Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.
How Often?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
Honey has skin lightening properties that eliminate scars, tan, and pigmentation. It is also an excellent humectant that helps seal moisture into your skin. In combination with rose water, honey makes an excellent skin brightening solution.
11. Cucumber And Rose Water Refreshing Face Mask
You Will Need
- 2 inches of fresh cucumber
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tbsp rose water
Time
15 minutes.
Method
- Peel the cucumber and then blend it with honey to get a smooth mixture.
- To this mixture, add the rose water and mix well.
- Apply this mask onto your face and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Wash your face with cool water.
How Often?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
If you have sensitive skin, this face mask will soothe it within minutes. Cucumber has excellent cooling properties that have a refreshing effect on your skin. The face pack can help get rid of any swelling, puffiness, aggravation or itching. It is also a great face mask for adding an instant glow to your skin.
12. Aloe Vera And Rose Water For De-tanning
You Will Need
- 1 tbsp aloe vera gel
- 1 tbsp rose water
Time
20 minutes.
Method
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Apply this mixture onto your face like a face pack.
- Leave it on for 20 minutes.
- Wash your face with cool water.
How Often?
2-4 times a week.
Why This Works
Aloe vera gel is an excellent skin care ingredient that helps nourish and hydrate your skin while improving texture, fading scars, and fighting acne. This face pack helps tackle skin discoloration, soothe burns, and fade pimple marks and age spots.
13. Alum And Rose Water For Hair Removal
You Will Need
- ½ tsp alum powder
- 2-3 tbsp rose water
- A couple of drops of olive oil/sesame oil
- Cotton pad
Time
1 hour.
Method
- Mix the alum powder and rose water until the powder is completely dissolved.
- With a cotton pad, apply this mixture onto your skin and hair.
- Leave it on until it dries and repeat application.
- Keep repeating application for an hour (15-20 minutes if you have sensitive skin.)
- After an hour, wash it off with cool water.
- Dab a few drops of oil onto your skin to help moisturize.
How Often?
3-4 times a week.
Why This Works
Alum powder is a well-known hair-removal ingredient. With regular application of this mixture, you will notice that your hair will start thinning.
14. Apple Cider Vinegar And Rose Water Toner
You Will Need
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup rose water
- Cotton pad
- Moisturizer
Time
2 minutes
Method
- Dilute the apple cider vinegar with the rose water.
- Pour the mixture into a bottle and shake well.
- Saturate a cotton pad with the solution.
- Start dabbing the cotton pad onto your cleansed face.
- Let it dry.
- Moisturize
How Often?
1-2 times a day, after you wash your face.
Why This Works
This mixture is an excellent toner for oily skin. Not only does it help balance out the pH levels of your skin, but it also helps clean residual dirt and grime while controlling oil production. Apple cider vinegar is also a rich source of antioxidants that can help prevent skin damage.
15. Besan And Rose Water Face Mask
You Will Need
- 1 tbsp besan powder
- 2 tsp rose water
Time
15 minutes
Method
- Combine the ingredients to get a smooth paste. Add more rose water if necessary.
- Apply this paste onto your face like a mask.
- Leave it on for about 15 minutes and then wash your face with cold water.
How Often?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
Besan is a staple ingredient in most Indian households and mothers' beauty arsenals. The ingredient offers a ton of benefits - from glowing skin and an even complexion to reduced facial hair and even reduced acne. In combination with rose water, it makes the perfect face mask that helps keep your skin healthy.
16. Sandalwood And Rose Water For Reducing Blemishes
You Will Need
- 2 tbsp sandalwood powder
- 3-4 tbsp rose water
Time
25 minutes.
Method
- Combine the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply this paste onto your face and leave it on for about 20-25 minutes.
- Wash your face with cool water.
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Sandalwood powder is an ideal ingredient for women with oily skin. This mixture helps balance oil production while preventing breakouts and fading blemishes. It also helps exfoliate your skin and keeps it looking young and healthy.
Rose water is one of the best skin care ingredients, and for good reason. Not only is it easily available but also super affordable.