11 Ways to Add Rose Water to Your Skincare & Beauty Routine

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Plus, information on the various benefits of rose water

Co-authored by Joanna Kula and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: May 12, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Ways to Use Rose Water on Your Face
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• Other Skincare & Beauty Uses for Rose Water
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• Benefits of Rose Water
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• Video
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• Q&A

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If you’re interested in adding rose water to your skincare regimen, you’ve come to the right place! Rosewater has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it a great addition to your skincare routine. We’ll go over how to use rose water on your face and skin, as well as for your hair and even in the kitchen. Plus, we'll fill you in on rose water's impressive benefits for your skin and overall health, so keep reading!

How to Apply Rosewater on Your Face

Rose water has astringent and soothing effects, which makes it a great facial toner, explains licensed esthetician Joanna Kula. Wet a cotton ball with rose water and sweep it across your skin. If your rose water is in a spray bottle, spritz it on your face. Let it dry, then continue with your skincare routine.

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Section 1 of 3:

Ways to Use Rose Water on Your Face

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1. 1
   Use rosewater as a toner. Rose water has astringent, soothing, and moisturizing properties, which makes it an excellent all-natural toner option, explains Joanna Kula, licensed esthetician and owner of Skin Devotee Facial Studio in Philadelphia. First, wash your face with a gentle cleanser and dry it with a clean towel. If you have rose water spray, hold it about 6 inches (15 cm) from your face, and spritz it all over your skin. If your rose water is in a regular bottle, wet a cotton ball with the liquid and gently swipe it across your skin until you’ve covered your whole face.

   • Let the rose water air dry, and that’s it! You can now move on to the rest of your skincare routine.
2. 2
   Use rosewater to prep your skin for makeup. Rose water hydrates and soothes redness, which makes it a great base for your foundation. Before applying your makeup, wet a cotton ball with rose water and swipe it all over your face, or spritz your face with rose water spray. Next, apply your makeup as normal. Your foundation should go on super smoothly and evenly!
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3. 3
   Make a homemade face mask with rosewater. With its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and hydrating properties, rose water makes an excellent ingredient for a soothing face mask. If you're making a DIY face mask recipe, try using rose water instead of regular water to reap its benefits. You can also add a few drops of rose water as an extra ingredient to your face mask if the recipe doesn’t call for water.

   • There are also rose water face masks available to purchase, if you don’t want to make your own.
4. 4
   Apply rosewater underneath a sheet mask. Before applying your favorite sheet mask, spritz your face with a generous amount of rose water. This will boost your sheet mask’s hydrating effects, while also locking in the soothing, anti-inflammatory properties of the rose water.
5. 5
   Mist your face with rosewater to cool down. A quick spray of rose water can be super soothing, especially on a hot day. Simply spritz your face with the rose water for a quick pick-me-up whenever you’re feeling flushed, hot, or sweaty. You can even keep your rose water in the fridge to make it extra cooling and refreshing!
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Section 2 of 3:

Other Skincare & Beauty Uses for Rose Water

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1. 1
   Apply rose water to soothe razor burn. Rose water can help calm skin irritation and inflammation. This makes it a great treatment for razor burn. After shaving, spray your rose water directly onto your skin, or apply it with a cotton ball. Your skin should feel instantly soothed and hydrated!
2. 2
   Apply rose water on minor cuts and scrapes. Though this hasn’t been studied extensively, the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of rose water may be beneficial for small skin injuries. These properties may help minor cuts and burns heal more quickly, while also fighting off infection.

   • Always practice proper wound care when you have a skin injury. This means thoroughly washing the wound, applying an antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly, and covering the area with a bandage.
   • If you decide to use rose water on a minor cut, try applying it in the days following the injury to aid in the healing process.
3. 3
   Use rose water on your hair and scalp. Rose water can soothe an irritated scalp while also promoting hydration, which leads to healthier, shinier hair. To capitalize on these benefits, simply mix equal parts rose water and regular water, and apply it to your hair and scalp.

   • You can put this mixture in a spray bottle and spritz it on your scalp as a leave-in treatment, or you can pour it over your head in the shower after washing your hair.
   • You can also purchase shampoos, conditioners, or hair masks that contain rose water.
4. 4
   Add rose water to your bath. In addition to its skincare benefits, rose water has a beautiful floral scent. This makes it a wonderful addition when you’re taking a relaxing bubble bath. The rose water’s scent will perfume your body and hair, and your skin will also reap its hydrating and soothing benefits. Simply fill your bathtub up with water, pour in a bit of rose water, and enjoy!
5. 5
   Use rose water for aromatherapy. Some research suggests that the scent of rose water reduces anxiety and boosts your mood. To experience these benefits throughout the day, spritz rose water on your face, or apply it to your wrists and neck like a perfume. You can also spray your pillow with rose water before you go to bed at night to enjoy the soothing and relaxing floral scent.
6. 6
   Make food or beverages with rosewater. Due to its pleasant floral flavor, rose water is a popular ingredient in cooking. It is often used to flavor desserts and baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and candies. It’s also a common ingredient for sweet beverages, like cocktails, mocktails, teas, and coffee drinks.

   • If you want to try adding rose water to food or beverages, make sure you’re using an edible rose water product, not a skincare rose water product!
   • You should be able to find rose water for cooking at grocery or health food stores, but you can also make your own rose water, if you prefer.
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Section 3 of 3:

Benefits of Rose Water

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1. 1
   Soothes skin irritation and redness Research shows that rose has anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this, rose water may be helpful for soothing skin irritation from razor burn, eczema, rosacea, and other similar conditions.
   

   Karen Fischer, Holistic Skincare and Anti-Aging Expert

   Pure rose water contains active compounds like phenyl ethanol and geraniol that can help reduce redness and inflammation when applied topically. After cleansing, mist your face and neck with rose water or mix a few drops into your regular moisturizer for an extra soothing hydration boost.
2. 2
   Hydrates & moisturizes Rose water is known for its hydrating and soothing properties, which makes it a great ingredient for a refreshing facial mist or body moisturizer.
3. 3
   Clarifies, tones, & fights bacteria Rose is a natural astringent, and it has antimicrobial effects. It’s also thought to reduce oil production and minimize the appearance of pores. With all this in mind, it’s no wonder that rose water is such a popular facial toner, especially for those with acne-prone skin.
4. 4
   Has antioxidant & anti-aging properties Research shows that rose has anti-collagenase and anti-elastase properties. Collagenase and elastase are proteins that break down collagen and elastin, and inhibiting the activity of these proteins may lead to more youthful looking skin. Rose water also contains antioxidants, which are known to have powerful anti-aging properties for skin.
5. 5
   Reduces anxiety & enhances mood In the practice of aromatherapy, rose has been found to reduce anxiety levels and increase a sense of comfort and satisfaction. The scent may also reduce symptoms of depression.
6. 6
   Soothes pain and physical ailments These effects haven’t all been confirmed by scientific research, but rose has traditionally been used to treat digestive problems, soothe menstrual pain, reduce inflammation, ease coughs, and treat minor skin wounds. It has also been utilized as a gentle laxative.
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  How often should I use rosewater?

  

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  It's absolutely your choice. You can apply rosewater on your face at any time and as many times as you like. Try using rosewater on your face at least twice a day, to gain the maximum benefits.

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