The use of rosewater dates back to early Egypt, where this natural product was used daily for skincare. Rose water is a beauty secret used by women all over the world.

Rose water benefits are plenty as well as versatile – whether you have oily, dry or combination skin, rose water can be added to your beauty routine.

While purchasing rose water, you must make sure you buy only 100% pure rose water i.e. distilled rose water.

We know rose water is great for skin and hair but it is important to know why it is good and how you use it.

Rose water is prepared by steeping rose petals in water.

There are a number of rose water benefits which make it a popular ingredient in different cuisines and religious rituals.

Rose water for skin and for the face are two of rose water’s most common uses: 

Rosewater helps maintain the skin’s pH balance as well as controls excess oil.

Rose water has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the redness of irritated skin, get rid of acne, dermatitis and eczema.

It is a great cleanser and aids in removing oil and dirt accumulated in clogged pores

Rose water helps hydrate, revitalise and moisturise the skin giving it a refreshed look.
Due to its antibacterial properties, rose water also aids in healing scars, cuts and wounds.
The antioxidant properties of rose water help to strengthen skin cells and regenerate skin tissues.
Due to the astringent like properties it possesses, rose water helps clean pores and tone the skin. Applying rose water after steaming tightens capillaries reduces redness and blotchiness.
The aroma of roses is said to be a powerful mood enhancer. It rids you of feelings of anxiety and promotes emotional well-being, thereby making you feel more relaxed.
The nourishing and moisturising properties of rose water enhance the quality of hair.

It is known to treat mild scalp inflammation and get rid of dandruff. Rosewater can work as a natural conditioner and revitalises hair growth.
The scent of rose water on your pillow also helps you sleep better after a long day, making you wake up feeling refreshed.
It also helps aging skin, keeping fine lines and wrinkles at bay.

How To Use Rose Water:

1. A great way to use rosewater is by spritzing it on your face. Rosewater can also be sprayed over makeup to work as a makeup setting product; the mist will leave your face radiant. Fill an empty spray bottle with rosewater and spritz once you’re done with your morning beauty routine to keep your face fresh and hydrated.

2. For dry and frizzy Hair – mix equal parts rosewater and glycerine, apply on the scalp and massage for 10-15 minutes. Let it stay for another 30 minutes and wash off with shampoo. 

3. Rose water can be used as a cleanser on all skin types. After washing your face with a mild face wash add a few drops of glycerine to 1 tablespoon of rose water and apply it on your face.

4. If you have tired, inflamed eyes – soak a cotton pad in chilled rose water and apply. It will help reduce puffiness under the eyes

5. Hair Conditioner – after shampooing, use a cup of rose water as a final rinse. It will condition your hair, adding a healthy shine.

6. Facial Toner – wet a soft cotton ball with chilled rose water and dab it on cleansed skin. Its mild astringent properties help tighten the pores and gently tone the skin.

7. Makeup Remover – tried and tested, this is the best makeup remover ever. Add a few drops of coconut oil to rosewater on a cotton pad and cleanse your face. The mixture works wonders to wipe off makeup as well as nourish your skin

Rose Tea – the weight loss benefits and how to make it at home:

Rose is a flower that has a wide range of uses in cooking. From using it to decorate sweets or to make rose sherbet out of the dried petals. Indians have been using rose flowers in foods and drinks for centuries. Rose is also used in cosmetics and organic creams and ointments. It has a host of health benefits that are great, both for our overall health as well as for enhancing the beauty of our skin and face.

But did you know that rose flowers can help with weight loss?

Rose tea is one of the best herbal teas to add to your daily diet, if you’re looking to lose weight. It is good for digestion as well as a stress buster and a mood-enhancer.

Here are some weight loss benefits of rose tea that you should know about:

Rose has anti-inflammatory properties, due to the presence of antioxidants in it. Research has time and again pointed towards a link between inflammation and weight gain and hence, rose tea may boost weight loss.

1. Rose tea can be consumed as a healthy caffeine-free alternative to coffee or tea, to curb hunger pangs and enhance weight loss.
2. Rose has been known to boost digestion and a healthy digestive system is key to effective weight loss. Rose tea may help good bacteria to grow in your digestive tract and has been used as a herbal remedy for constipation.
3. Rose tea may help prevent urinary tract infections due to its detox and diuretic properties.
4. To lose weight in a healthy way, it is essential for you to be free of illnesses first and rose tea may help you fight infections, due to the vitamin C content in it

How To Make Organic Rose Tea At Home:

There are several ways of making rose tea, depending on how you would like to drink it.

You may buy dried rose petals and add them to tea leaves of your choice, or you may get fresh rose petals and boil them with water to make the tea.

To make rose tea from fresh rose petals, you will need at least a cup full of pesticide-free petals.

Clean the petals thoroughly by placing them under running water.

Place them in a deep saucepan and add 3 cups of water. Let the water with the petals boil for about five to ten minutes and then remove it from the heat.

Strain the water into cups and add sweeteners of your choice.

You may add spices of your choice to make the tea more flavourful – for example, cinnamon or fresh ginger may be added to rose tea while boiling the petals. This tea may be consumed once or twice a day to aid weight loss.

However, if you are prone to food allergies, you may want to consult your doctor before adding this herbal tea to your diet.

Reasons to drink rose water:

1. To hydrate the skin from the inside. Well-hydrated skin looks and feels plump and healthy.
2. For the anti-aging properties, to help with skin aging by reducing wrinkles, lightening dark spots and tightening pores.
3. As a mood enhancer, to relieve depression or stress and improve mood.
4. To relieve digestion troubles like bloating, upset tummy and constipation.
5. To help heal from colds, flu and sore throats. It may have a bronchodilator effect and help with respiratory illness.
6. To calm nerves when feeling frazzled.
7. To relieve fluid retention and inflammation.

If the aroma of your rose water is important to you, the colour of the rose petals       you choose will make all the difference.

Not all roses smell rosey.

Red and pink roses with deeper colours and thick or velvety petals are the ones that have the traditional rose smell.

White and yellow roses frequently have the fragrance of violets, nasturtium and lemon.

Roses that are orange have more a fruit aroma as well as scents of violets, nasturtium and clove.

There are two methods you can use when making rose water at home – distilling and infusing.

Distilling rose water:

Distillation creates a more concentrated rose water that will last longer than the infusion method. Distilling yields less rose water, but it’s a fairly easy process.

1. Rinse your rose petals if they are fresh to get rid of any dirt or bugs that may be on them.
2. Put the bowl into the centre of the pot and place your petals around the bowl.
3. Add just enough water to cover the rose petals. Make sure the water doesn’t come over the top of the bowl.
4. Put the lid onto the pot, upside-down. (As water condenses on the lid, the upside-down lid will help it move to the middle of the lid and then drop into the bowl.) If you have a glass lid, you can see the distillation process in action, but you can use a solid lid, too.
5. Place a bag of ice on top of the lid, it aids in creating condensation.
6. Turn to a medium heat (you don’t want to boil the water) and let the distillation process begin.
7. If your bag of ice melts, replace it with another.
8. In about 20-25 minutes, you should have a good amount of distilled rose water in the bowl. You need to keep it going depending on how many rose petals you’ve used. When the colour of the roses petals have faded, you should stop distilling.
9. Pour the water into a clean jar or spray bottle.
10. Store in the refrigerator.

Infusing rose water:

You can also infuse water with roses, which will create a coloured rose water that’s not as concentrated as the distilled version.

1. Rinse your rose petals if they are fresh to get rid of any dirt or bugs that may be on them.
2. Put the petals in a pot and pour water over them, just enough to cover the petals.
3. Bring the water to a simmer, and then turn the heat so it’s just below a simmer. (you don’t want to bring the water to a boil).
4. Continue to heat the petals until they lose most of their colour.
5. Remove from heat and strain the petals from the water.
6. If you want to get a more concentrated colour, squeeze the petals to get as much water out of them as possible, and then pour that water through a strainer and into the water that has already been strained.
7. Pour the water into a glass jar or a spray bottle.
8. Store in the refrigerator.