Ahh, roses. Mother Nature’s prettiest and gentlest flowers, with their invigorating aroma and their mesmerizing appeal, always a sight for sore eyes no matter the season. But they’re not just elegance and poise. A world of health benefits is hidden inside those vibrant petals.

Rose water contains all of those health benefits and more. It helps bring back youthful vitality to your skin, it’s a great antioxidant, and it also happens to be delicious! Let’s find out more about it, shall we?

Table of Contents:

• How is Rose Water Made?
• What Makes Rose Water So Great for Your Skin?
• The Science Behind Rose Water
• How to Incorporate Rose Water into Your Skincare Routine

How is Rose Water Made?

Rose water is made by soaking rose petals in hot water through a process called distillation. Since it’s edible, it’s often used as a food flavoring. But it’s also found quite often in many cosmetic products, medicine, and even used for religious practices in some cultures. 

What Makes Rose Water So Great for Your Skin?

Seeing as it’s been around for thousands of years now, rose water has plenty of research behind it to back up its many health benefits. To name just a few: 

Anti-inflammatory properties 

Rose water is a natural anti-inflammatory, which is why it’s so great for the skin. Excess sebum and external factors often clog pores and cause inflammation and redness, but rosewater can easily take care of these. 

Thanks to these anti-inflammatory properties, it may even help reduce the signs of rosacea and eczema. Rosacea is a pretty common skin condition that causes persistent redness and visible blood vessels. Eczema is a skin condition that also causes redness, but it’s often accompanied by itching, and it’s a common occurrence in children.

Antioxidative effects 

Oxidative stress, which happens when antioxidants’ defenses are insufficient, is a bodily condition that causes cell damage, which can ultimately trigger aging signs. 

It seems like rose water contains powerful antioxidants, therefore it’s great for any type of skin issue, but especially for more mature-looking skin.

Calms sore throats 

There is a need for more research on the actual effectiveness of rose water against sore throats. Still, throughout history, it has been used as a traditional natural treatment for it, similar to a modern-day at-home remedy. 

And after all, with rose water being an entirely natural product, there is no harm in trying it. 

Antimicrobial properties

Some studies show that rosewater has antiseptic and antimicrobial effects. This means that it can fight off bacteria and speed up the skin’s process of self-healing. 

This includes acne scars and mild injuries, so if you're looking for a quick fix for a nasty breakout or an unfortunate mark left by accident, rose water is definitely the way to go. 

The Science Behind Rose Water

At the end of the day, it comes down to the health and quality of roses that it’s been extracted from, but the amazing effects that rose water can have on our overall health (and particularly on our skin) are all thanks to the chemical composition of rose petals:

Vitamin C

Easily considered a wonder ingredient for skin, vitamin C helps with the depigmentation and discoloration of acne scars. More than that, it contributes to the skin's firm, plump, and youthful-looking nature because it accelerates collagen production and prevents premature aging. 

Carboxylic acid

This organic compound is used in skincare for its anti-aging, moisturizing, and antioxidant effects. With rose water being abundant in carboxylic acid, it takes on all of its benefits, in addition to the ones from its other chemical compounds. 

Quercetin

Quercetin is a plant-based ingredient with a bitter taste that is often found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, and leaves. It can also be found in dietary supplements, and it’s thought to prevent cancer and fight heart diseases, which are powerful claims that still need thorough research. 

However, quercetin also has anti-inflammatory properties, and it’s an antioxidant – borrowing all of its benefits to the rose petals it inhabits. 

How to Incorporate Rose Water into Your Skincare Routine

If you are interested in the beneficial effects rosewater can have on your skin, look for products that make it their prime ingredient, and start reaping those rewards! 

To start, we recommend you try the WOW Ubtan body wash, coupled with our Himalayan rose body butter. While they’re still amazing on their own, their combined rosewater-based organic formula is full of minerals that will help balance out your skin and increase its suppleness, all the while giving you that highly-desired natural glow!

Here are some other skincare uses for pure rosewater:

Skin toner 

Skin toner is a product used to get off any excess dirt left behind after cleansing and to rebalance your skin’s pH. Rose water can act as a toner and it’s very gentle on the skin. It can also prevent the overproduction of sebum, which can be the cause of unwanted pimples, blackheads, and clogged pores. 

Wake up call 

Rose water can easily be used as a revitalizer. Since it has anti-inflammatory properties, it’s perfect for morning use when your face is still a little puffy, especially around the eyes. It will also soothe redness and itching.

Face mist 

If you put rosewater in a spray bottle, you can use it every time your skin feels like it needs a little bit of refreshing, similar to how you would use thermal water. Our skin endures a lot throughout the day from the moment we wake up, so it’s no wonder that it may feel a little gross, dirty, or oily. 

That is when rosewater comes in handy. And don’t worry – you can use it as many times as you need, without the fear of a nasty chemical reaction!

Hydrator 

Rosewater does have some moisturizing ingredients, so use it to boost and seal in hydration. It will soothe the skin, hydrate it and give it a glowy look. 

Explore the WOW website for more natural skin care products.