Rose. The quintessential flower of romances, a gardener’s delight… a respite to our sight. A rose is a rose… is a rose. Right? Wrong. A rose is a rose, yes… but it’s definitely not just a rose. Not only is it a flower known for its beauty, but it is also a flower, the extracts of which can be used for aiding our beauty rituals.
As people all over the world are soon learning, rose water, a popular by-product of the flower, is slowly becoming an essential part of the beauty world. The benefits of rose water are several, as you will learn in detail through this article, but before that, let us look at the benefits and origins of rose water.
Rose water, it is said, was first developed by Muslim chemists of the Islamic world in the medieval era. Crushed rose petals were steam-distilled to obtain the by-product – Rose water.
Rose water was earlier used exclusively for flavoring of foods and in the perfume industries. But today, rose water has far exceeded that, and has come to be an important and essential ingredient in the beauty world. Intrigued? Want to know more about rose water and the kind of benefits that it brings about? Read on…
Rose Water and the Skin
Rose water is extremely beneficial for skin health. It has natural healing properties that are beneficial for skin problems. Its antiseptic and anti bacterial properties are ideal for skin care and its problems. These are some of the ways in which rose water will benefit the face and skin.
Cream
When rose water is mixed with a water based cream and used daily, it leads to the restoration and maintenance of the skin’s pH balance. It is also known to fight several forms of dermatitis (itchy rash). Rose water also makes skin soft and supple. Simply spritz some on or dab onto cotton and apply.
Cleanser
As a cleanser, rose water benefits include reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It also reduces skin inflammation and has a cooling effect on the skin. Cleaning the skin with a cleanser made from rose water will help by getting rid of all the dead skin and cells and bringing an instant glow to the skin.
Toner
Rose water, when used as a toner, tones and tightens one’s skin. It firms the skin naturally and hydrates it as well. It is also known that rose water treats several skin problems like acne, wrinkles and fine lines. It is a natural astringent which treats sun burns and cools the skin.
Mixer in Face Packs
Rose water is mixed in several face packs like fuller’s earth or sandalwood to further enhance the benefits that are reaped from these face packs. Due to its cleansing, toning and moisturizing properties, it acts as a catalyst by mixing with these face packs.
Perfume
This is probably the most popular benefit of the several benefits of rose water. Mixing rose water with any other essential oil like jasmine or lavender, creates a mild and sweet scent that is extremely refreshing.
Other Benefits
♦ It can be used as an effective aftershave lotion for closing the open pores and disinfecting the skin.
♦ Over time, the continuous use of rose water will lead to the fading of black spots and marks from the skin.
♦ Rose water, when spritzed over make up, will help to set it in place for several hours.
♦ Rose water added to your bath water helps in locking moisture and leads to smooth, soft and supple skin and hair.
♦ It is also effective in getting rid of acne and acne scars because it has toning properties.
Rose Water and the Hair
Benefits of rose water are not just limited to the face and skin, but also extend to benefiting hair health. Here’s how.
General Health
Add a few drops of rose water to the bath water and pour it over your head while bathing. Rose water is known to reduce inflammation of the scalp. Along with that, it increases the blood supply to the scalp and promotes hair growth. It therefore promotes general health of the hair and scalp.
Moisturizer
Rose water improves the quality of one’s hair by acting as a great moisturizer. Mix some rose water in the bath or in your shampoo and you’ll be left with conditioned and moisturized hair which smells great and is extremely soft to touch.
Rose Water and the Eyes
There are several ways in which rose water helps the eyes as well. Let us look at some of these methods in the following section.
Relaxer
It acts as a complete relaxer for the eyes. If one’s eyes are burning, running, have turned red, or if there is irritation, swelling and inflammation, then rose water is ideal for relaxing and treating them. Here’s how you do it.
♦ Simply put 3 drops of the liquid in each eye and keep your eyelids closed for sometime to get instant relief.
P.S. ~ Make sure that the rose water is pure and not mixed with preservatives and chemicals or else it could burn/
♦ The other way of soothing the eyes with help of rose water is to soak cotton wads in it and then place over the eyes for a soothing, relaxing sensation.
Other Health Benefits
Here are some of the other multipurpose uses that rose water brings about.
♦ Gargle with rose water to cure any symptoms of sore throat. It is also a great ingredient to maintain teeth health. Rubbing a cotton swab dipped in rose water over inflamed gums leads to instant relief from the pain and redness. Rinsing the mouth with rose water also gets rid of mouth odor and leaves it fresh.
♦ It is rich in several nutrients like flavonoids, vitamins (A,C, E, D, B3), anti-oxidants, fructose, citric acid, malic acid, zinc and tannins. Due to this, rose water used in the making of tea leads to great health and is especially beneficial for curing bladder problems. Along with that it also cools the system and helps in preventing the conditions that could come about due to heat in the body (like acidity, nausea and acne)
♦ Rose water is also known to relieve headaches. Dab a cotton cloth in the solution and place the cloth over your forehead for 20-30 minutes.
♦ Rose water is known for its mild and refreshing fragrance. It is due to this that it is used as an active ingredient in aroma therapy. Rose water helps in elevating moods, curing depression by calming the mind, helping in de-stressing and leading to sound sleep. All of which helps in keeping the mind calm and at ease.
♦ This solution is also used as an air freshener due to its pleasant aroma. It is mixed with essential oils like jasmine and lavender and the combination is used for a fresh ambiance.
Having found that there are as many rose water benefits as there are, it’ll be a pity to not see rose water become a permanent addition to your cosmetic cabinet. So here’s what you do, buy a bottle today and experience its benefits for yourself…we know you won’t mind the smell anyway.
