Rose water is perhaps the simplest beauty product you could possibly use. It is made by distilling rose petals with steam. It has no preservatives, additives, or chemicals that could harm your skin. Its simplicity is perhaps what makes it amazing. When buying rose water, you have to be careful to check the ingredients. If the packaging does not state the ingredients (which is often the case in Pakistan), don’t buy it! If the ingredients say that it is “distilled”, then you know it’s high quality rose water. The best thing you could do, however, is make your own.

How to make your own rose water
Try to get fresh roses from your own garden or organic roses. Do not buy roses from florists because they may put chemicals to make the roses look fresh. Remove petals from the flowers and wash them with lukewarm water to get rid of any impurities.

Put rose petals in a pot and add distilled water – just enough to cover the petals, not too much. Place it on medium heat and bring it to simmer. Then cover the pot. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes or when the petals have lost their colour. Strain out the water and store it in a glass bottle to make it last for up to a year.

Use it as a toner
Rose water is an excellent toner for skin. It is able deep clean pores and tighten them. The best way is to spray it onto a cotton pad and gently apply on your face. You can also use it as a mist. You will feel your pores tighten almost immediately!

It has many benefits for skin:

Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Hydrating
Reduces irritation caused by eczema
Reduces redness
Antiseptic
Can heal wounds and scars
Inhale or drink it to fight depression
Did you know that rose vapours have been traditionally used to improve a person’s mood? Drinking rose water can also produce the same effects.

Research shows that rose water can act as a natural anti-depressant due to the presence of phenolics compound. It has been used to treat a number of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and grief.

Inhaling rose vapours induce sleep and can also help with headaches due to its anti-stress properties.