@ Photo by Derrick Evans
In Greek mythology, Rose is considered to be the flower of the Goddesses, a symbol of love and beauty. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is said to have been born from sea-foam, and wherever the foam fell, a bush of white roses would grow.
It’s no surprise that Roses have always been associated with beauty. The delicate petals have so much to offer to our skin & self-care regimes, and the flower has become our favourite ingredient to use in our skincare products.
We believe in a return to simplicity, where we can learn from nature’s wisdom and ancient traditions. Rose Water is all of the above. It’s beautifully simple, entirely natural and has been used in beauty and health since the beginning of time.
Ancient Beginnings
Rose Water is an ancient healer with historical, cultural and traditional stories to tell.
According to legend, Emperor Jahangir’s wife, Nur Jahan, discovered Rose Water in the 15th Century while bathing in a warm pond filled with rose petals. She noticed fragrant and soothing oil droplets forming on the water & realised how soft her skin felt. As the warm air around her filled with the beautiful scent, she filled a vial to use in her skincare rituals.
Painting of Jahangir
After this, ponds of the Shalimar Gardens in Pakistan would be filled with roses during wedding feasts. On hot summer days, the scent would fill the air as the rose petals floated across the water.
But ancients manuscripts show that Rose Water was being used in medicine far earlier than this story. First recorded for its health benefits in 40-90 CE, Greek physician Dioscorides noted that the flower had cooling and astringent properties that made it a great healer for ailments of the skin.
How is Rose Water Made?
There are two methods to making Rose Water: the first involves steeping the petals in water and straining. The second is known as herbal distillation and creates a much richer and more valuable hydrosol (this is the method we use). Rose petals are added to fresh mountain spring water and gently warmed, much like the story of the Emperor’s wife, Nurjahan. As steam forms, the essence and nutritional goodness of the rose are extracted in the form of diluted essential oil.
Picture of Rose Water Stills / @ Photo by Derrick Evans
The steam collects in the tops of the chamber, and when it cools, the steam condenses into luscious Rose Water. Rose Water has been collected in this way for generations.
Picture of Rose Water Stills / @ Photo by Derrick Evans
Grown on a 100-year-old farm in the Valley of the Roses, our Rose Water Hydrosol starts its journey in the soils of the Balkan Mountains. In the fresh air, far away from any pollution or contamination, the roses are hand-picked from the bushes before being harvested using traditional, and organic methods. Our Rose Water is pure, undiluted and free from any chemical intervention making it as gentle and kind to skin as possible.
Picture of Rose Water Stills / @ Photo by Derrick Evans
The Skin Care Benefits of Rose Water
Rose is naturally anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, lightly astringent and full of antioxidants and vitamins. There’s a lot packed into those delicate petals.
PH Balancing
When used in skincare, Rose Water maintains the skins natural PH balance to rebalance the skin and leave your face feeling soft and refreshed. A skincare study from 2018 found that using products with a PH of between 4.00-5.00 can minimize skin irritation and intolerance.
This is because it offsets our skins average PH level of 4.1-5.8. Rose has an average PH of 4.0-4.5 making it the perfect, skin rebalancing tonic.
Toning
Rose is also an astringent, meaning it can tighten pores and dry out any excess oils that could lead to breakouts. Because Rose’s astringent qualities come from its high levels of tannins – it’s much gentler to use on the skin than its alcohol-based friends. This makes it the perfect base for your moisturiser and oils, as it primes the skin to accept the product.
Acne Remedy
The Hydrosol can also be used on its own as an acne remedy. A 2010 study confirmed that Rose Water has analgesic and antibacterial properties, and another study of the same year found that Rose Water is highly effective at killing Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium linked to acne.
Plus, Rose Waters anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe breakouts and redness should they happen.
Oil-Free Moisturiser
Organic Rose Water increases the water content of the skin without adding any oils - making it a deeply hydrating moisturiser without the greasy impact of heavy creams. For people with oily skin types, Rose Water works with the skin to soften and hydrate. It’s astringent properties also actually inhibiting excess oil production to rebalance the skin for a healthy natural dewy glow.
Anti-Ageing
Rose Water is rich in Vitamin A to stimulate cell regeneration to help reduce signs of ageing and fine lines, and Vitamin C to increase collagen production. With a high antioxidant count, Rose Water protects the skin from pollution and sun damage by combating harmful free radicals.
How to Use In Your Daily Rituals
The easiest way to incorporate Rose Water into your skincare routine is to spray onto clean skin every morning and night. We recommend using just before you oil or moisturise your face to prime the skin, the oil will then act as a barrier on top of the softening rose to allow it to soak into the skin.
You can also use Rose Water for a midday skincare pick-me-up – simply spray onto the skin over the top of your makeup to instantly refresh and moisturise. Rose is not just for the skin, it also has deeply calming and pacifying aromatherapy benefits. You can try a few drops in the bottom of your shower, or a spray onto your pillow to calm and relax a busy mind.