This homemade DIY Rose Water is made using organic roses, is surprisingly easy to make, and can be used within recipes, as a beauty product, or even a scented room mist!
I’m not sure if it’s just me but I’m absolutely obsessed with rose water and have been super excited to start making my own. While it’s not the cheapest, to make organic DIY rose water (unless, of course, you grow your own roses in which case you need to start making it right now!), I think it’s lovely to not only be able to use your own within recipes, for beauty and health benefits but also great as a gift for a friend.
If you’re wanting some inspiration on how to use the DIY rose water then feel free to check out my Homemade Pistachio Baklava, Vegan Strawberry Rose Tart, Raw Vegan Cheesecake: Raspberry, Rose + Earl Grey, Strawberry, rose & oats breakfast smoothie, etc.
It can also be used in countless cocktail and summer drinks recipes (like in its Fresh Raspberry Lemonade), as well as for a natural facial toner, within a body moisturizer, and as an all-natural room spray.
Plus, you need only 2 ingredients and half an hour of your time to make this DIY rose water. Note * Just make sure that you use organic, edible roses.
Benefits of Rose Water Usage
This rose water is completely chemical-free, made using just distilled water and organic rose petals. This means that it works brilliantly both as an all-natural beauty product as well as for recipes to be ingested.
The General Benefits of Rose Water
- Roses, in general, have a lovely smell that can be used to reduce anxiety and help you to relax – meaning it’s great to be used as a room spritz! You can even spray it onto your pillow at night to help you sleep better.
- Similarly, some have found that rose water can be used against depression. Both ingesting it and using it for its scent.
- Rosewater has some fairly powerful antiseptic properties, which can help prevent and treat infections.
The Benefits of Rose Water for Beauty
- Rose water has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it great for treating skin irritations, eczema, and rosacea – reducing redness and can even have a positive effect on acne.
- It can help maintain your skin’s pH balance, control excess oil and is great to use as a cleanser to remove oil and dirt from your pores, as well as a toner.
- Its antibacterial properties mean it can also be used to help heal scars and wounds.
- It also helps to hydrate your skin, so great to use as a moisturizer.
- Rose Waters’ antioxidant properties can aid in regenerating skin tissue and strengthening skin cells.
- Rose Water is also great for hair care, being used as a natural conditioner, to treat scalp inflammation as well as help control dandruff.
- Some studies also show that rose water has anti-aging properties, thus being used to reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.
The Benefits of Rose Water When Ingesting
- Rose water has been used as a natural treatment to soothe sore throats and cold symptoms. Helping to relax muscles in your throat too.
- Some studies have found that rose water can be used to aid digestion, improve bile secretion and relieve digestive issues such as bloating and an upset tummy.
- Not only does rose water help with skin moisturizing when used as a beauty product, but it also works great when ingested as part of a rose water/tea to help hydrate your skin from within.
- Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, drinking rose water/tea can help relieve inflammation and have a positive effect on fluid retention.
- Once again, as with the benefits of using it as part of your beauty regime. Ingesting rose water can have anti-aging properties, including reducing fine lines & wrinkles and lightening dark spots.
What are some of your favorite uses for rose water? I’d love to know in the comments below! Also, feel free to tag me in your creations @AlphaFoodie.
The Organic Rose Water Recipe
All you need is 4-5 blossoms of fragrant organic roses, water, and some ice cubes.
Remove the rose blossoms from the steps and carefully rinse them to get rid of any dust or little critters.
Put a bowl at the center of an empty saucepan, then add the rose petals around the bowl.
Note: make sure there are no petals in the bowl as this is where the rose water will collect.
Add water (enough to cover the petals) and bring the heat up to make it simmer. Put the cover on, upside down.
The cover will help catch the rose water vapor for this distilling method.
Add ice to the top of the saucepan cover.
As soon as the ice melts, add more ice cubes. This helps with the condensation of the evaporated rose water.
Keep repeating this step.
In about 30 minutes, the rose water will be ready. It should have condensed into the bottle in the middle of the saucepan.
Carefully remove the bowl as it is hot.
Pour the rose water into a clean glass container. Store in a cool dry place (I store mine in the fridge for up to 3-4 months).
If you try this rose water DIY, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
2-Ingredient Organic DIY Rose Water
Ingredients
- 4-5 blossoms of fragrant organic roses
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Remove the rose blossoms from the steps and carefully rinse them to get rid of any dust or little critters.
- Put a bowl at the center of an empty saucepan, then add the rose petals around the bowl. *
- Add water (enough to cover the petals) and bring the heat up to make it simmer. Put the cover on, upside down.
- The cover will help catch the rose water vapour for this distilling method.
- Add ice to the top of the saucepan cover.
- As soon as the ice melts, add more ice cubes. This helps with the condensation of the evaporated rose water.
- Keep repeating this step. In about 30 minutes, the rose water will be ready. It should have condensed into the bowl in the middle of the saucepan.
- Carefully remove the bowl as it is hot.
- Pour the rose water in a clean glass container. Store in a cool dry place **
Aravind
Hi Samira,
Thanks for sharing this rosewater recipe. Instead of using distillation with a bowl, could all the water from the saucepan get strained into a separate container after 30min? This should give a better yield, but I’m not sure if this would jeopardize the quality of the rosewater.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Aravind,
Rosewater that is used for cooking or for cosmetics needs to be made by distillation (the process of evaporating the water & then condensing it back to liquid). The distilled rosewater has had all of its impurities removed so it’s safe to consume.
The water in the saucepan in which the petals sit has simply been heated up and thus it’s not as clean. While it smells nice and you can put it in a spray bottle to freshen the air in your room, I wouldn’t recommend using it for cooking or for cosmetic purposes. I hope this helps.
Flore
I love this method and you’re getting the real rose water not the diluted version. But I have a question, how do you know when to stop the cooking process? When you have enough rose water or something else ?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Flore,
You can continue for about 30 minutes.
Momi Nobriga
This recipe has brought me so much joy! thank you for helping me to infuse my roses in beautiful ways, and foods, and life in general!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment! So happy you are enjoying this recipe 🙂
Ilma Andresen
Can we use the water we boil the rose petals in? If ever there is more left..
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hello.
The water in which we boil the petals has simply been heated up and thus it’s not as clean. While it smells nice and you can put it in a spray bottle to freshen the air in your room, I wouldn’t recommend using it for cooking or for cosmetic purposes. I hope this helps.
Faye GoHaley
Finally, instructions that actually tell me how to make ROSE WATER! Not ROSE TEA, unlike most of these other directions out here!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you, Faye! Glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Tennie Gardner
Loved it! So simple. About to put in a spray bottle for my face and body!!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Tennie 🙂
Katina
If I wanted to add a peppermint oil at which step would I do so?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Katina,
You would have to add it afterwards, you can add a few drops into the bottle you will be storing the rose water in.
Dale McNeil
Made this with my daughter from her fragrant Christmas rose. Fantastic in an atomiser. I’d there any use for the syrup left in the pan? Seem a shame to waste such great smelling liquid.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Dale,
You can put it in a spray bottle and use it as an air freshener. I wouldn’t recommend using it for cooking.
Denise D Parsley
Do you just throw out all the rose pedals or strain them and the liquid they are in? I did this today and have bright red water left, Can I use this for anything?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Denise,
You can use the leftover water as a refreshing room spray, please don’t use it for cooking. The rose petals – you’ll have to discard or compost.
heymish
I did this with a dozen pink Ohara cabbage/garden roses but my rosewater turned golden brown & took on the scent of sweet potato. any idea why that could happen?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Heymish,
It sounds like you used the water where the leaves were boiling in? Did you use that or did you catch the water from the condensation in a different container?
April Tarot Queen
Thank you so much for this fun distillation method!
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Jess
I really want to know where you got the dish with the heart bowl in the middle from I would like to make my own rosewater but can’t figure out with the cooking pots I have how to do it
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Jess,
The heart-shaped bowl was found online. You can use any bowl as long as you can fill it with about 1/2-3/4 liquid (to make sure it’s big enough for the distilled rose water). I hope this helps.
Amanda stapleton
Thank you for the recipe!! I love your pictures as well. Very beautiful
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you very much for your comment, Amanda.
Carmella
Sounds cool. I have roses but if I wanted to buy a more condensed version, do you suggest any brands that are trustworthy. Also, I’m interested in drinking it only. Thank you for sharing…ill be trying your method
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Carmella,
The more fragrant the roses, the more fragrant your rose water will be. Rosa damascene (damask rose) and Rosa centifolia (centifolia/”cabbage” rose) are great choices but others would work just as well. Make sure they are organic and free from pesticides. I hope this helps.
Anne-Marie Bullis
I will try this from my own roses in the garden.
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment! I’m sure it will turn out great 🙂
Debbie
This is such a beautiful recipe and the photos go so nicely with the mood the Rose Water sets….
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much for your comment, Debbie. 🙂
angelique a corcoran
Sounds great, except I’m confused, it says, “It should have condensed into the bottle in the middle of the saucepan.” Where do I put the bottle? in the bowl?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Angelique,
Thanks for spotting this. The distilled rose water is gathered into the bowl in the middle of the pot.
Gina
Love it! So easy! Thank you
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you for your comment, Gina.