Tis the season of love, hearts, candy, chocolates and roses, and as such, this post seems highly appropriate. Roses are amazing flowers, the way they smell, the way they look, all the vibrant colors they are almost always the perfect gift for anyone and can brighten up a room effortlessly.
Rose water which is derived from this beautiful plant has been used in beauty products for centuries, not only because of the smell but because it naturally soothes the skin and can be a natural astringent.
What you may not know is that Rose water is rich in flavonoids and a ton of vitamins*, including Vitamin A*, C, D, E and B3.
It is a natural moisturizer for your skin, hair and scalp and it can stabilize your hair’s pH balance which means it has porosity correcting properties. We mentioned that it is a natural astringent which means that if you suffer from scalp ailments like dandruff, rosewater can help with that as well.
With all that great stuff why aren’t we using it as part of our hair regimen all the time? That is a great question and knowledge is power, so let me tell you how you can incorporate rose water into your natural hair regimen.
Replace your water spritz
If you typically simply spritz water in your hair for moisture then you are on the right track, however, there is always room for a little something special.
Simply spray your hair with rose water instead of plain water and then seal your strands with your favorite oil.
Shampoo
If you typically dilute your shampoo with water, just replace the water with rose water and voila you have improved your shampoo and you are reducing the impact of the sulfates in your regular shampoo if you are still into those!
A treatment for damaged hair and reduction of split ends
Mix one cup of rose water, a vitamin E* capsule, and a few drops of jojoba oil*, and use the mixture as a pre-shampoo treatment. Ensure that you cover your hair from root to tip and let the mix sit for at least 20 minutes. You can steam your hair or cover with a plastic cap.
How to make your own rose water
To make rose water you only need 1 cup of rose petals and 2 cups of distilled water. Add the rose petals to a glass bowl and set aside. Boil the water and pour over the rose petals, cover the petals and allow the mix to steep for 30 minutes.
You will need to strain the mix using a cheesecloth into a glass bowl, and then transfer the mix to your applicator bottles using a small funnel.
Rose water should last for at least a week but you must keep it in the fridge to preserve its freshness. We must stress the importance of getting your roses from a local farmers market that you trust because you want them to be free of chemicals and pesticides.
If you are not sure whether your petals are clean or not, rinse them well in cool water. Have you been using rose water in your regimen?