Last Updated on September 23, 2024

Learn how to make rose water at home that is refreshing, beautifully floral, and an anti-inflammatory dream for your skin.

This rose water recipe boasts a ton of amazing benefits for your skin! DIY rose water is fragrant, eco friendly, and made with two simple ingredients. This fresh, homemade rose toner is the multitasking MVP every beauty lover should have in their fridge or their cabinet — it has all the benefits of the stuff you buy at the store with none of the drawbacks. No harsh ingredients, no alcohol, and no plastic waste!

DIY rose water: a simple solution

I love simple solutions that can be made from my own backyard. 

Some things are difficult to DIY like foundation and concealer. I would never recommend making those. It’s practically impossible to get right. 

Some things — like sunscreen or soap — are more time consuming to DIY. Thankfully, some things are really, really easy to make, like DIY rose water spray! I’ve made countless batches after learning how to make rose water, and I use it every single day.

The first ingredient is roses. I have a rose bush outside of the house, and it’s been so hot they’re all starting to wilt. 

The second is witch hazel. Which is inexpensive, boasts a ton of benefits, and is much easier on the skin than isopropyl alcohol.

I decided I couldn’t let these beauties go to waste, and thought I should make some rose water!

why you need this rose water recipe

Why is this rose water recipe so cool? Because it can do everything. 

• Rose water toner is anti-inflammatory which will reduce redness and help acne.
• It’s antibacterial and helps to heal scars and open wounds (like that pimple you popped yesterday).
• It’s hydrating, keeping your skin balanced and relieves that dry, itchy feeling. 
• Fresh rose toner balances pH. You have to be careful when DIYing your beauty routine that you keep the pH balanced. If it’s out of whack, it can lead to breakouts and other problems. 
• It controls excess oil without dehydrating your skin. 
• It’s an antioxidant which helps regenerate new skin cells.
• Rose water spray is astringent to help clean pores, reduce redness, and tone the skin.
• Helps to soften fine lines and wrinkles.
• The rose scent helps you to relax, similar to lavender.

the benefits of witch hazel

I know I said these products could easily be found without trash. I know not everyone has a rainbow grocery near them. But, I recently stumbled on to the Refill Revolution where they have witch hazel in bulk. 

Witch hazel is another awesome product to keep around your beauty cabinet and your emergency kit.

• It’s an anti-inflammatory which helps to reduce swelling and redness. 
• It’s an antioxidant preventing free radical damage from UV rays, pollution, stress, poor diet, etc. 
• Apply topically to help heal cuts and wounds, cracked heels, razor burn, ingrown hairs, and even hemorrhoids 
• Helps soothe itchiness from a dry scalp to bug bites and even poison ivy.

making rose water from scratch to improve skin health

Making rose water from scratch is super easy. And both of these ingredients are great for your skin. Witch hazel is considered one of the best natural ingredients for fighting acne. This rose water recipe is soothing, light, super easy to make, but most importantly — it works really well!! 

If you’ve been a reader for a while, you know I’ve struggled with acne. My skin is better now, but I’m never sure what will set it off. The oil cleansing method did not go over very well for me.

Everything still seems to be a guessing game, but I noticed a huge improvement when switching to rose water and witch hazel. If you struggle with skin texture, redness, dry skin, or overly oily skin, I would highly recommend you give this a try.  

how to make rose water toner

ingredients

• roses of any color you like
• filtered water 
• witch hazel

step 1: pick and clean roses

Pick all of the petals off of the roses. I used 7-8 roses. Thoroughly rinse the rose petals, making sure to wash off any dirt or bugs. 

step 2: boil petals

Place the petals in a pot and cover with filtered water. The water should just cover the petals — I used 2 cups of water.

Turn the stove on low heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. My petals were on the stove for an hour. 

step 3: strain petals

Check on it every 15 minutes to keep an eye on the water level. My water level decreased by half. 

Strain out the rose petals and you have rose water! 

Pour one part rose water and one part witch hazel into a vessel to use as toner. 

Store in the fridge. 

how to use homemade rose water spray

The ingredients can be bought fairly inexpensively, and if you don’t like the toner, there are TONS of other things you can do with rose water to better your life.

At first, I learned how to make rose water, but never learned how to use it. It was so embarrassing to have to Google what the heck to do with it now that I had it.

But now I can share the knowledge with you! DIY rose water can be used for so many things.

• Can be used to set your makeup
• Spray on after a long day to feel refreshed and rejuvenated
• Bags under your eyes? Forget cucumbers! Apply chilled rose water with a reusable cotton pad for five minutes.
• Apply rose water to damp hair, wait thirty minutes, and rinse. Get’s rid of frizzy hair, deep conditions, and adds shine.
• Add one cup to your bath to hydrate your skin and relax
• Spritz the rose water spray and use it as an all natural perfume. Smells amazing and no yucky chemicals!
• Freshen your linens by misting on your towels and bedding.

faqs about homemade rose water

how long does rose water spray last?

It lasts up to two weeks if stored properly. It should be stored in a container (preferably glass) in the fridge. Chilling it will make it last longer, and it’s cool and refreshing when you use it.

**Pro tip: freeze any leftover rose water in an ice cube tray. This will keep perfectly portioned 2 tablespoon cubes ready for all your future DIYing. 

can I use dried rose petals?

Making rose water with dried or fresh rose petals works well. Using dried rose petals is a great option when your roses aren’t blooming.

For best results, dry your own rose petals to use throughout the year. If you do need to purchase them, find rose petals that haven’t been treated with any chemicals or pesticides (YUCK!) and that are food-grade and organic.

why do you use filtered water to make rose water?

Just as you need clean roses to make homemade rose water, you also need clean water.

Tap water is often chlorinated and soaked in all sorts of unpleasant chemicals. Using purified water (as opposed to distilled water) ensures that you keep some of the beneficial minerals while filtering out the harmful things you don’t want on your skin.

can you make rose water without witch hazel?

Of course! The witch hazel is what makes this recipe a true toner. It will be what makes you see a difference in your acne and preps your skin for the rest of your skincare and makeup routines.

However, if you choose to stop the recipe once you strain, that’s fine as well! You’ll still receive all of the anti-inflammatory, and feel-and-smell-good benefits of the rose water, especially if you find witch hazel to be too drying for your skin.