Rose Water: 7 Easy Daily Uses for Your Face and Hair

Distilled rose water is the fragrant water collected when rose petals are steam-distilled. It has a soft floral scent, it feels cool and refreshing on the skin, and it is gentle enough to use every day. In Moroccan homes it has long been a staple of the beauty shelf and of the hammam day.

Our natural distilled rose water is a light mist you can use on both skin and hair. It contains no harsh additives, so it fits easily into a natural routine alongside soap, oil and traditional hammam products.

The beauty of rose water is its versatility. Keep one bottle by the sink and one in your bag, and you will find yourself reaching for it several times a day.

1. As a gentle toner

After cleansing, press rose water onto your face with a cotton pad or your palms. It removes the last traces of water and leaves a fresh, clean feel, without the tight sensation some alcohol-based toners give.

2. As a refreshing face mist

Spray it over your face during the day, at your desk, on a flight or after a walk in the heat. Close your eyes, mist from arm’s length and let it settle.

3. Before your face oil

Oil spreads better on damp skin. Mist rose water, then press in two or three drops of prickly pear seed oil while the skin is still moist. Our guide to prickly pear seed oil benefits explains this step in detail.

4. As a cooling compress

Soak two cotton pads in rose water, put them in a small closed container in the fridge, and lay them over closed eyelids or cheeks for a few minutes. It is a simple, refreshing pause at the end of a long day.

5. To set and refresh makeup

A light mist after makeup helps powder look softer and less dry. Hold the bottle at a distance so you do not wet the skin too much.

6. To refresh your scalp and hair

Spray rose water on your roots and lengths between washes, then massage the scalp gently with your fingertips. It leaves hair lightly scented and feeling fresh.

7. After the hammam

Rose water is the traditional finishing touch after a steam and scrub. A splash over the face and body leaves a cool, fragrant feel before you apply your oil.

Rose water does not replace a hair wash, but it is a lovely companion to one. Use it as a last light mist on clean, towel-dried hair, or between washes when your scalp feels in need of a refresh.

For a full approach, from a gentle natural hair wash to detangling, see our Moroccan hair care routine. And if you want to recreate the whole steam-and-scrub ritual, our guide to the Moroccan hammam at home walks you through every step, with rose water at the end.

This is the use most people start with, and it takes less than a minute morning and evening.

1. Cleanse: Wash your face with a mild soap or lukewarm water and pat it almost dry.
2. Soak a cotton pad: Pour a little rose water on a cotton pad, or into your cupped palms.
3. Press, then sweep: Press it over your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin, then sweep gently outwards and down the neck.
4. Follow with care: While the skin is still damp, apply your oil or moisturiser. In the morning, finish with your usual sunscreen.

Want to see where this fits in a full day? Our natural morning and night skincare routine puts each step in order.

Not every bottle labelled “rose water” is the same. A true rose water is a distillate of rose petals. A rose-scented water, on the other hand, is often plain water with added fragrance, and sometimes added alcohol.

1. Read the label: look for the word distilled and a short ingredient list.
2. Trust your nose: a distilled rose water smells soft and natural, like fresh petals, not like a sweet perfume.
3. Know the source: clear information on who makes it and how is a good sign. We explain how we work with makers in our article on sourcing from Moroccan cooperatives.

Keep the bottle closed, away from heat and direct sunlight. Use clean hands or a clean cotton pad rather than dipping fingers into the bottle, and finish it within a reasonable time after opening.

As with any new product, if your skin is sensitive, try it first on a small area of your forearm.

A simple rose-scented routine needs only three products. Browse more in our Skin & Body collection:

• Natural rose soap — a soft, non-stripping bar for cleansing face and body, with a delicate floral scent.
• Distilled rose water — your toner, mist, compress and hair refresher in one bottle.
• Prickly pear seed oil — two or three drops on damp skin to finish.

Every order is packed by hand, dispatched within 1 working day and shipped worldwide with FedEx International Priority, with a tracking number. Shop the distilled rose water