Roses have long been hailed for their beauty, aroma and beautifying properties – they hydrate, cleanse and are anti-inflammatory. And they smell lovely, too. Pure essential oils of rose is one of the most pricy of oils, so making your own rose water is a way to indulge in its benefits without hitting up your wallet. It’s excellent to use as the base of a facial spray or a toner to splash on or apply with a cotton ball (organic of course!).

BIG NOTE! For goodness sake, if you plan to use fresh rose petals, please use only rose petals that have been organically grown or that you know have not been treated with pesticides. Roses purchased from florists are loaded with nasty chemicals.

INGREDIENTS

Petals of 3 to 4 fresh organic roses or 1 cup dried rose petals

2 cups filtered water

PROCEDURE

For using fresh rose petals: Place the petals in a glass jar big enough to hold 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and pour over petals. Seal the jar tightly with a lid. Let cool until the jar is a comfortable temperature to handle. Give it a gentle shake and let the mixture stand overnight. Strain the rose water and squeeze the petals to extract as much liquid as possible.

For using dried rose petals: Place the dried rose petals and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the water cool to room temperature. Strain the rosewater and squeeze the petals to extract as much liquid as possible.

TO USE

Fill a 1- or 2-oz. spray bottle (glass is ideal, available in natural markets and online) with the rose water and store the remainder in a tightly capped jar or bottle in the fridge.

Lightly spray face to hydrate and refresh skin.