Roses are so many things. Sure, they’re pretty to look at and smell amazing, but they are so. much. more. I love to spritz rosewater on my face first thing in the morning because, well, it’s pleasant, but it’s also an anti-inflammatory – the first defense against swollen, puffy eyes. And the toning, can we talk about the toning aspect of rosewater? Second to none in my book.
Rosewater mists can cost a pretty penny through your favorite beauty retailer, but it’s so darn easy to make your own. Here’s our easy step-by step tutorial on how to make your own rosewater to help you save a few bucks.
How To Make Rosewater
- 6-8 cups of extremely fragrant (organic, if possible!) rose petals
- Distilled water
- Ice cubes
- Large pot with lid
- Tongs
- Brick, or small bowl weighted down with kitchen weights
- Shallow, widemouth bowl
- Glass jar or vessel with lid to store rosewater
- Measuring cup with spout or kitchen funnel
For best results we recommend using home grown or organic roses that are super fragrant. If you don’t plan to use the rosewater on your skin and are simply going to use it as an air freshener or room spray, you can use regular ol’ store-bought roses (In fact, this could be a great way to use up those roses from your sweetie from Valentines day!). Otherwise, use organic to avoid pesticides!
Start by removing the petals from your roses, separating them from the stem and shaking out any stamen that might have gotten caught up in the petals.
Place a brick, heavy bowl, or cup filled with kitchen weights in the bottom of your pan. The place a widemouth bowl on top of the brick or weighted bowl. Before moving on to the next step, try to place the lid on your boiling pot (upside down) to be sure your bowls are short enough to ensure a good, tight fitting lid.
Once you’ve got the weight and bowl inside your pot, start filling up the pot with those fragrant rose petals. Put them in the pot around the bowl.
Then pour the distilled water around the sides of the bowl and lightly submerge the flower petals. I ended up using about 6 cups of water.
Place the lid on top of the pot, upside down, and pile a handful of ice cubes in the center of the upturned lid. Let the petals simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes until the petals begin to loose their color. Replace the ice on top as it melts.
The condensation that forms on the lid will drip down to the center, eventually finding it’s way into the wide-mouth collection bowl and, TA-DA!! You’ve made your very own rosewater.
Using your tongs, carefully remove the collection bowl from the pot and pour the yummy smelling contents into a jar with a lid. Seal it up so the delicious smell doesn’t escape! A kitchen funnel makes this process easy, otherwise just pour the contents into any old measuring cup with a spout to make it work.
How to Make Rosewater
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
- Tongs
- Brick or small bowl weighted down with kitchen weights
- Shallow wide mouth bowl
- Glass jar or vessel with lid to store rosewater
- Measuring cup with spout or kitchen funnel
Materials
- 6-8 cups Fragrant, pesticide-free rose petals
- Distilled water
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Remove the petals from your roses, separating them from the stem and shaking out any stamen that might have gotten caught up in the petals.
- Place a brick, heavy bowl, or cup filled with kitchen weights in the bottom of your pan. The place a wide mouth bowl on top of the brick or weighted bowl.
- Add the petal to the pot around the bowl. Then pour 6 cups of distilled water around the sides of the bowl and lightly submerge the flower petals.
- Place the lid on top of the pot, upside down, and pile a handful of ice cubes in the center of the upturned lid. Keep replenishing the ice as it melts.
- Simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes until the petals begin to loose their color.
- Remove the collection bowl from the pot with tongs and then, using a funnel or measuring cup, pour the collected rosewater into a jar with a lid.
Photos by Stephanie Pollard
This recipe is amazingggg. Instead of kitchen weights, I used a rock wrapped in tin foil. I highly recommend this recipe as it is the true way to make rose water.
I didn’t quite understand how… the lid? I mean, there’s a step in which you have to put your collecting bowl- with this whole step, I’m entirely confused. Sorry , English is not my mother tongue.
How are you going to collect the rose water if you have a lid for the collecting bowl?? Sorry for the question, I tried to read many times and the pictures confuse me a little bit.
Thank you
Carmen,
you place the collecting bowl inside the pot, on a brick or something that will keep it raised enough to collect the water that drips down from the lid, which is turned upside down on the pot to create the drip.
You put the ice on the lid to create the condensation.
This process is also known as ‘distillation’ and I use this process to put in my diffusers throughout the house. As I am a cat owner, this process is safer for my cats than using essential oils because cats do not have the enzyme to properly process the oil distillates in the air which can cause liver damage in a cat.
So if you are a cat owner and want to use this process in a diffuser, it is completely safe and better than using an essential oil.
Thank you!
I am always looking for pleasant air fresheners that are cat-safe as I have two FHV positive felines. Many candles, sprays, and other types of fragrances (including essential oils) are deadly to cats and other small animals.
It's simpler than you think. The condensation collects on the lid and drips down into the bowl in the middle.
My pot lid has a small hole. Should I plug it up for this?
This is so wonderful! I am unclear what the ice is for. Does it aid the condensation towards the center?
Jennifer,
yes it does… but be sure that the lid is not too hot when placing the ice on it because it can crack or break the lid.
I speak from experience, lol.
It does. Without the ice, there is not much condensation.
@The Nova Studio…
Not to mention, distillates such as this are healthier for those of us who have kitties in our homes. So many essential oils are not good for cats as they don’t have the enzyme needed to metabolize the oils in the air, thus causing build-up in their liver, which could lead to death.
Distillates/waters such as this are not as ‘heavy’ in the air, smell cleaner and lighter and are much healthier for our animal kids :) .
This would be fantastic for anyone who already grows roses in their garden! And you don’t HAVE to use roses…lots of other plants make great plant waters :)
@The Nova Studio…
Not to mention, distillates such as this are healthier for those of us who have kitties in our homes. So many essential oils are not good for cats as they don’t have the enzyme needed to metabolize the oils in the air, thus causing build-up in their liver, which could lead to death.
Distillates/waters such as this are not as ‘heavy’ in the air, smell cleaner and lighter and are much healthier for our animal kids :) .
This is great! I LOVE rosewater spritzed all over my face and hair for a fragrant pick-me-up, so I’ll definitely be trying this. Thanks!