Rose water isn’t unique to people in India.
My mom would use it for her face all the time and it really helped her maintain that healthy, youthful glow on her skin.
She always picked up a bottle from the grocery store when we’d do our weekly shopping and she kept it in the fridge.
I remember people asking my mom all the time what the secret to her radiant skin was. She had no puffy eyes or dark circles because she’d dab rose water on her skin every single night.
This got me wondering if rose water could also benefit hair.
And the answer is yes.
It actually has a lot of benefits for both skin and hair.
So, in this post, we are going to cover the multiple benefits of rose water for hair and also look at how we can use it.
At the bottom of the post, I’ll answer some questions about rose water for hair.
Let’s begin!
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What is rose water?
Rose water is a liquid that is made from rose petals and water – that’s basically it. Once the essence of the rose petals is infused into the water, you get a very nice-smelling liquid.
It is used for skin, hair, and also in cooking. You’ll find rose water in many Indian and Arabic recipes.
Since I come from UAE, I’ve seen it being used a lot in sweet preparations. We also mix it with milk and make a sort of milkshake. It’s quite tasty.
Some people use it as a perfume because it’s got a very pleasant smell.
It’s very easy to make rose water and practically anyone can do it.
How to make rose water at home? DIY Rose Water Recipe
- Pick fresh, organic roses and remove any debris or leaves. Rinse the petals thoroughly. You don’t want any pesticides or fungicides to get into your rose water.
- In a large pot, bring distilled or filtered water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add the rose petals to the pot.
- Cover the pot and let the petals steep for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a strainer or colander into a glass container. Press down on the petals to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Allow the rose water to cool, then cover the container and store it in the refrigerator.
This rose water will keep for a week in the fridge. After that it will lose its smell and spoil – so please don’t use it on your face or hair after that – dispose of it.
Now that you know how to make rose water, let’s look at its benefits for hair.
12 Surprising Benefits of Rose Water for Hair
1. Rose water is a very good moisturizer
Rose water is a natural moisturizer for the hair and scalp, which helps to keep the hair hydrated and prevent dryness.
It also contains a lot of vitamins like Vitamin A, C, and E and all of this helps add moisture to your hair.
So, if you have very dry and frizzy hair – rose water will work wonders for it.
As a woman with curly hair, I’ve found that it keeps my hair very well moisturized. Sometimes I just rinse my hair with rose water after a shower and leave it to dry naturally.
I focus on the tips as this is more prone to dryness.
2. Rose water is said to stimulate hair growth
Please note that nothing in this world can make your hair grow faster.
But certain things can make your hair grow stronger and stay in the growing phase for a longer time – by strengthening your hair, you’re making it less prone to breakage and it will actually grow longer.
So, rose water is said to help with hair growth in that way.
The antioxidants and Vitamin C present in rose water help your hair roots become stronger and this aids in strong hair.
3. Rose water adds a nice shine to hair
If your hair looks dry, frizzy or just overall has a lack of luster, then rose water will definitely help.
Because it hydrates the hair and helps moisturize it intensely, it ends up making your hair look a lot smoother.
Give it a try.
Rose water has no side effects so you can use it every day on your hair and you will eventually notice that it does look shinier.
4. Rose water soothes dry and itchy scalps
If you’ve been suffering from a dry and itchy scalp, just dab rose water on a cotton pad and gently pat your scalp.
Do this every single day and see if it reduces the itching and flaking.
Because rose water has anti-inflammatory properties, many people have found that it soothes the scalp.
Some people have also claimed that it has helped reduce dandruff and flaking and gives their scalp a calm and cool feeling.
5. Rose water reduces hair fall
Rose water has a lot of antioxidants and strengthens hair roots and follicles, so you will notice less breakage and less hair fall after using it on your hair.
6. Rose water helps maintain the pH balance of your hair
Rose water has a similar pH to natural hair, so by using it regularly on your hair, you are going to be able to maintain an ideal pH balance in your hair.
This means that your hair will be strong and less prone to breakage and hair fall.
7. It conditions hair
It does make your hair very soft and manageable and I highly recommend this to anyone with frizzy hair or curly hair.
Curly hair requires a lot of moisture – and rose water is as natural as you can get.
8. Rose water reduces frizz
Because it adds so much moisture to the hair, you can use rose water to reduce frizz and even tame flyaways and stray curls.
It works great for anyone with wavy or curly hair that doesn’t really abide by the rules.
9. You can use Rose water to help detangle your hair
If you have a lot of split ends or dry ends, then your hair is more susceptible to getting knots and tangles.
Rose water can help.
When my hair was very unmanageable, I’d spray rose water in my hair along with some conditioner and it would become so easy to detangle my curls.
I’ve even at one point developed dreads because my hair was just that dry.
Rose water is seriously a wonder!
10. Rose water makes your hair smells great
Honestly, if your hair is sorted, then use rose water just for the smell.
I keep a very small spray bottle in my bag and spritz it on my hair from time to time to give it some moisture and make my hair smell good.
It’s a very calming scent and it honestly makes me feel so refreshed and rejuvenated.
Healthline states that the smell is so calming that it can reduce irritability and headaches.
11. It helps remove dandruff
Because rose water is a mild astringent and has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps reduce dandruff and itching.
You can use rose water on your scalp if anti-dandruff shampoos are too harsh for you.
Rose water is completely natural so you can use it as much as you want and it shouldn’t give you any side effects.
12. It can be used to treat scalp infections
If you have very sensitive skin and you are not extremely fond of using products or chemicals to sort the issue, give rose water a try.
Rose water is said to calm scalp infections and reduce itching and dandruff.
Many people have reported that it actually helps the scalp to become clean.
Just like I mentioned before, use a cotton pad and dab rose water on your scalp to soothe the infection.
You can also rinse your hair in rose water after a shower.
How to use rose water for hair?
Rose water can be used in the following ways:
1. You can use it as a rinse
After shampooing normally, rinse your hair with rose water and let it air dry naturally.
You don’t need to wash it off and it will leave your hair soft and shiny.
2. You can mix it with a hair product
You can either mix it with your hair cream or shampoo when applying it to your hair.
I mix it with my hair cream sometimes (I use the emulsifying with my Cantu cream ) and I find that it works great on my hair and smells like a dream.
3. Spray it on your hair
Just fill a normal spray bottle with rose water and spritz it on your hair from time to time.
You can do this when you head out and you want to ensure that your hair is well moisturized.
Use it like how you’d use a refreshing face spray – and you can spray rose water on your face and hair.
It works well for both skin and hair!
4. You can dab it on your scalp with a cotton pad
If you have an itchy scalp, then just dip the cotton pad in rose water and gently dab it all over your scalp.
It will reduce itching, flaking, and dandruff.
What are the side effects of rose water?
Rose water has zero side effects since it is all-natural.
I’ve been using it for years and I’ve had no issues with it.
However, if you have an allergy to roses or flowers, please do a patch test first to check whether it is causing any irritation on your skin – if so, don’t use it.
Can I use store-bought rose water?
If you are buying rose water from a store make sure that there are no added fragrances and preservatives.
This will not give you good effects and it may even harm your skin and hair.
So, please be careful and very selective when buying rose water from the store.
How long can I leave rose water in my hair?
Honestly, you can air dry your hair after rinsing it with rose water and it will look lovely.
It won’t leave your hair sticky and there won’t be any residue.
If you are not comfortable with the smell, then wash it off after 30 minutes.
Conclusion
I’m sure this post has given you some great ideas on how you can use rose water for your hair.
And I’ll bet you’ll want to try this after reading all the benefits of rose water for hair!
So, give it a shot.
And let me know how it works for you.
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