Rose Hydrosol / Rose Water
Rosa damascena
Rose Hydrosol is one of my favorite hydrosols. I find it to be restorative for both the mind and body. In skincare, it is astringent and it works well in facial toner recipes.
I have dealth with many forms of grief, and I find both Rose Essential Oil and Rose Hydrosol to be helpful in working through grief.
Look to the citations from hydrosol experts Suzanne Catty, Jeanne Rose and Len and Shirley Price in the Uses and Applications section below for information on the potential benefits of Rose Hydrosol.
Aromatically, Rose Hydrosol smells delicately floral and slightly sweet.
Botanical Name
Rosa damascena
Aromatic Strength
Medium
Shelf Life
Up to 2 years if stored properly (refrigeration is recommended).
Reported Properties, Uses and Applications
Suzanne Catty reports that Rose Hydrosol is mildly astringent and acts as a humectant (attracts moisture) thus being helpful for many skin types including dry, fragile, sensitive and aging skin. Catty recommends Rose Hydrosol for those with environmental or chemical sensitivities. Emotionally and spiritually, Catty mentions that Rose Hydrosol "promotes balance, aids emotional processing, and supports you in decision making and the completion of projects." [Suzanne Catty, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2001), 123.]
Len and Shirley Price report that the Rose Hydrosol that they analyzed consists of 32-66% alcohols, 8-9% esters and 5-6% aldehydes (these ranges do not include the water present in the hydrosol) and possesses the following properties: "antifungal, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericidal, balancing, calming, cicatrizant, circulatory (hypotensor), decongestant, febrifuge, stimulating, uplifting." [Len Price and Shirley Price, Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy: A Guide for Health Professionals (London: Churchill Livingstone, 2004), 135.]
Jeanne Rose adds that Rose Hydrosol acts as an aphrodisiac and eases nervousness and mental strain. [Jeanne Rose, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols (Berkeley, CA: Frog, Ltd, 1999), 171.]
Safety Information
Read AromaWeb's Hydrosol Safety Guidelines.
The hydrosol information and safety precautions provided within this area are intended for educational purposes only. Neither AromaWeb, LLC nor its founder take responsibility for how you use the information provided.
Helpful Sources of Information About Rose Hydrosol
Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy
Author: Suzanne Catty
Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy
Authors: Len Price and Shirley Price
375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols
Author: Jeanne Rose
Essential Waters: Hydrosols, Hydrolats & Aromatic Waters
Author: Marge Clark
Aromatic Waters: Therapeutic, Cosmetic, and Culinary Hydrosol Applications
Author: Amy Kreydin
