
How to Make Rose Water
Sweet Sweet Summer means it’s time to make Rose Water!
We dry them, drink them, preserve them and LOVE to make Rose Water. Fresh it can be enjoyed as a tea, a facial toner when added with witch hazel and other herbs or flowers, used as a cooling facial spritz and as a powerful de-charger or energy cleanser. Between work, healing practices and meditations we like to spritz our faces and hands with this sweet tonic.
How to Make Rose Water
We recommend picking the most vibrant roses in the morning just as the sun rises. We prefer our damask rose but any will do. It is important to be sure the roses have not been sprayed, and ideally are not found on the road side near potential pollutants. After collecting, the petals can be gently picked off from the blossoms and placed in a clean pot. Cover 4 times the rose amount with water and bring to a low boil. Immediately turn off the heat to cool.
After the water reaches room temperature the mixture can be strained and placed in a clean glass jar or spritz bottle. 1 oz of vodka or witch hazel can be added to every 8 oz of fresh rose water to gently preserve. This will extend the shelf life to around 2 weeks. We like to store ours in the fridge to promote freshness.
Benefits of Rose Water
Just in time for the summer season roses offer cooling, sweet nourishment to all seven dhatus (tissue layers) of the body. This means that it soothes, supports and enlivens everything from your blood to your nervous system and reproductive health. One common way to use rosewater is as a facial spritz. It can calm inflammation and provide suppleness to the skin (just like the blossoms look) bringing out a natural glow. It can also be used to cool the body down from excess heat, soothe discomfort from irritation, sunburn, bug bites, rashes or acne. You may notice that spritzing yourself with rose water or adding it to drinks or baths creates a soft beauty allowing you to radiate the gentle sweetness of the rose within your own being.
Roses are known to balance all three dosha (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), be sattvic (peaceful and balanced) in nature, cooling, astringent and sweet making them perfect for warmer weather or times of intensity or stress.
If you have roses growing in your garden you may want to try our Gulkand Recipe (sun preserved rose petals) or the Cardamom Rose Date Smoothie. These recipes make fantastic additions to the summer diet. For more information on self-care or seasonal support be sure to join us for an upcoming program!
In the meantime get out there and smell the flowers! Try making Rose Water at home. Enjoy the process!
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