Rose water face mist: how to use gulab jal on your face
How to use rose water on your face: as a toner, a face mist and with multani mitti. Making a mist bottle at home, a patch test, and how to store it.
The short answer
Rose water is customarily used on the face as a toner after washing, as a refreshing mist through the day, and mixed with multani mitti as a face pack. To make a face mist, pour plain rose water into a clean fine-mist spray bottle and use it within a couple of weeks. Do a patch test first, keep it away from your eyes, and remember it is a pleasant, gentle water — not a treatment for any skin condition.
Why do people put rose water on their face?
Gulab jal has been part of Indian grooming for a very long time: splashed on the face in the heat, added to bath water, mixed into face packs. People like it because it is mild, it smells of fresh roses, and it feels cool on the skin. That is the honest extent of it. It is not a medicine or a remedy for acne, pigmentation or any skin condition — for those, see a dermatologist.
How to use rose water as a toner
1. Wash your face with your usual cleanser and pat it dry.
2. Soak a cotton pad in rose water.
3. Wipe it gently over the face and neck, avoiding the eyes.
4. Let it dry, then follow with your moisturiser.
Once or twice a day is how most people use it.
How to make a rose water face mist at home
1. Get a fine-mist spray bottle, 50–100 ml, glass or sturdy plastic. A fine mist matters; a jet spray just wets your face.
2. Clean it with hot water and let it dry completely. Any leftover water or residue shortens the life of the mist.
3. Fill it with rose water only. There is no need to add anything. Fill only what you will use in a week or two, and keep the main bottle closed.
4. Label it with the date.
5. Use it by holding the bottle about 20–30 cm from your face, eyes closed, and misting two or three times.
Customary times to use it: in the heat, on a long journey, after a workout, after a day in air-conditioning, and over makeup to soften a powdery finish.
Rose water and multani mitti
A traditional face pack: mix 1 tablespoon of multani mitti (fuller’s earth) with enough rose water to make a smooth paste, about 1–1½ tablespoons. Spread a thin layer on the face, avoiding the eyes and lips, leave it for 10–15 minutes until it is nearly but not completely dry, then rinse off with cool water and moisturise. People with dry skin often find multani mitti drying, so use it sparingly.
Rose water and glycerine
Many Indian households mix a few drops of glycerine into rose water, especially in winter, and apply it at night. If you try it, keep the glycerine small — a teaspoon in 100 ml of rose water is plenty — as too much feels sticky. Patch test the mix, not just the rose water.
How to do a patch test
Before using any new product on your face, dab a little on the inside of your forearm or behind your ear, and wait 24 hours. If you see redness, itching, a rash or swelling, do not use it on your face. Do not use rose water on broken, irritated or freshly treated skin. Anyone with a skin condition, or using prescribed skin treatments, should ask their dermatologist first.
Which rose water should you use on your face?
Use a rose water that is just distilled rose water, with no added fragrance, alcohol or colour. Alcohol can feel drying and added fragrance is a common irritant. The checks are the same as in the kitchen: one ingredient, clear rather than pink, and a soft smell that fades. How to check pure gulab jal · How rose water is distilled
How to store rose water and your mist
• Keep both the main bottle and the mist bottle in a cool, dark place, cap closed. They do not need the fridge.
• Keep them out of direct sun, which fades the scent fastest.
• Throw away the mist if it smells sour or looks cloudy, wash the bottle and refill from the main bottle.
Our rose water
Our Rose Water (200 ml) is a steam-distilled hydrosol of Damask rose petals from the Haldighati valley, with nothing added — no colour, no essence, no preservative. It is sold as a food product, for kheer, lassi and biryani; many people also use it on the skin as described above, and a patch test is still the place to start. Delivery is a flat ₹39 anywhere in India. More uses: what rose water is genuinely used for
Buy from the Haldighati valley
- Rose Water — Steam-distilled Damask hydrosol. 200 ml, ₹249.