Monday, March 9, 2020
The world's most romantic flower is good for more than gorgeous arrangements: Rose water, made from petals steeped in H2O, is making waves as one of the best ways to instantly refresh your face and give it a dewy glow.
What does rose water spray do? It's been used as a beauty treatment since ancient times, known for its anti-inflammatory and nourishing properties. Modern forms of rose water work the same way on skin: "Rose water can be used to cleanse and soothe the complexion," says holistic aesthetician Tammy Fender, founder of the eponymous spa and skincare brand.
While rose water sprays can feel hydrating and calming, they shouldn't replace your moisturizer: "The main benefit of rose water sprays is the instant refreshed feeling they give skin," says Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab chemist Danusia Wnek. "For true, long-lasting hydration, use along with a lotion or cream that's shown to moisturize over a period of time, like our Beauty Lab's best-tested face moisturizers."
If you're wondering how to use rose water spray, spritz it on clean, bare skin in the morning as a first step in your skincare routine, or as a pick-me-up throughout the day to revive your skin and senses with its cooling feel and soft floral fragrance. Below are some of the best rose water spray for dewy, hydrated skin:
1. Rosewater Balancing MistThis iconic rose water spray is one of the GH beauty team's all-time favorite face mists: It's made with extra skincare ingredients like calming aloe and toning lactic acid, and the light, authentic rose scent comes from the essential oils of two types of roses. Editor's tip: Keep a bottle at your desk to wake up your face in the afternoon and revive the look of your makeup.
2. SkinActive Soothing Facial Mist
An affordable rose water spray infused with softening glycerin, this formula is less than $10 and comes in a handy travel size, great for stashing in your bag to cool your face post-workout or toting on trips to reinvigorate dehydrated skin during a flight.
3. Rosewater Toning MistPerfect for the purist, this affordable face spray is made from only one ingredient: 100% rose water. It smells light and clean, and is gentle and soothing on even sensitive skin.
4. Hydrating Rose Mist"Rose water has been a historically important part of women's beauty routines," says GH Beauty Lab Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. "My mother applied rose water with a cotton ball to cleanse her sensitive face." One of Aral's favorites, this rose water spray "immediately refreshes and hydrates my skin, as it contains hydrators like aloe leaf juice, glycerin, and plant-derived hyaluronic acid," she explains.
5. Prep + Prime Fix+ Rose
A makeup setting spray infused with rose water, this formulation also works to prime your skin before you apply makeup: "I love it as a prep step before my makeup application, and the hint of rose scent is amazing because it isn't overpowering and doesn't linger," Wnek says.
6. Pure RosewaterA splurge that's worth it, this luxurious rose water spray is made from the extracts of the May rose, one of the most iconic roses in perfumery and beauty products. "The simple formula contains rose water as the first ingredient, plus humectants like glycerin to bind moisture into skin," Wnek explains.
7. Facial Spray with Aloe
Herbs and RosewaterThis blend of rose water and botanicals like thyme and gardenia is a go-to of Aral's daughter: "She sprays it on her sensitive, acne-prone skin for toning and extra freshness after her cleansing routine," she says. "It gives a temporary glow and works over makeup to freshen it, too." Reviewers also love Mario Badescu's Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner, too.
8. Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Floral EssenceAn infusion of exotic botanicals, including rose water, lavender, honeysuckle, and neroli, this face mist is another favorite of GH's beauty editors. "The aroma is like spritzing a fresh-cut bouquet of wild flowers and herbs on your face, and it's packed with so many of their extracts, it really feels like it gives skin radiance and nourishment," our beauty director raved.
9. The Satin Skin Mist
A special combination of rose water and two types of clay makes this face spray a "liquid powder" that leaves behind a shine-free and grease-free finish, ideal for those with oily or acne-prone complexions.
10. Rose Water Facial TonerThe number one best-selling rose water spray on Amazon, this spritz is USDA-certified Organic, one of the emblems the GH Health, Beauty, and Environmental Sciences Lab stands behind in "green" certification. It's also made without alcohol, a common ingredient in face toners and mists, which can dry out skin as it evaporates.