5 great ways to use rosewater, Ananya Panday's favourite DIY ingredient, to soothe your skin

Ananya Panday is the first to try the most fun beauty trends—remember her pink eyeliner and braids?—but when it comes to her skincare routine, she's happy to stick to the classics. “I wash my face three times a day and I make sure that I always take off my makeup before I sleep. I put a lot of moisturiser, sunscreen and eye cream and I also sprinkle a lot of rose water on my face,” she shared in an interview. Rose water, which has hydrating and soothing abilities, as well as antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits, serves as a cure-all skincare and haircare hero. While it is a base for many skincare products, it can be a great addition to your DIY recipes.

A bottle of rose water is easily available at the chemist, but if you want to make it at home, it's just as simple. Fill a pot with fresh rose petals (Indian rose is ideal) and distilled water. Then bring to a boil. Cool and strain into a sterilised bottle, and keep in the fridge for whenever you need it. When applied to the skin cold or at room temperature, it assuages dry skin. Rose water also makes for a great cleanser for clogged pores and is chock-full of antioxidants, helping to balance the skin's pH while also controlling oil production. While it might not be your first thought, the elixir is actually great for hair too. It is a mild astringent, so it can help with oiliness and dandruff, as well as for scalp conditions like psoriasis and eczema. It is also a great de-frizzer, and those with curly or thick hair often rely on it to add shine and reduce fuzzy bits. 

The best part? Inhaling the scent of roses can leave jarred nerves feeling that much calmer, so whether you add it to your bath, apply it to your skin or spritz it onto your hair, you're guaranteed to feel that much more at ease after. 

5 ways you can use rose water in your DIY skin- and hair-nourishing recipes like Ananya Panday

1) A soothing eye soak

If you've been spending a lot of time at your computer, dry, burning eyes might be a possible side effect. Leave rose water and cucumber juice in the fridge, and then apply to the eye area with a cotton pad. The end result? The high water content helps in hydrating the skin and the cool temperature decreases the flow of blood to the space around the area, soothing tired skin. 

2) A brightening face paste

If you're looking for a brightening mask, mixing chickpea flour (besan) with rose water and yoghurt is the perfect concoction. The lactic acid in the yoghurt, as well as the granular besan will help to physically and chemically exfoliate the skin, while rose water calms and soothes the area in the process. The end result? Soft, supple and dewy skin.

3) A toner for dull skin

Rose water in a toner formula is its most common use, and when used with witch hazel, can rival an astringent toner without drying out the skin. The former tones, calms and purifies skin while restoring the pH levels. The latter helps control oil production, which reduce the appearance of large pores. Combine the two in equal proportions, and soak a cotton pad with the mixture and sweep it over the face. Follow it up with a serum or moisturise for all-day hydration.

4) A spot treatment

If you have an angry zit that needs to be less red and inflamed by morning, you'll want to mix rose water, neem and turmeric and apply to the spot. Rose water assuages angry skin, while turmeric promotes healing and reduces inflammation in the area. Neem balances oil production, and also stimulates collagen synthesis, which improves the skin's resistance to scarring post-breakout.

5) A revitalising hair rinse

Apple cider vinegar and rose water make for a great hair rinse, as they cleanse and balance the skin cells on the scalp. Mix the two and apply to the scalp and ends, letting it sit before rinsing out. The apple cider vinegar cuts through all the grease and buildup on the scalp, while rose water calms inflammatory conditions like eczema or dandruff. 

Also read:

5 ways to use Alia Bhatt's go-to skincare ingredient, multani mitti

How to use Kareena Kapoor Khan's favourite oil in your own DIY skincare recipes

5 ways to use Madhuri Dixit Nene’s go-to DIY skincare ingredient, besan