Benefits of using Rose Water for your hair
Amazing reasons why Rose Water is Good for your Hair
Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes |
Rose face water, also known as Gulab Jal is a natural astringent or a face tonic that has made quite the name for itself in the skincare community. Often used as a toner or added to face packs, rose water is revered for its mildness on the skin despite its ability to bring out powerful results. From balancing your skin’s pH to giving you a natural glow before important events, we believe that rose water can truly do it all.
Because of its naturally calming properties, rose face water is a key ingredient in many ayurvedic skin care applications. Just like any other ingredient cherished by the tenets of Ayurveda, rose face water too is versatile in its usability. Believe it or not, mixing rose water with your hair care routine can reveal more benefits than you knew were possible for hair. Dehydrated hair? Conditioned in no time! Dandruff and itchy scalp? Gone! There’s nothing you can’t do for your hair with this ayurvedic face tonic. The possibilities are truly endless. Let’s explore a few of those, shall we?
What is Rose Water?
Gulab Jal or rose face water is a mild, chemical-free astringent that frequently makes its appearance in skin care regimens of people with sensitive skin and ayurvedic products formulated to calm the skin whilst also improving its texture quality. Addressed as the magical elixir at times, this liquid also frequents dessert recipes, alongside its usual quest of being an ingredient in hair care essentials and natural makeup products.
The term “rose water” can be a bit generic as it is loosely used for all the different variations of the rose flower water that are obtained through varying methods of extraction from different species of roses. Rose face water, specifically refers to a type of rose water that is most commonly used in mists and toners formulated for usage on the face. You can find rose water that is specially formulated for hair application, though the one formulated for skin usage is largely safe for the hair too.
How is Rose Face Water Extracted?
Usually, how rose water is extracted depends entirely on the industry, the needs of the consumer, the extractor, and its application. Rose water produced for pharmaceuticals is formulated in a manner that none is familiar to the beauty industry. The primary method of rose water extraction is steam distillation. This process, although very cumbersome is also the best way to yield pure rose water, one that would specifically be used as a face tonic. It uses fresh rose flowers, through which distilled water is passed to collect all soluble elements and beneficial properties. This water is heated till steam droplets start to form, which then slowly drips into a collecting vessel and later goes through a purifying process.
The market also observes brands “producing” rose face water simply by mixing regular water with rose essence or rose oil. Both variants don’t deliver any of the results promised by the goodness of rose water. These variants also almost always have added harmful artificial fragrance, something that the pure version thankfully lacks.
How to Make Rose Water at Home
If you don’t have access to steam distilled rose face water or the kind that is specifically prepared for usage on hair, you have better chances of achieving desired results by preparing a DIY version at home. All you need to do is to pluck a handful of rose petals (fresh preferred but you can alternatively use dried rose petals or rose powder as a last resort). Submerge these into some clean water in a pot and place the pot on the stove on medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil, once the water bubbles, take it off the heat and let it cool completely. Remove the petals and use them in food or a face mask. Store the water infused with the properties of roses in a sterilised glass jar for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Add a drop or two of a preferred essential oil (avoid if you wish to use it on your face) to elongate your rose water’s shelf life by a couple of days.
Benefits of using Rose Water for Hair
Here are 6 reasons why you should use Rose Water for your hair:
- It can help with an oily scalp. When your scalp’s pH is out of balance, it can start to produce excess oil, leaving your hair a greasy mess. Rose water ranks low on the pH scale and can help rebalance the same for your hair!
- It can improve the appearance of frizzy hair. If your hair is curly or it has suffered from a lot of heat damage, you’re probably no stranger to frizz. Right after washing and drying, when the hair is free of natural oils, the strands can appear lifted and look haphazard or even unkempt. A good quality rose face water can help a great deal in smoothing your hair to look more healthy.
- It can reduce dandruff. An itchy scalp is truly the most uncomfortable condition to experience. Rose face water, being a naturally mild astringent can calm down an inflamed scalp, remove the dead flakes, and improve the health of your scalp, ultimately giving you relief from the pesky dander.
- It promotes the growth of healthy hair. Rose face water, when extracted properly, is rich in several nutrients and vitamins which are sure to boost your hair growth simply by keeping your scalp healthy.
- It deep conditions your hair. Rose water when prepared right, is packed with antioxidants, which when introduced to your hair can do wonders to liven up your strands, and improve its appearance and overall quality.
- It can hydrate your hair. When the timing isn’t right, many of us’ hair has the potential of being drier than the Subsaharan desert. In situations like that, no amount of conditioning can help if your hair isn’t hydrated. One way is to hydrate internally by drinking water. But, when that doesn’t water, one can resort to hydrating externally by applying rose water directly to the hair using a mister.
How to Use Rose Face Water on Your Hair?
Though rose face water is pretty versatile (despite the “face”) in its application and can be used however one likes, the following are some of the ways we recommend it be used:
- Rose Water & Glycerin Decoction to Treat Dullness - Rose face water is a mild astringent. Glycerin is an effective humectant. When poured together, these two powerhouses of ingredients create an elixir so good, that your hair is likely going to love letters for you! This combination, mixed with a bit of water, when spritzed directly on hair after a wash, can make it soft & lustrous. Avoid using this in the monsoon if you have curly hair.
- Rose Water, Egg, and Amla Hair Mask for Deep Conditioning - With our busy lives and all the stress that comes with them, our hair often suffers the consequences. At times like this, a deep conditioning hair mask can often help. All you need is 1 whole egg, 1 tablespoon of amla powder, and 1-2 teaspoons of rose water. Crack your egg in a bowl. Add the amla powder. Add in our lovely face tonic, mix thoroughly and boom! You have yourself a mask that can figuratively take all the damage & pain away from your hair!
Which Rosewater to choose?
Most steam distilled or formulated-for-hair variants of rose water are good to be used on hair. Here are some tips to identify the best option available:
- When choosing your rose water, give preference to an ayurvedic They will likely put more effort and care into their product as opposed to a chemical beauty brand.
- Stay away from any fragrances or colours. Good quality rose water is neither fragrant nor pink/any other colour in its appearance.
- Check the ingredients list on your bottle. If it says anything except for rose petals and water, run! It’s not worth the coin.
Our recommendation for rose water that’s both usable for your face and your hair would be Blue Nectar’s Shubr Steam Distilled Rose Toner Water & Face Tonic Mist. Check it out!
Final Takeaway
Rose face water is no less than a magic elixir itself. It has time and again proven its worth in ayurvedic application but continues to attract people to its wonderful properties. This Ayurvedic face tonic is a unique concoction that not only does wonder for its user’s skin but also their hair. The application of rose water to one’s hair is still a less explored area of beauty that needs a lot wider base to establish its effectiveness, and you can help it get there! Use rose face water for your hair, see the results yourself, and tell a friend about it!
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