Rose water has been my skincare secret weapon for years.
I have a bottle of the Glossier Rosewater Spray on my nightstand, the Swisse Rosewater Balancing Mist Toner on my desk, the Sukin Rose Hydrating Mist Toner in my handbag and the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist in my bathroom beauty cabinet.
As you can probably tell, I never like to be too far from a rose water mist. For me, it's a total skin saviour. Here's why.
If you've read even a little bit about skincare, you've probably heard about retinols and acids and exfoliants and more. But something you may not be as familiar with is pH. It's often a forgotten element of skincare.
A pH is measurement of acidity or alkalinity. Our skin has a very fine film on the its surface called the acid mantle - it has a natural pH of about 4.7 - 5.75. And when this pH in the acid mantle is changed, it can cause disturbances in your skin.
If your skin is too acidic, you can experience eczema or even acne. But if your skin is not acidic enough (too alkaline) then it could get flaky and inflamed. So, keeping your skin at an ideal pH is pretty darn important for a healthy complexion.
Unfortunately, there are all sorts of things that can trash your skin's pH. Sometimes certain skincare products can be the cause. But more often than not it's things like heaters and air-conditioners - which is bad news for all of us that sit inside in an office all day.
Enter rose water. Rose water has a natural pH of about 4.5 - 5 which is an excellent match for your skin's pH. It also contains antioxidants and even some antibacterial properties. So, giving your skin a good spritz with this stuff throughout the day is a great way to balance out your pH and offer your complexion some TLC. It helps your skin stay healthy, so you don't have to try and "fix" it with a bunch of other products later.
I spray my face at least two to three times per day. For me, it helps to keep me feeling fresh and stops my skin from overproducing oil. It makes a really big difference to the smoothness of my complexion, especially in winter when heaters try their best to zap the life from my face. And it absolutely saves my skin during plane travel. I always have a travel size Sukin in my carry on bag.
But of course, rose water isn't new. Roses have been used in beauty and cosmetics since the age of the Ancient Egyptians. The Ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians were known to use rose water in beauty too. If you haven't yet, this is a bandwagon you'll want to jump on. Your skin will thank you for it.
