5 Benefits of Drinking Rose Water, According to Experts

It Can Help Reduce Acne, Rosacea, and Eczema

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If inflammation is your problem, sipping on rose water can help. "Rose water is a great anti-inflammatory, which is good for reducing acne, rosacea, eczema, dermatitis, skin redness, and psoriasis," explains Pekar. The active inflammation-blasting ingredients in rose water are its terpenes and glycosides, says Francis. For acne, in particular, rose water offers double the healing effects, as "the essential oils in the rose have antimicrobial activity," Francis adds. It also contains "geraniol and eugenol, which have antibacterial properties," notes Sandy.

It's important to note, however, that dermatologists caution that there is no evidence to support the improvement of these skin diseases by drinking rose water.

It Helps Skin Look Glowy and Hydrated

If nothing else, nursing rose water all day will deeply hydrate your skin from the inside out. "Rose water plumps up the skin because is it hydrating and helps to restore water and fluids in dry skin," says Francis. To reap the hydrating benefits, Sandy and Pekar suggest infusing one of your eight recommended daily cups of water with rose.

It Can Help Minimize Wrinkles and Pores

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Francis says rose water can help "reduce wrinkles and age spots due to its antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E and flavonoids." In fact, women have been turning to rose water as a source of youth for centuries. "In ancient Egypt, women used rose water to help reduce wrinkles and tighten the pores," says Pekar.

It's Been Used in Middle Eastern Cultures for Centuries

Modern experts agree that there's really no downside to drinking rose water. But where did the custom originate?

According to our sources, the human species has a rich history of consuming rose water for beauty. "The tradition of edible or oral consumption of rose water goes back thousands of years, though it was primarily for flavor," Sandy explains. "Rose water, which is a by-product from the distillation of rose oil, was initially most popular in Persia [Iran], and then India and Europe."

As a beauty ingestible, rose water's origin story goes a little like this: "During an Imperial Royal wedding, a water fountain filled with rose petals developed tiny oil droplets," says Sandy. "These droplets were rose oil, and once the princess applied them to her skin, the tradition began." From then on, rose water was regarded as a symbol of beauty in Persia and was "often given as a gift," says Pekar.

Today, people all over the world consume rose water for its beauty benefits. "I have seen people drinking rose water for health and beauty on travels to Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, and India," says Francis. "In Lebanon, where I am from, we have something called white tea, which is hot water with rose water—yum!"

It's Easy to Make Yourself

You can purchase rose water at many health-food stores and juice bars; we recommend Sakara's Beauty Water ($39). "Just be on the lookout for added sugar and how much is added," says Sandy.

Better yet, you can easily make your own rose water at home, which our experts highly recommend. "If you make it yourself, you can refrigerate it and use it for up to one week," says Pekar.

Here is Francis's recipe for making your own drinkable rose water:

1. Remove the petals from a fresh rose. Be sure to clean the rose petals with a fruit or vegetable wash to be sure the pesticides and insects are gone.
2. Put several rose petals in a glass jar of water and let them steep for six hours in the sun. This makes a gentle rose water that is good to drink.
3. Drink one glass per day for maximum benefits, which can be noticed in one week.