Love is in the air and so is the romantic and aromatic signature scent of February, rose. The feeling of receiving a beautiful bouquet of lush roses from someone we love can send us into a head-spinning, lovestruck  frenzy; yet, after a few days of uplifting our spirits and brightening our room, our beautiful posies take a turn for the worse. It is always sad to see beautiful flowers come to an end and, even more sad when, well, the trash becomes their final resting place. Why not take those near-death posies and make something amazing out of them? Recycling roses into something useful such as rose water is simple and allows you hold onto their sweet aroma for weeks to come. Follow the simple recipe below to create your own natural rose water and then let us know your favorite way to use it!

Rose Water Recipe*

Estimated time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2-3 quarts fresh or next-to-fresh roses or rose petals
Water
Ice cubes or crushed ice

1. In the center of a large pot (the speckled blue canning pots are ideal) with an inverted lid (a rounded lid), place a fireplace brick. On top of the brick place the bowl. Put the roses in the pot; add enough flowers to reach the top of the brick. Pour in just enough water to cover the roses. The water should be just above the top of the brick.

2. Place the lid upside down on the pot. Turn on the stove and bring the water to a rolling boil, then lower heat to a slow steady simmer. As soon as the water begins to boil, toss two or three trays of ice cubes (or a bag of ice) on top of the lid.

3. You’ve now created a home still! As the water boils the steam rises, hits the top of the cold lid, and condenses. As it condenses it flows to the center of the lid and drops into the bowl. Every 20 minutes, quickly lift the lid and take out a tablespoon or two of the rose water. It’s time to stop when you have between a pint and a quart of water that smells and tastes strongly like roses, approximately 40 minutes. Use caution not to simmer the water longer than 40 minutes or the rose essence will become diluted.

Rose Water: Benefits and Uses

Natural rose water is very versatile and can be used in a variety of skincare and home applications. Rose water can be used as an aromatic face or body spritz or even as a room freshener. Rose water also makes an excellent linen spray or can be easily added to a soothing bath. Rose water contains gentle astringent properties so it can be used as a toner for dry and sensitive skin types.**

Did you enjoy this blog? Have you tried the recipe? Let us know what you think!

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