Roses are so versatile. I mean, there's plenty of uses for the petals, buds, hips, and leaves!
Here are some of the ways you can use the petals!
Rose Water (Hydrosol)
Hydrosol is the remaining water when you are creating essential oils. It can also be used when describing rose water. Rose water is super simple to make. All you need is distilled water and clean, dried rose petals, as well as either a pot or a crock pot. I personally use a crock pot because it allows me to go do other things while I wait a few hours!
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Rose petals
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Crock pot
Fill the crock pot up with a couple cups of dried rose petals. Then pour in distilled water until they just cover the rose petals. With the two bottles shown, I filled the crock pot about a quarter of the way with petals and water. Turn the crock pot on to low for 4-6 hours and leave! The amount of time you leave it depends on how strong you want the rose water. The petals should have lost their color and turned partially transparent. When finished, seperate the water and the petals. I do this by pouring through a strainer or some cheesecloth. Pour into glass bottles or containers and store in a cool place, or if you want it to last longer, in the fridge.
Rose Infused Oil
Infused oil made with roses is easily one of the best ones you can have on hand. The benefits of rose oil for your skin are endless. Just to mention a few, rose oil helps with reducing scars and fine wrinkle lines, treating acne-prone skin, and moisturizing and evening out skin tone.
The base oil can vary depending on your skin type. Some base oils include coconut, sweet almond, grapeseed, olive, and avocado. These are my personal favorites, as they are perfect for normal to oily skin. You can use a mixture of different base oils too!
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Rose petals, hips, or buds
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Base oil(s)
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Glass containers, such as mason jars
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Crock pot
Fill a jar with as much dried flower as you want (as long as you have enough oil for it!). Then pour in your base oils until it just covers the flowers, similar to the hydrosol recipe. Place a wash cloth in your crock pot (this is so the jar doesn't heat up too much), place your tightly closed jars, and pour in some water. The water doesn't have to be distilled, it can just be tap, since it's just there to heat up the oil. The water should go up to about an inch or two on the jar. Turn the crock pot on for 4 hours on low/warm (or 2 hours on high). I prefer doing it for longer on a lower heat setting because I want it to soak in as much as possible while not destroying the flowers. Do the higher heat setting when you're in a rush! Store oils in glass containers, such as dropper bottles, and use when needed!
Always perform a skin test by placing a few drops on your wrist and gently rubbing it in. Wait a day to see for a reaction.
Wedding Confetti
Known as one of the biggest symbols of love, roses are a must-have at weddings. So why not make it into confetti? It's great for the environment, and makes your wedding all the more beautiful. I combine the petals with other flowers as well, such as dogwood and beauty bush flowers. For my rustic mix, I use dried rose leaves!