What exactly is Rose Water? Why is Rose Water Clear?

August 26, 2022

There is a lot of confusion online regarding what constitutes as rose water and what color it should be. The confusion comes from terms being used interchangeably. Let us define terms and create distinctions.

What is rose water? Rose water is the hydrosol of roses. Hydrosols are also known as floral waters, herbal distillates, hydrolates, herbal waters, and essential waters. When water-based products are made from the distillation of fresh flowers, leaves, fruits, and other plant materials, they are considered hydrosols. They are the pure botanical extracts.

What is distillation? To purify liquid by boiling it to vapor, then condensing it by cooling the vapor, and collecting the resulting liquid. When the vapors condensate to a liquid, that liquid is distilled.

Consider the fact that when you boil anything in a pot, the condensation on the lid is always clear, regardless of the color of the item being boiled. This is why rose water is clear.

Often, people boil rose petals and call it rose water but based on the information above, we know that is not rose water because it is not distilled. When we place herbs in boiled water, we call it tea. A better term for boiled rose petals is rose tea. While floral tea has it's benefits, they pale in comparison to floral hydrosols.

What is the difference between rose tea and rose water hydrosol? Besides the way that these solutions are created, rose water hydrosol is concentrated so it is exponentially more potent and beneficial for your hair and skin.

Let's get in the habit of using the term hydrosol when referring to distilled rose water and let's get used to saying rose tea when referencing the boiled water of rose petals. That way we are all on the same page! Purified rose water hyrosol is the main ingredient in The Rose Water Moisturizer by Love, Light & Locs.