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As the beauty industry continues to update its technology and offer a number of innovative new products, rose — yes, the flower commonly associated with romantic gestures — has become a must-have ingredient in many skin care and beauty items. A trip to the gardens won’t be necessary to sweep your skin off its feet, though.
Make time for a date with your favorite cosmetic store instead.
Amanda Sipenock, Lush brand and product trainer, tells us rose and its benefits can be infused into oils, essences, infusions, essential oil mixtures, and more. Sipenock walked us through some of her favorite qualities, citing rose’s ability to calm, soothe, moisturize, and tone the skin.
“For centuries, rosewater has been used as a skin-soothing ingredient,” she says. “Ancient Greeks and Romans would infuse rose petals in water, just like making tea, and it’s still how we do it today.”
Our modern day take includes a lot more than rosewater because rose could be as good for your skin as ever. Recent studies show that rose hip oil protects against irritated skin, tackling issues such as inflammation, oxidation, and aging. If you’re looking to heal scars and keep wounds clean, rose’s
However, the science isn’t definitive —
After all, how much rose will actually freshen up your skin depends on the exact product (quality, manufacture process, and bottling) and where it falls on the ingredient list too — some brands may tout rose but if it’s listed second to last, your skin might not even notice it.
So, for you, we weeded through the thorns and evaluated which rose-infused products are actually worth it. New to the world of rose beauty or searching for more concentrated doses of skin love? Here’s 11 products to choose from.
Take some time to stop and smell the roses, literally, with a face mask infused with rose petals.
If your skin is in dire need of moisture, the mask — filled with calming ingredients including rosewater — delivers on a quick boost of hydration.
Cost: $62, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- pure rosewater, listed sixth and eighth, to soothe and tone the skin
- cucumber extract and aloe vera gel for a cooling and calming effect
- porphyridium cruentum, a type of red alga, to moisturize
Whether you apply it before completing your makeup routine or after, this facial spray will turn up your glow. Thanks to ingredients including rose, aloe vera, and gardenia, the Mario Badescu facial spray has become a favorite for its ability to liven up even the dullest of skin.
For an added use, take a nod from makeup artists and spray your makeup brushes with this product before applying.
Cost: $7, available on Amazon
Beneficial ingredients
- rose extract, listed fourth, to moisturize skin
- thyme extract to leave skin looking refreshed
- bladderwrack, a seaweed, leaves your skin feeling extra soft
Reviewers have commonly referred to this product as a “holy grail,” noting that the 100 percent rosehip seed oil — which is rich in skin-boosting fatty, linoleic, and linolenic acids — formula has cleared up their acne, reduced dryness, and left skin feeling softer.
Be warned though, some users have noticed that the product stains when applied and others complained of breakouts possibly caused by use.
Cost: $9.80, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- 100 percent rosa canina seed oil
- rose oil to reduce signs of skin and photoaging, according to research
Take a few minutes while you’re streaming Netflix faves to freshen up your face. Containing rose extract, this face mask — which can be worn for 20 to 30 minutes — was made for a quick at-home skin pick-me-up.
Although its lauded for its affordability, you may want to keep an eye out for excess residue when removing. Some reviewers have noted that their skin feels sticky after use. If that’s the case for you, pat the serum into your skin after use, or smooth the leftovers down your neck.
Cost: $3, available on Amazon
Beneficial ingredients
- rose extract, listed fifth, to brighten skin
- pearl extract to add skin glow
- sodium hyaluronate and collagen for a smooth, soft boost
Those with sensitive skin will find this toner — which is intentionally made to calm — a great addition to their skin care routine.
Whether you’re dealing with sensitive skin and have blemishes or dryness, reviewers say this product has cleared up their skin redness, isn’t irritating, and feels gentle and light when applied.
Cost: $10.95, available at Lush
Beneficial ingredients
- rosewater to calm skin
- lavender water to soothe troubled skin
One can truly never have enough face masks, especially when they’re infused with rose.
Spend just 10 minutes wearing this clay mask, and you’ll reap some serious skin benefits, including reduced pores, smooth skin, and a glowing complexion.
Cost: $26, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- kanolin and bentonite clay for a deep skin purge
- rose extract for brightening
- Canadian willowherb, which may soothe skin
Fighting acne has never smelled so sweet. Use this rose-infused sugar scrub as part of an established routine. Made of rosewater, which exfoliates and soften skin, along with salicylic acid, a popular ingredient for fighting acne, this scrub left many reviewers with “baby soft” skin.
Be warned though, sugar scrubs can be bad for your skin if overused. Think of this product as a sweet treat you indulge in only once a week.
Cost: $25, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- sugar to exfoliate skin
- rosewater, 17th listed, to exfoliate skin
- acacia honey to leave skin feeling soft
- salicylic acid for fighting acne
Packed full of rose plant stem cells and rose extracts, this gel mask brings cooling relief to dry skin.
Along with brightening up your complexion, this mask reportedly reduces fine lines and wrinkles. However, some reviewers with sensitive skin noted that the product caused redness.
Cost: $52, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- five rose plant stem cells (listed eighth and onward): rose commiphora, desert rose, damas rose, pale rose, and white rose
- four rose extracts (listed 11th and onward): rosa damascena, rosa canina, rose hip seed, and rosewater
Don’t forget to brighten up the rest of your body. Apply this oil all over for an instant glow.
Along with providing you with smooth skin, the oil — which includes fragrant notes of damask roses and rose essential oil — will soothe the mind. This is one rose product that provides head-to-toe benefits.
Cost: $29, available on Amazon
Beneficial ingredients
- rose body oil (listed second): extracts of damask roses and rose essential oil — soothes skin
- jojoba oil to leave skin feeling silky and soft
At $185, this Rose de Mai face oil is certainly a splurge, but according to online reviewers, it’s worth the price.
Whether applied alone or with makeup, the oil — made with rose hip, evening primrose, rose damascena and rose geranium — takes care of many common skin care concerns, including signs of skin aging and fine lines. Reviewers praised the product for giving them younger-looking skin and its ability to work on skin types ranging from oily to sensitive.
Cost: $185, available at Chantecaille
Beneficial ingredients
- rose de mai pure extract (listed sixth) to reduce fine lines and brighten skin
- sweet almond oil and squalene for hydration
- Chilean tree bark to even complexion
- paracress to reduce wrinkles
If your morning routine doesn’t include enough time for a face mask, this spray from Ouai should do the trick. As a multipurpose beauty product, the oil can be applied to hair for some added oomph to the driest tresses or your face for a burst of skin brightness.
You may want to monitor how much product you’re using. Reviewers noticed that too much oil caused their hair to appear greasy, and others found it felt heavy on the skin.
Cost: $32, available at Sephora
Beneficial ingredients
- rose hip oil (listed fifth) to reduce skin redness
- absinthium oil for skin and hair hydration
- shea oil to moisturize dry, dull skin and hair
There’s certainly no shortage of beneficial rose beauty products, and this list doesn’t even cover all the rose-scented products out there. Whether or not you tried a product from our list or found something else that’s caught your eye the next time around, remember to check out each product’s ingredient list.
A rose by any other name may still be a rose, but a product that touts rose benefits without actually having any may not be worth paying for.
Lauren Rearick is a freelance writer and fan of coffee. You can find her tweeting at @laurenelizrrr or on her website.