I love perfumes and body mists. Especially in the summer when its hot and muggy, a little spritz and I feel and smell refreshed. There's only one problem. Some sprays and perfumes not only have a lot of chemicals in them but a lot of alcohol too. Too much leaves my skin dry or irritated. I have super sensitive skin so although I love a spritz of Chanel here or there I must limit my use. So I go crazy with making my own all natural scents that smell just as sweet and are not harsh on my skin. A simple one to make is Rose water. It has many uses and is chemical free. If you grow roses in your back yard then that's even better if you don't you can purchase organic pesticide free roses at some local shops. Don't have time to make your own rose water? They sell it at specialty grocery stores or online. I purchased mine for under $4 at amazon.com I love to put my rose water in the fridge or keep it chilled. When heading out the door I pour some in a little pump bottle (you can buy them at department stores) its in my bag and ready. My sister gave me the idea and now Im in love. For every 1 firmly packed cup of rose petals, pour 2 cups boiling water over top. Cover and steep until the liquid is cool. Strain, squeeze out the liquid from the petals, and refrigerate the rose water in a sterilized jar. The rose water should keep in the fridge for a couple days. What other things can you make out of a batch of rose water? Glad you asked.

1.Astringent:Add 1 part witch hazel to 10 parts rose water to use as a facial astringent or toner.

2.Rose water syrup:2 1/2 cups water :4 cups sugar:1/4 cup fresh lime juice: 1/2 cup rose water

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lime juice and rose water and cook 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool. Pour the syrup into a clean, dry bottle; cork tightly. Rose syrup is great to flavor pastries. Add a little to your favorite meringue recipe it also goes well in custards, cakes, sorbet's and frosting's . I like pink rose butter cream frosting on my cupcakes. I am going to experiment with a rose water martini as well. Remember when using rose water or syrup in baking or cooking less is best. It is quite strong and very fragrant. 

3.Freshen your breath: Lets say your at a restaurant and your lunch was delish but you don't want to taste it all day. If you have your little bottle of rose water spray in your purse as I suggested earlier :) excuse yourself to the ladies room and gargle some rose water. Its safe to ingest so no danger and now your breath smells of flowers how sweet is that?!

4: Aromatherapy: Spa's have been using rose water for years for aromatherapy and people in general have been using rose water since the Egyptians and the time of Cleopatra. One popular way its been used is in warm bath water. I've recently tried adding some rose water to my bubble bath. It was not only relaxing but it smelled heavenly. I felt so special and the bath water stayed fragrant even after my bubbles gave out. Feel the stress just melt away.

5. Add in to lotion: Rose water helps to maintain the pH balance of the skin so its great for oily or dry skin. You can add a couple drops of rose water to your moisturizer or lotion. Not only does it smell great but its great for your skin.