DIY rose oil for skin and hair (2024)

This scented rose oil made by slow maceration of rose petals in a carrier oil possesses excellent properties that are highly beneficial for the daily care of skin and hair.

I am very lucky as my mom loves roses and her garden is full of rose petals, organic of course. She adores Damask rose which is renowned for its fine fragrance and also commercially harvested for rose oil.

No wonder my homemade skincare products are packed with roses. I use rose petals to make this rose bath bombs, rose extract, or rose toner. When I discovered that rose petals are edible and nutritious, I made this rose petal jam and a rose chocolate bar.

I may make a commission from links in this post. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. See more

What is rose oil

Rose infused oil is made by soaking dried petals in a carrier oil. By a slow maceration, petals relieve their fragrance and medicinal compounds into the oil. After straining, you will get potent scented rose oil that has many uses, especially in skin and hair care.

What is absolute rose oil

Rose absolute is the most expensive essential oil on the market. Its high cost is reasonably justified. To produce one drop you need to harvest 12 cups of rose petals from Damask Rose (Rosa damascena) that contain a very low content of oil.

The process of gathering rose petals is done manually before sunrise. The absolute rose oil has a very strong fragrance and is a popular ingredient in the perfume industry.

How to make rose absolute

Rose essential oil is extracted by a steam distillation where steam forces the rose petals to relieve their aromatic compounds. The cooling process that follows converts the steam into water, which is also called rose hydrosol. On the surface of rose water appear small drops of rose absolute, which must then be separated from the rose hydrosol.

It is possible to make this process at home and I covered it in detail when making this water hydrosol. However, you would need a large number of rose petals to produce a tiny drop of rose absolute.

On the contrary, making Rose infused oil is a simple and pleasant process that is easy to make at home. Its fragrance is more gentle but poses many health benefits, mainly for the skin.

Ingredients to make DIY rose oil

Rose petals

To make scented rose oil the selection of roses is imperative.

Make sure you select roses that are pesticide and chemical-free. If you use roses bought in the shop, make sure they are organic as you don't want the chemicals to end up in your oil.

Dry vs. fresh rose petals

When making rose bud oil from petals I prefer to use dry herbal material. The moisture that fresh buds and petals have can cause mold. As a consequence, the DIY rose oil can go rancid.

On the other hand, if your main intention is to make fragrant rose oil. You may want to consider using fresh petals. The fragrance tends to fade with the drying process.

If you decide to use fresh roses select those with a strong fragrance. Make sure you collect them on a dry day after the morning dew has evaporated.

I used fresh lilac petals to make this fragrant lilac oil.

Best if you let them wilt for one day to get rid of most of the moisture.

When it comes to species selection Rosa damascena (Damask rose) and rosa centifolia (the cabbage rose) are cultivated specifically for the production of absolute rose oil for their signature fragrance.

Carrier Oil

There are a few things to consider when selecting your carrier oil. What is your intention and how do you want to use your homemade rose oil? If your plan is to make other skincare beauty products for yourself then consider your skin type, the penetration rate of the carrier oil, etc.

To make rose petal-infused oil, I selected cold-pressed grapeseed oil, which contains fatty acids and polyphenols. They help to protect the skin from free radicals thus preventing premature aging. It is also a great moisturizer.

To achieve a high-quality fragrant rose oil select carrier oil that has very light or no scent. That will enable the rose's fragrance to stand out such as dearomatized coconut oil, olive oil, canola or jojoba oil.

Method of extraction

If you use dry rose petals and stable carrier oils such as fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil you may decide to go for the cold maceration method of extraction. It is a very simple method that requires one sterilized jar and four weeks of patience.

Place your dried rose petals in a sterilized glass jar and fill it with a carrier oil. Close the lid and leave it in a cold and dry place for four weeks Then strain the herbal material through a soft cloth to get only pure DIY rose oil.

When you are using fresh rose petals or running out of time go for the double boiler method.

How to make rose oil

First step

Fill the jar halfway with roses and pour over a carrier oil of your choice.

Second step

Place the mixture in a double boiler and heat it to a temperature of 50-60 C (122-130 F).

Third step

Keep the heat nice and low for 5 hours of simmer time to help release its fragrance and medicinal properties.

Fourth step

Then remove the oil from the heat, fill it with the second batch of petals and repeat the process as many times till the oil takes on the color and a scent.

Depending on the roses it can be 3x, 5x to 8x. I repeat it 3 times to achieve my desired scent.

Fifth step

Remove the mixture from the heat, let it cool down and strain the herbal material.

Benefits of rose oil DIY

• effectively increases skin tone
• relaxes and cleanses
• nourishes and regenerates
• thanks to its pleasant fragrance, the rose oil will satisfy your senses. It relaxes you well and regenerates your skin.
• Roses relieve irritation, rejuvenate and moisturize skin

rose oil DIY uses for skin

Rose massage oil

When massaged into your skin, it effectively increases skin ton, nourishes and regenerates the skin. Moreover, rose massage oil can help calm anxiety and ease the pain.

Bath Oil

Relax with a relaxing rose fragrance oil with just a few splashes into your warm bath water. Its pleasant fragrance makes you relax, help to relieve tension, and calms your mind.

Use rose petal infused oil in homemade beauty products

This facial rose oil recipe is moisturizing and makes a great base for your creams, lip balms or rose soap.

In foot bath

Add two tablespoons of rose oil diy into a foot bath and soak your feets for 10 minutes. It makes your feet smooth and moisturized.

Rose oil uses for hair

It contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help to strengthen the hair follicles and soothe the scalp

Add it to your shampoo

The easiest ways to incorporate rose oil into your haircare is to simply add a few drops to the shampoo in your hand before you wash your hair.

Use it as a pre-shampoo treatment

Simply place a few drops of this homemade rose oil between your fingers and work it through the hair with your fingers to remove any tangles. This is great detangling treatment before using a shampoo.

Massage oilfor the scalp

just gently massages into your hair and scalp to soften and nourish your dried and damaged hair

Massaging the scalp increases blood flow and promotes growth. Make a quick and easy massage oil that helps your hair to grow faster.

Similarly works also nettle or violet oil that will leave your hair soft and nourished.

Use it as a hair mask

Many hair masks and treatments designed to strengthen hair contain wild rose oil. This hydrating and moisturizing oil repair and strengthen your hair and keep them soft and shiny.

CHECK THE ROSE OIL WEB STORYFOR A QUICK REFERENCE