Rose water is a gentle, hydrating mist. It adds a little water and calms the surface, and it suits dry or sensitive skin. Witch hazel is an astringent that degreases. It suits oily skin used sparingly, and most drugstore bottles hold about 14% alcohol, which is why it stings dry skin.
| The difference | Rose water | Witch Hazel |
|---|---|---|
| What is in the bottle | The water left from steaming roses | A plant extract, usually with alcohol |
| What it does on skin | Adds a little water and calms | Takes oil away and tightens |
| Which skin it suits | Dry, sensitive and easily irritated | Oily skin, used sparingly |
| How it feels after | Damp, then nothing | Tight and matte |
| Cost | Cheap, but the price varies a lot | Very cheap |
Side by side
Rose water
The water left from steaming roses
Rose petals are steam-distilled and the scented water is collected. It is mostly water with a small amount of rose compounds. Some bottles add glycerin, a preservative, or alcohol.
Witch Hazel
A plant extract, usually with alcohol
An extract from the bark and leaves of the witch hazel shrub, rich in tannins. Standard drugstore versions sit at around 14% alcohol.
Rose water
Adds a little water and calms
It leaves the surface damp and slightly soothed. Rose contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, which is the likely reason it feels calming on red skin.
Witch Hazel
Takes oil away and tightens
Tannins make skin feel taut and briefly shrink the look of pores. The alcohol strips surface oil, and skin turns matte.
Rose water
Dry, sensitive and easily irritated
Fine on oily skin too. There is very little in it to cause trouble.
Witch Hazel
Oily skin, used sparingly
A few times a week on the T-zone or the back. Dry, sensitive, rosacea-prone or eczema-prone skin usually reacts badly to it.
Rose water
Damp, then nothing
No tightness and no sting. The water evaporates within a minute.
Witch Hazel
Tight and matte
That squeaky feeling gets read as clean. It usually means the barrier has just been stripped.
Rose water
It will not moisturize on its own
Water alone evaporates, and it can leave skin drier than before. It needs a moisturizer on top to hold anything in.
Witch Hazel
It will not clean your face
Wiping it over unwashed skin leaves the makeup and the sunscreen behind. It is a step after cleansing, not a cleanser.
Rose water
Mist, then moisturize straight away
Spray onto clean damp skin and apply moisturizer within a minute, while the skin is still wet. It is also useful for setting makeup or freshening up on a long flight.
Witch Hazel
On a pad, on oily areas only
After cleansing, on the T-zone or the back, a few times a week. Not on the whole face, and not every day.
Rose water
Fragrance, and very little effect
Rose is a fragrance, and fragrance is one of the more common causes of contact allergy. Beyond that, the honest criticism is that it does not do very much.
Witch Hazel
Tightness, flaking and stinging
Daily use of the alcohol version is the usual cause. Stripped skin can produce more oil in response, which is the opposite of what people want.
Rose water
Cheap, but the price varies a lot
Supermarket bottles cost very little. Expensive ones are often the same distilled water in nicer packaging.
Witch Hazel
Very cheap
One of the least expensive products in any pharmacy.
Rose water
If your skin feels tight and flaky, rose water is the one. It will not fix dry skin on its own, but it will not make it worse either.
Witch Hazel
If your skin is shiny by lunchtime, witch hazel is the one. A few times a week, on the oily areas only. Every day, on the whole face, is where people get into trouble.
Witch Hazel
Alcohol is why witch hazel feels satisfying. It evaporates fast, takes surface oil with it, and leaves skin matte within seconds.
Alcohol is also why witch hazel irritates. Used daily it dries the outer layer, and dry skin gets flaky, itchy and easily stung by everything applied after it.
Common questions
It depends on your skin. Rose water suits dry, sensitive or easily irritated skin because it adds a little water and does not sting. Witch hazel suits oily skin used a few times a week, because it takes surface oil away.
You can, but there is little point. One adds water and the other removes oil, so used together they mostly cancel each other out. Pick the one that matches your skin.
A little. It dampens and briefly soothes the surface, and rose contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. It is not a moisturizer and it does not treat any skin condition.
Not in small amounts. The problem is daily use on the whole face, because most bottles contain about 14% alcohol. That dries the outer layer and leads to flaking and stinging. Alcohol-free versions are much gentler.
No. A spot forms deep in the follicle, and a toner only touches the surface. Benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and adapalene are what actually work.
Yes. Water on its own evaporates and can leave skin drier than before. Apply moisturizer within a minute, while the skin is still damp.