Glycerin and Rose Water on Your Face in Winter: Is It Safe? How Much and How

✓ Verified • 2× money-backCerave Hydrating TonerFrom ৳2,099Buy →

The short answer

Yes, you can use glycerin and rose water on your face in winter, as long as you follow a few rules. Mix 1 part glycerin with 4–5 parts rose water, press 2–3 drops onto slightly damp skin, then seal it within a minute with a moisturiser such as Cerave Moisturizing Cream For Normal To Dry Skin. Do not put pure glycerin straight on your face: it feels sticky, and in dry winter air it can pull water up from the deeper layers of your skin. Patch test for 2–3 days the first time. If you would rather not mix anything, a ready-made glycerin toner such as Cerave Hydrating Toner does the same job cleanly.

What glycerin and rose water actually do

Glycerin: pulls water in and holds it

Glycerin is a humectant, which means it draws water from its surroundings and holds it in the top layer of the skin. That is why glycerin appears on the ingredient list of almost every good moisturiser, lotion and hydrating toner. It is inexpensive, has been tested for decades and rarely causes allergy. It usually does not clog pores, even on acne-prone skin. So the glycerin our grandmothers used in winter has real science behind it.

Rose water: mostly scented water

Rose water on its own does not moisturise much; it is mainly water carrying rose scent. Its job here is to dilute the glycerin and make the mix pleasant to apply. Some studies suggest rose extracts are mildly soothing, but the effect is small. And remember: the stronger the fragrance, the higher the chance of irritation on sensitive skin. For the full picture, read how much rose water really does for skin.

Why pure glycerin feels sticky and can even dry you out

Pharmacy glycerin is close to 100 percent concentrated. Put it straight on your face and three things go wrong:

• Stickiness: thick glycerin sits on the skin like glue, traps dust and makes hair stick to your face.
• Pulling water from inside: winter air holds little moisture. With no water to draw from the air, glycerin pulls it up from the lower layers of your skin. If nothing covers it, that water evaporates, and a little later your face feels even tighter.
• Irritation: at full strength some people get mild stinging or redness, especially on cracked spots.

There are two fixes: dilute it and seal it with a moisturiser on top. The oils and ceramides in a cream or lotion act as a light lid, so the water the glycerin has drawn in stays in your skin.

The right ratio and how to make it

1. Take a clean small glass or plastic spray bottle. Wash it in hot water first and let it dry completely.
2. Ratio: 1 teaspoon glycerin + 4–5 teaspoons rose water. For very dry skin 1:4; for normal or oily skin 1:5 or even thinner.
3. Make a small batch: about a week's worth, no more. A home mix has no preservative, so germs can grow in it after a few days.
4. Shake well. Shake a little before every use too.
5. Store it somewhere cool and dark. If the smell changes, it turns cloudy or you see anything floating, throw it out.
6. Only these two. Do not add lemon, baking soda, vinegar or essential oils.

How to use it: morning and night

Morning

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Normal to Dry. Lukewarm water, not hot.
2. Pat dry with a towel and leave the face slightly damp.
3. Take 2–3 drops of the mix in your palm, or spray once from a distance, and press it gently over the face. Keep it away from the eyes.
4. Within a minute apply a pea-sized amount of moisturiser, such as Cerave Moisturizing Cream For Normal To Dry Skin.
5. If you are going out, finish with sunscreen such as Cerave Hydrating Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF50. Winter sun still harms skin.

Night

1. Wash, then apply the mix on damp skin.
2. Follow with a little more moisturiser and a second thin layer on dry areas (cheeks, sides of the nose).
3. On lips skip the mix and go straight to a lip balm such as Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter.

How often: once or twice a day is enough. Spraying again and again, especially without cream on top, lets the water evaporate and can leave your face drier.

Patch test: arm first, then face

Before any new mix goes on your face, put a drop behind your ear or on the inside of your elbow and watch for 2–3 days. If you see redness, itching, bumps or stinging, do not use it on your face. Most reactions come from the scent or alcohol in rose water, far fewer from glycerin. For a step-by-step method, read how to patch test skincare.

Who it suits, and who should be careful

• Dry and normal skin: usually does well, but do not skip the moisturiser.
• Oily and acne-prone skin: glycerin generally does not worsen acne. A thin mix (1:5 or weaker) with a light gel cream on top, such as Cerave Oil Control Moisturizing Gel Cream, works well.
• Sensitive skin, rosacea or easy flushing: scented rose water can sting. A fragrance-free toner such as Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner is the safer choice.
• Eczema or very cracked, raw skin: the mix may sting. Ask a doctor first and use a thick cream such as Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Dry to Very Dry, Sensitive Skin.

What never to mix in

Many Facebook and YouTube recipes tell you to add lemon juice, baking soda or toothpaste to glycerin and rose water. These are risky for skin. Lemon is strongly acidic and can cause dark marks and burn-like reactions in sunlight; baking soda is strongly alkaline and breaks down the skin barrier; toothpaste causes stinging and rashes. The reasons are explained in lemon, baking soda and toothpaste: the remedies that harm skin. For other remedies such as honey, ghee and milk cream, read how well home winter remedies really work.

Common mistakes

• Putting pure glycerin directly on the face.
• Applying it to a dry face and putting nothing on top.
• Mixing a big bottle to last a month.
• Spraying 5–6 times a day in the belief that more is better.
• Using it on cracked, bleeding lips or raw skin.
• Adding lemon or scented oils to the mix.
• Dipping dirty fingers into the bottle.

The Bangladesh reality

In Bangladesh small bottles of glycerin are easy to find in pharmacies, and rose water comes at every price. Keep a few things in mind:

• Read the rose water label. Many rose waters contain alcohol or synthetic fragrance, which can dry skin further in winter. Be careful if no ingredients are listed.
• Check the glycerin bottle is clean. Avoid bottles with a broken seal, cloudy liquid or an odd smell.
• Foggy mornings and dry north wind: outside Dhaka, especially in the north, the air gets very dry. That is when the cream on top of the glycerin matters most.
• Room heaters and hot baths: both dry the skin. Sitting in front of a heater makes the water in the mix evaporate quickly.
• Wedding season and trips: for Sylhet, Sreemangal or Bandarban, a ready-made toner travels better than a home mix, which spoils quickly in a warm bag.

The no-fuss option: ready-made products

If you would rather not mix, ready-made products contain glycerin at the right strength, with a preservative. Cerave Hydrating Toner pairs glycerin with ceramides; after washing, press a few drops in with your hands, then follow with cream. Cerave Moisturizing Cream For Normal To Dry Skin and Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Dry to Very Dry, Sensitive Skin both contain glycerin and act as the lid on their own. To see the whole winter day in one place, read the 24-hour winter skincare routine, and for short answers on home remedies, see the Winter FAQ: home remedies page.

When to see a doctor

• Your face swells, turns very red or keeps itching after applying the mix.
• You see blisters, oozing or yellow crusts.
• Dry, rough patches, itching or peeling do not improve after two weeks of proper moisturising.
• It gets in your eye and the stinging or redness does not settle within a few hours.

In these cases see a dermatologist; do not keep using the home mix.

Why authentic products matter

If a cream or toner is fake, nobody knows what is in it, and on fragile winter skin that does more harm. TheSkinProof is an invoice-verified skincare marketplace: the source invoice of every product is checked, and if a product is proven counterfeit you get 2× your money back (claim within 7 days of delivery). Delivery across Bangladesh, cash on delivery available.