Now that we have passed the Valentine’s Day mayhem, you may be one of the lucky ones and received some flowers for this romantic holiday. If you did receive some roses from a secret admirer, do not let them go to waste!

If you’re like me at all, I like to preserve my roses. It’s a simple enough trick, you spray them with hairspray to preserve the color and then hang them upside down to dry out. Now you have a lasting floral decoration with a little bit of sentiment behind it.

If you’re not a hopeless romantic, that’s still not a reason to let your roses go to waste. Rose water has been used for skin care regimens for years. It’s natural and free of chemicals and is great for treating acne and blemishes and can be used as a cleanser or make up remover as well. It is also an ingredient in many facials and scrubs.

Rosewater isn’t something you typically find at the market, but it’s easy enough to make in your kitchen. Organic roses, or roses from your garden, work the best. If that isn’t an option, just make sure you wash all the petals thoroughly with cold water to rinse off any chemicals from pesticides.

• *Take the roses you received from your honey and pluck off the petals. Petals are the only part of the flower you will be using. Use enough petals to pack in about a cup.
• *Put the petals in heat resistant glass bowl and cover them with two cups of boiling water. Cover the bowl and let it stew for 20-30 minutes.
• *Pour the water into a container of your choice while straining the petals out as you pour.
• *If you wish to add a preservative, add a tablespoon of alcohol, such as vodka, close the container and shake well. If not, then your natural, freshly made rose water should last 7-10 days.

Store the water in a cool place until your next use. You can use it for a nice spa treatment, or as a daily cleanser. You can also pour it into a small spray bottle to use as a mist to keep your skin from getting dry. Whatever you choose to do, be assured your skin will be healthy and hydrated!

Let us know what other creative ideas you came up with to recycle your flowers!