No, rose water does not darken the skin. In fact, it's often touted for its skin-brightening properties.
Rose Water and Skin Tone
Multiple sources confirm that rose water does not cause skin darkening. Instead, its anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce redness and pigmentation, leading to a brighter, more even complexion. [1, 7, 8, 18] This is because rose water possesses antioxidant properties which improve overall skin complexion. [8] It also helps restore the skin's pH balance and removes oil and dirt, unclogging pores. [4]
Some recipes for using rose water might include other ingredients (e.g., a henna paste recipe might include rose water, lemon juice, and sugar). [2] However, the darkening effect, if any, would be attributable to these additional components, not the rose water itself. A darkened rose water mixture observed in a Reddit post [3] was described as more of a "tea" than pure rose water. This implies that the browning was due to the method of preparation or added ingredients, not an inherent property of rose water.
Conclusion
Rose water is generally considered a skin-brightening ingredient, not a darkening one. Its benefits include reducing redness, improving skin tone, and unclogging pores.
