Clove water for your face is simple to make: steep 5 to 6 whole cloves in about 2 cups of water, let it cool, and apply it as a toner. The active compound in cloves, eugenol, makes up 70 to 90% of clove’s essential oil and has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that can benefit skin. Here’s how to prepare it properly and what to realistically expect.
Basic Clove Water Recipe
Bring 2 cups (16 ounces) of water to a boil with 5 to 6 whole cloves. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. The water will turn a light amber or golden brown. Remove it from heat, let it cool completely, then strain out the cloves. Pour the liquid into a clean glass bottle or spray bottle.
You can also make clove water without boiling. Drop 5 to 6 whole cloves into 2 cups of room-temperature water and let them soak overnight (8 to 12 hours). This cold-steep method extracts less eugenol than boiling, which actually makes it gentler on sensitive skin. Either way, the goal is a dilute infusion, not a concentrated extract.
How to Use It on Your Face
Use clove water as a toner after cleansing. Soak a cotton pad and sweep it across your face, or mist it on with a spray bottle. Let it air dry before applying moisturizer. Start with once a day, ideally in the evening, and see how your skin responds over a week before increasing to twice daily.
Don’t use clove water as a leave-on mask or soak your face in it. The longer concentrated contact lasts, the higher your risk of irritation. A quick application that dries within a minute or two is enough to deliver the beneficial compounds without overdoing it.
Why Clove Water Works for Skin
Eugenol fights bacteria by disrupting their cell membranes, causing them to break apart. Research shows clove oil is effective against the specific bacteria involved in acne breakouts, inhibiting their growth at concentrations as low as 0.25%. It also works against other common skin bacteria. One proposed mechanism is that eugenol damages the bacterial cell wall and blocks the proteins bacteria need to survive.
The anti-inflammatory side matters just as much for skin. Eugenol suppresses the enzyme responsible for triggering inflammation (the same enzyme that ibuprofen targets) and reduces the production of inflammatory signaling molecules. For your face, this translates to less redness and swelling around breakouts or irritated areas.
Cloves also contain several antioxidant compounds, including rutin, ferulic acid, and quercetin derivatives. In a mouse study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, clove extract protected skin from UV damage more effectively than vitamin C. The treated skin maintained thicker, more organized collagen fiber bundles compared to unprotected skin, where collagen broke down significantly. Clove extract also normalized markers of oxidative stress in both skin tissue and blood. That’s an animal study, not a human trial, but the antioxidant activity of these compounds is well established.
Patch Test Before You Start
Eugenol can cause contact irritation or allergic reactions, even at very low concentrations. Research has documented hypersensitivity reactions from eugenol at concentrations as low as 0.05% in topical products. A homemade clove water infusion is dilute, but everyone’s threshold is different.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends patch testing new products by applying a small amount to the inner forearm or the bend of your elbow twice a day for 7 to 10 days. If you see redness, itching, bumps, or swelling at any point during that window, don’t use it on your face. The extended timeline catches delayed reactions that wouldn’t show up in a quick 24-hour test.
Storage and Shelf Life
Homemade clove water contains no preservatives, so bacteria and mold will eventually grow in it. Store it in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator and use it within 5 to 7 days. If it develops a cloudy appearance, off smell, or any visible film on the surface, discard it and make a fresh batch. Making smaller quantities more frequently is better than storing a large batch for weeks.
The refrigerator temperature also makes the toner feel cool on application, which can help temporarily reduce puffiness and soothe inflamed skin.
Who Should Avoid Clove Water
If you have eczema, rosacea, or any condition where your skin barrier is already compromised, clove water is more likely to cause irritation than improvement. The same goes for freshly exfoliated skin or areas with open cuts or active peeling from retinoids or chemical exfoliants. Eugenol penetrates damaged skin more readily, increasing the chance of a reaction.
Researchers studying clove oil’s effects on human skin cells concluded that essential oils and their components “should be used with care and in highly diluted forms, especially when directly applied to the skin.” A whole-clove water infusion is already far more dilute than pure clove oil, but caution still applies. If you notice any stinging, burning, or increased redness after applying clove water, stop using it. More is not better with this ingredient.