Rose Water and Eye Safety: OECD 491 Testing of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water
Subtitle: How is eye irritation potential assessed? What do Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water's laboratory findings reveal, and which questions about dry eye and ocular comfort remain to be investigated?
Why Is Eye Safety Important in Rose Water?
Rose water has been used in skincare for centuries. Today, it is widely incorporated into facial mists, toners, and other cosmetic products. However, products applied near the eyes require particular attention not only to skin compatibility but also to their potential to cause irritation if they come into contact with the ocular surface.
The cornea, which forms the transparent front surface of the eye, is a sensitive tissue directly exposed to the external environment. Certain cosmetic ingredients may cause irritation or damage to this delicate structure.
A product being natural, alcohol-free, or formulated with a single ingredient does not, by itself, establish its safety for ocular exposure. Appropriate scientific evaluation is necessary.
Akita has conducted an eye irritation assessment of its proprietary Non-Deoiled Rose Water in accordance with OECD Test Guideline 491.
1. What Is OECD Test Guideline 491?
OECD Test Guideline 491 (TG 491) is a standardized laboratory method developed to assess the potential of chemicals and suitable mixtures to cause eye irritation or serious eye damage.
The method is officially known as the Short Time Exposure (STE) In Vitro Test Method.
Rather than conducting tests directly on the eyes of humans or live animals, this method uses SIRC (Statens Seruminstitut Rabbit Cornea) cells cultivated under controlled laboratory conditions.
The procedure involves four principal steps:
Cells are cultured under controlled laboratory conditions.
The test substance is applied to the cells at specified concentrations for five minutes.
Cell viability is measured using the MTT assay.
Results are compared with control samples to evaluate the substance's potential to cause ocular damage.
According to the OECD guideline updated on June 25, 2025, the method can help identify, under defined conditions, substances capable of causing serious eye damage and substances that do not require classification for eye irritation or serious eye damage.
What Does "UN GHS No Category" Mean?
Under the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN GHS), a No Category outcome indicates that the tested substance does not require classification for eye irritation or serious eye damage within the applicable testing and classification framework.
This conclusion applies to the specific laboratory assessment. It does not represent a clinical safety study in human eyes or unrestricted approval for direct ocular application.
2. Eye Irritation Testing of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water
Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water is obtained through the distillation of Rosa damascena flowers cultivated in Isparta, Türkiye.
Akita's proprietary production method differs from conventional approaches in that the naturally occurring rose oil fraction is not separated from the rose distillate during production. This defining characteristic gives the product its name: Non-Deoiled Rose Water.
The product contains a single ingredient:
INCI: Rosa Damascena Flower Distillate
According to Akita's published laboratory assessment information, a sample of its pure Non-Deoiled Rose Water was evaluated using the OECD 491 method. Under the reported test conditions, the sample produced a result indicating that classification for eye irritation was not required.
This finding forms part of Akita's ongoing scientific approach to evaluating the safety and quality of its cosmetic products.
Important: The Test Result Applies Only to the Tested Akita Rose Water
The reported OECD 491 result applies exclusively to the tested sample of Akita's pure Non-Deoiled Rose Water.
It cannot automatically be extended to:
Rose waters produced by other manufacturers.
Conventional rose waters from which the rose oil has been separated.
Rose water formulations containing added fragrance, alcohol, preservatives, or other ingredients.
Other Akita cosmetic products containing additional ingredients.
Products derived from the same botanical species may differ in their chemical composition and properties depending on their production processes and formulations.
Consequently, Akita's laboratory findings should not be interpreted as evidence that all rose waters have the same eye irritation profile.
3. Does an Eye Irritation Test Demonstrate Benefits for Dry Eyes?
No. Eye irritation and dry eye disease are distinct scientific and clinical subjects.
Eye irritation concerns the potential of a substance to cause irritation or damage to ocular tissues.
Dry eye disease, by contrast, is a multifactorial condition associated with a disruption of the tear film and ocular surface homeostasis.
According to the TFOS DEWS III reports published in 2025, dry eye disease can involve tear film instability, increased tear film osmolarity, inflammation, ocular surface damage, and neurosensory abnormalities.
The OECD 491 method does not measure tear production, tear film stability, or changes in dry eye symptoms.
Therefore, a favourable result in Akita's eye irritation assessment does not demonstrate that the product relieves dry eye symptoms or treats dry eye disease.
Establishing such effects would require separate clinical investigations.
4. A Research Question Emerging from Customer Experiences
Some customers who use Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water have reported positive personal experiences involving reduced sensations of eye dryness and improved ocular comfort during their regular skincare routines.
These observations reflect individual user experiences. They are not findings established through controlled clinical studies.
Nevertheless, recurring customer observations may help identify questions worth investigating scientifically.
For example, future research could explore whether the normal cosmetic use of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water is associated with perceived changes in ocular comfort.
More advanced studies, conducted under the supervision of qualified eye care professionals, could evaluate objective measures such as tear film stability, ocular surface characteristics, and symptoms associated with dry eye disease.
Such investigations would help determine whether any measurable relationship exists between reported customer experiences and physiological effects.
At present, the available evidence does not establish a clinically proven benefit of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water for dry eye disease.
5. A Comprehensive Approach to Cosmetic Product Safety
The safety of a cosmetic product cannot be established through a single laboratory test.
Microbiological analyses, stability studies, skin compatibility assessments, and OECD 491 eye irritation testing conducted on Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water provide information about different aspects of the product.
Each evaluation addresses a distinct scientific question:
Microbiological analysis: Assesses the product's microbiological quality in relation to the microorganisms examined.
Stability testing: Evaluates changes in product characteristics under defined storage conditions.
Skin compatibility assessment: Provides information about skin tolerance under the conditions of the evaluation.
OECD 491 testing: Generates data relevant to the hazard classification of substances for eye irritation and serious eye damage.
Considering these findings together contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of product quality and safety.
However, acceptable microbiological quality does not establish ophthalmic sterility, and an eye irritation assessment does not demonstrate that a cosmetic product is suitable for use as an eye drop.
Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water is a cosmetic facial mist and toner. It has not been developed for direct application into the eyes or for the treatment of ocular diseases.
Conclusion: Scientific Evaluation and the Boundaries of Evidence
The evaluation of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water using the OECD 491 method provides scientific data concerning the product's eye irritation potential.
The reported findings must be interpreted strictly within the scope of the tested Akita formulation and the conditions under which the assessment was conducted.
Positive customer experiences concerning ocular comfort and sensations of dryness represent a separate area that warrants further investigation.
Akita's scientific approach involves accurately interpreting existing laboratory findings while recognizing unanswered questions as opportunities for future research.
Scientific credibility depends not only on obtaining favourable results but also on clearly communicating what those results demonstrate and where the limits of the available evidence lie.
Scientific References
OECD (2025).Test No. 491: Short Time Exposure In Vitro Test Method for Identifying i) Chemicals Inducing Serious Eye Damage and ii) Chemicals Not Requiring Classification for Eye Irritation or Serious Eye Damage. OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals, Section 4. DOI: 10.1787/9789264242432-en
OECD (2025).Test No. 467: Defined Approaches for Serious Eye Damage and Eye Irritation. OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals, Section 4. DOI: 10.1787/28fe2841-en
Wolffsohn, J. S., et al. (2025).TFOS DEWS III: Diagnostic Methodology. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 279, 387–450. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.05.033
Akita Rosewater.Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Water / Eye Irritation Test.Akita Laboratory Analysis
Health Canada.Cosmetic Advertising, Labelling and Ingredients.Cosmetic Claims and Safety Information
Scientific scope note: The Akita-specific test information presented in this article is based on the manufacturer's published laboratory assessment. The original laboratory report should be consulted to confirm the exact test date, laboratory details, sample identity, and final classification.