Rose and Job's Tears Powder Tea

Why people make this tea

Rose petals have long been a favourite in Chinese herbal tea culture — their gentle floral fragrance makes any cup feel like a small luxury, and in traditional food therapy they are associated with supporting the flow of qi, easing emotional tension, and promoting healthy skin. Job’s tears (coix seed), ground into a fine powder, brings a subtly milky, neutral flavour that pairs beautifully with the rose. In traditional practice, coix seed is valued for its protein content, and is believed to support a healthy metabolism and help keep skin smooth and even-toned. Bro Niu combined these two ingredients on a whim one afternoon — the result was a quietly satisfying tea that has become a reader favourite.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suits women looking for a gentle daily tea to support skin health and a sense of lightness.
• Particularly well-suited to those who feel emotionally tense or prone to bloating.
• Breastfeeding mothers may drink this tea (coix restriction applies only during pregnancy).
• Pregnant women should not consume this tea — coix seed (Job’s tears) is traditionally contraindicated during pregnancy.
• Best drunk between meals; drinking late at night may increase nighttime urination.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Rose petals (mei gui hua): In traditional Chinese food therapy, rose petals are associated with regulating qi and blood, easing emotional stagnation, and supporting menstrual comfort. They are also rich in antioxidants, which support skin vitality.
• Job’s tears powder (yi ren fen): Coix seed is valued in traditional practice for supporting fluid balance, easing dampness, and promoting smooth, clear skin. Its protein content and enzymes are thought to help soften skin texture and reduce uneven pigmentation over time.

Ingredients (1–2 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Dried rose petals	1 tablespoon	Food-grade, unsprayed
Job’s tears powder (coix seed powder)	2 tablespoons	Place in an empty tea bag to avoid floating powder

Method

1. Spoon the Job’s tears powder into a reusable tea bag or muslin sachet and seal it closed. This prevents the powder from floating on the surface and making the tea difficult to drink.
2. Place the tea bag of powder and the dried rose petals together in a teapot or large mug.
3. Pour in freshly boiled water.
4. Steep for about 7 minutes.
5. Pour into a cup and enjoy while still warm. Honey may be added to taste.

Bro Niu’s tips

• This tea traditionally supports menstrual regularity, fluid balance, and may help ease mild blemishes and acne-prone skin over continued use.
• Red Job’s tears powder (hong yi ren) is a perfectly fine substitute for the white variety.
• If you have coix seed in whole grain form rather than powder, Bro Niu notes that whole seeds do not dissolve well enough — the powder form is much more effective.
• For the best skin effect, Bro Niu also uses Job’s tears powder mixed with a little honey and cool boiled water into a paste, applied gently to the face as a brightening mask for 10–15 minutes, then rinsed off.
• Best time to drink: between meals, ideally in the morning. Evening consumption may cause nighttime trips to the bathroom.
• If you have excess internal heat (damp-heat constitution), swap rose petals for poria mushroom powder (fu ling fen) for a better-matched tea.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader): Can I use whole Job’s tears instead of the powder? Bro Niu: Whole seeds don’t dissolve into the tea easily, so the powder form works much better here. That’s the whole point of grinding them.

• Q (reader): Is it better to drink this tea on an empty stomach or after eating? Bro Niu: Between meals is ideal — drinking it with a very full stomach may reduce absorption, and drinking it at night may lead to more frequent urination.

• Q (reader): Can a breastfeeding mother drink this? Bro Niu: Yes, nursing mothers can drink this tea. The caution about coix seed applies only to pregnant women.

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Published June 10, 2016 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.