As an aromatherapist, I’ve studied essential oils and their benefits for over 20 years. But there is another beautiful product that’s derived from the distillation of plants. As a matter of fact, the distillation of plants was originally done with the purpose of extracting hydrosols way before essential oils. There is evidence of distillation of hydrosols as far back as 5000 years!

So what exactly are hydrosols and what are they used for?

Hydrosols are a product of distillation. They may also be called “hydrolats” or “floral waters”. It is the aromatic water of the plants which contains all of the water soluble constituents. Many of these constituents are not found in essential oils. Essential oils are oil soluble and contain only the oil soluble constituents.

Yes, you heard that right, distillation is not just for the essential oil! It actually takes a lot of plant material to extract just a tiny bit of oil. This is why hydrosols are also very cost-effective. Some plants produce only minut amounts of essential oil and because their yield is so small, the price is very high. However that same distillation can produce a lot of Hydrosol which makes it a great alternative.

A lot of people are talking about essential oils yet not enough about these marvelous waters. When we use hydrosols we are participating in ancient healing methods. Hydrosols have been tracked down to ancient Greece and Egypt.

BEWARE OF THE TERM FLORAL WATERS.

This is why: there are many products sold on the market with the name floral water. Some of these contain drops of synthetic fragrance or maybe essential oil in water. That is not a true hydrosol. The definition of a true hydrosol is one that is extracted through distillation of the plant.

Hydrosols are considered a safe option for those who are concerned about the potency of essential oils. They are gentle to be used undiluted, even for children or those who have sensitive skin.

Here are a few ideas for using these beautiful hydrosols*:

• Atomizer: Spritz directly on body and face. Use after shower/bath to rehydrate dry skin. Spritz in air and inhale. Freshen a room.
• Compress: Dampen clean cloth with hydrosol (hot or cold) and apply to affected area. Great for sore muscles, rashes, bites.
• Bath: Add 1-2 cups of hydrosol to bath and enjoy.
• Footbaths: Use hydrosols in footbaths and hydrotherapy.
• Massage: Spritz on skin and massage gently.
• Neti Pot: Add 1 tsp to the water portion of your neti pot.
• Facial Toners: Spritz on face to rehydrate after shower or anytime during the day.
• Laundry: Add Lime (Citrus aurantifolia), Orange (Citrus sinensis), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Rose Geranium (Pelargonium roseum) hydrosol to a wash cloth and toss in the dryer. Great for freshening clothes and making doing the laundry a joy!
• Kitchen: Experiment with Basil (Ocimum basilicum), Sage (Salvia sclarea) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) hydrosols. Spritz on a roasting chicken or add to pasta water.

*Source: Brief History of Hydrosols– by Ann Harmann

Where to purchase Hydrosols?

It is recommended to support your artisan distillers and purchase locally when available. I distill small batches of hydrosol from herbs that I grow myself. I also have other hydrosols that I carry from my partners.  Quantity is limited as we distill seasonally.