Hydrosols

Hydrosols in 4 ounce and 8 ounce bottles. The hydrosols are surrounded by varieties of fresh cut herbs and flowers that are frequently distilled for their essential oil and hydrosol.

I adore Hydrosols. A hydrosol is the aromatic water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or water distillation. As clear and as fluid as water, hydrosols are light, aromatic, refreshing and retain many of the therapeutic properties of their essential oil counterparts.

Hydrosols are incredibly easy to use and can be enjoyed on their own or combined in aromatherapy and body care recipes that require water (substitute them for the water). They are perfect for use in applications where use of the essential oil might be a bit too much.

Hydrosols have a limited shelf life. Even though they are far less concentrated then essential oils, I recommend storing them in dark (i.e. amber) glass bottles and kept in a cool, dry place. Some individuals keep them in the fridge. In the summer, try keeping a spray bottle of lavender or neroli hydrosol in the fridge for a quick, and chilled body mist that is sure to cool you down throughout the day.

Quicklist of Hydrosol Uses:

Facial Toner/Refresher: Lavender and neroli are amongst the most commonly available hydrosols. I love including these in my personal facial toner recipes or even using them on their own to refresh my face during the day. I love variety, so I tend to keep small bottles of each on hand in my vanity so I can choose the hydrosol that best suits my mood. I have oily skin that I keep on top of and I also particularly love helichrysum hydrosol for facial use.

Body Mist: Hydrosols can be used at full strength, combined or diluted with water for use as a body mist. Add a few drops of your favorite gentle essential oils to enjoy the combined therapeutic benefits of your chosen hydrosol and the essential oil. (Be sure that you are familiar with essential oil safety and remember to add essential oils sparingly for topical use.)

Room Mist: Use at full strength for a quick room mist. The aroma, however, will disappear fast. For a much longer-lasting room fragrance, substitute the water called for in AromaWeb's Room Mist Recipe with your favorite hydrosol.

Calming Mist for Baby's Area: Lavender hydrosol is especially calming for use in baby's room and it can gently help to eliminate harsh odors. I do not recommend misting it right near babies because of the risk of the mist getting into their eyes.

Therapeutic and Aromatic Substitute for Water in Body Care Recipes: Use hydrosols instead of water in your handmade lotions, creams, body mists and body sprays.

For more information about Hydrosols, visit AromaWeb's What Are Hydrosols? article. And for a highly detailed look into hydrosols, read Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy by Suzanne Catty.

I have future plans to expand my coverage of hydrosols on AromaWeb and am looking forward to profiling several hydrosols.

Comments

[Marge Clark]

Wendy, for oily skin you might want to try Melissa Hydrosol. Wonderful fresh lemony scent, MUCH less expensive than the rare eo..and my feedback indicates it is marvelous for oily skin. Hopey used to say it felt like she had just blotted all the oil off her skin when she used it.
http://www.naturesgift.com/hydrosol/MelissaHydrosol.htm

[Wendy Robbins]

Oh my goodness, Marge... my personal "stash" of Lemon Balm (Melissa) Hydrosol is out and I haven't replenished it for awhile. You are so right about its benefits to oily skin, and am glad you pointed that out. To elaborate further on Lemon Balm, I much prefer the hydrosol for facial use, but those who grow it can make a tincture using AromaWeb's Herbal Tincture Recipe: http://www.aromaweb.com/recipes/herbaltincturesrecipe.asp

[Raymond Chandler]

I’ve actually also found that hydrosols work great on acne and sunburns, because it balances out the pH in your skin.

[Ted]

Thanks a lot for a nice explanation. Before reading it I thought that oil is much better than hydrosol.