Have you ever heard of hydrosols? They are some of my favorite herbal products and for good reason too! Also known as herbal waters, these steam distillation byproducts are an amazing addition to your herbalism practice. If you want to learn more about how hydrosols are made, their benefits and how to use them, keep reading!

What are Hydrosols?

Hydrosols are essentially herbal water, but not the kind you might be thinking of… Unlike a decoction or an infusion where herbs are steeped in water, hydrosols are made via distillation. They are actually a “waste” product when creating essential oils! Don't let that fool you, even though they are considered a byproduct by some they have just as many uses as essential oils!

Created by Steam Distillation

Steam distillation is water powered distillation that is able to extract the volatile oils from plants. It works by first boiling water and then directing the steam through fresh plant material. The steam pulls the volatile oils from the plant matter and is then cooled and collected. The water collected will have a layer of oil floating on the top of it. By separating these two layers you are left with essential oil and hydrosol!

Hydrosols versus Essential Oil Waters

The hydrosols are infused with the essence of the plant, containing a small amount of essential oil and even some water soluble compounds from the plant. This makes it much different from essential oil water which consists of essential oils blended into water. Essential oil waters are used for fragrance and must be diluted before use. Hydrosols on the other hand are safe to use directly on the skin! They can actually smell quite different from the essential oil of the same plant. This is due to the other water soluble compounds that are extracted into the water but that are not oil soluble. These compounds stay dissolved within the hydrosol and do not mix with the oil layer collected on top.

Benefits and Uses of Hydrosols

The benefits of hydrosols are as varied as the benefits of the plants that create them. Generally they are gentler than essential oils and therefore can be great when essential oils are too intense. Hydrosols are amazing for the skin and are able to be used directly on the skin. Whether you want to use them for their scents or for their skin benefits there is a hydrosol out there for you!

Because they are distilled they do have a decently long shelf life but to extend the shelf life further add a small amount of alcohol or potassium sorbate. Potassium sorbate is a common preserving salt. If adding alcohol avoid spraying on your skin as it can be drying.

Aromatherapy Room Spray

If you are looking for a quick aromatherapy fix, look no further than these enchanting herbal waters. Choose your hydrosol just like you would your essential oil for aromatherapy. To make a room spray, simply combine your hydrosols together into a spray bottle.

Uplifting Hydrosols

I find citrus hydrosols very invigorating and uplifting. Whenever I need a boost I spritz myself and my surroundings and feel an instant mood shift! As well, warming scents like cinnamon are absolutely divine for awakening your mind and charging up. Try out orange, lemon, bergamot, clove, jasmine, and cinnamon hydrosols to uplift your mood!

Calming Hydrosols

Whenever you need a bit of calm in your life try a hydrosol spray to instantly reset your mind. My favorite is spraying my pillow before bed to fall into a calm and blissful sleep. Try lavender, rose, eucalyptus and peppermint to ground yourself.

Hydrosols for Focus

Another amazing use for hydrosol sprays is to help you focus. Whenever I find my mind wandering when I know I need to focus on something, spraying a bit of herbal water can bring me back to the present moment and help me focus. If you have a specific blend that you use everytime you need to get some work done you can trick your mind into associating it with being productive! It's an easy way to help you stay on track. For focusing blend I like to use grounding but invigorating scents like frankincense, lemongrass, sage, and ylang ylang.

Skincare Staple

Hydrosols are an amazing addition to your skincare routine. You can use them just like you would a facial toner, and because they are gentle you don't need to wash them off at all!

Toning

I’m sure you have heard of witch hazel as it is a well known toner for all ages. A fun fact is that most witch hazel waters are actually hydrosols! It is one of the few widely used and loved hydrosols on the market. Make sure that you find an alcohol free one though so as to not dry out your skin. Witch hazel is what's known as an astringent, meaning that it naturally tightens the skin. Another amazing astringent is chamomile hydrosol. This one is also very calming for the skin and is great at reducing redness. Calendula and helichrysum are also some of my favorite herbal waters with toning properties!

Hydrating

Hydrosols in general are very hydrating because, well, they are made of water! Water is definitely the best thing for boosting skin hydration, using a hydrosol is just adding a little extra something. My favorite hydrosol for an extra hydrating boost is rose and lavender. I find that not only is the scent divine, the calming action of these herbs is exactly what my skin needs when it's feeling dry.

Cleansing

Due to the small amount of oil naturally dissolved within hydrosols they are similar to micellar waters. Micelle waters are basically oil and water emulsions that are amazing at cleansing the skin. The oil pulls excess oil from your pores while the water washes away the dirt. Hydrosols have a similar action when used as a cleanser. Simply apply some to a cotton pad or washcloth and gently exfoliate your skin. My favorite hydrosol to use as a cleanser is frankincense, it doubles as an acne treatment!

Do Not Consume

One thing of importance to note about hydrosols is that you should not consume them. They do contain essential oils and just like you should never consume essential oils the same goes for these herbal waters. I know the scent is divine but opt for infused water instead if you need an herbal addition to a recipe. An example of an infused water that is safe to consume is rose water which is made by steeping roses in water rather than distilling them. Orange blossom water is another safe to consume alternative also made by steeping.

I hope you enjoyed this post on hydrosols! If you have any questions please let me know!

Hydrosol: Steam Distilled Herbal Water