Straight to the answer…..Hydrosols are created when distilling buds, flowers and other plant material. That’s it, clear as mud, right?!
A little more detail…..
When we started the lavender/flower farm adventure (2019) we looked into purchasing a still to create lavender essential oils. That’s it, just lavender oil. In 2020, we did quite a bit of research and purchased a custom still from American Distilling Equipment in Boise, Idaho, and I was hooked. We started out making the lavender oil, but I found that I loved the hydrosol just as much as the oil. It was like the “Ready to Use” version! We started looking into hydrosols and their benefits and I was amazed. I’m getting off track a bit…….what are hydrosols.
As I said, hydrosols are created when distilling plant material. The plant material can be buds, flowers, stems or roots, or a combination. The plant material is placed in the still, water is added and then heat to raise the temperature to a boiling point. At that point, steam and oil are created. The steam and oil are cooled in the condenser causing the steam to turn to water. The oil and the water then separate, and now you have essential oil and hydrosol. I can confidently tell you that there are far better, and more scientific explanations out there, but I am not an expert or a scientist. I can also confidently tell you that hydrosols are just as amazing as essential oils! We have actually shifted our attention to creating high quality hydrosols instead of essential oils.
There are numerous uses and benefits of hydrosols in everyday life from room air fresheners to skin toner. I have listed a few below, but with anything that you use on your skin, we recommend you apply to a small area to test for allergic reaction.
Linen Spray- Lavender Hydrosol can be sprayed on your bedding and may help you relax and sleep well.
Room Spray-Lavender, Chamomile, Calendula all make nice air fresheners. If you like the smell of the hydrosol, then it works!
Facial Toner-My Favorite!!! I used the Melissa (Lemon Balm) on my face and neck and I saw an improvement on my wrinkles!! I’m not going to say that it was permanent, it wasn’t, but it felt amazing. Also, I am not stating it will work for everyone.
Bath-Again, a favorite of mine. Add a tablespoon, more or less, to warm bath water and enjoy!
Aromatherapy-Absolutely endless way to use hydrosols. Can be added to massage oils, used in diffuser, mist on face and neck as a mood lifter, the list goes one.
Compress/Cuts/Scrapes-Several hydrosols can be used on cuts, rashes and scrapes or as compresses. Lavender and German Chamomile are two of those. Again, I am not a doctor, and these are not medical claims of any sort. This is a year of research and personal experience.
Since owning the still, we have made Lavender, German Chamomile, Calendula, Lemon Balm (Melissa), Thyme, Cinnamon Basil, and Strawflower Hydrosols. We grow every plant that we distill, we are a no spray farm, and we do not add anything to the final product. I have personally used all the hydrosols and requested that my family use them and provide feedback. We have not, and will not, sell anything that we would not use or use on our family. In my research I have found some hydrosols being sold that are water mixed with essential oil, these are not true hydrosols. Always verify that you are purchasing true hydrosols to receive the full benefits.
If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, just ask! We are happy to help in any way we can!
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