Hydrosols are one of my favorite things.  Like rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, favorite things.  They come in so many different scents and have so many uses!  Sometimes essential oils are expensive (I’m talking about you, Rose!) but they are so useful for the skin!  Hydrosols or infused water can deliver all the benefits of an essential oil to the skin!  They are gentle yet effective and are wonderful additions to toners and many other DIY beauty products!

What Are Hydrosols?

Hydrosols are also called Floral Water and this name pretty much explains it.  Hydrosols are very similar to essential oils but they aren’t as concentrated.  Hydrosols are typically steam distilled and often a by-product of the process of extracting essential oils.  All though, some companies take their hydrosols very seriously and distill plants for the sole purpose of making the perfect hydrosol.  According the Mountain Rose Herb–

When a distiller brews plant material with water in a large cooker the steam fills the pot and, as it rises, it causes the glands of the plants to burst and release the oils and essence of the plant into the steam. The oil rises through a condenser and collects in a separate vessel. This is what we know as essential oil, but what about all that fragrant water that was steamed with the original plant material? That is our hydrosol, or floral water.

Not only are hydrosols one of my favorite DIY skin care ingredients, they can also be used in a variety of other ways!

Uses for Hydrosols

• Facial Spray- I often add a hydrosol with witch hazel for an amazing smelling and effective toner.  You can also skip the witch hazel with some hydrosols because many floral waters have astringent effects such as Basil Hydrosol which is excellent for balancing, toning and circulation!
• Body Spray- I love the scent of lavender.  I think I’ve said that about a million times!  Lavender hydrosol is my favorite to spritz after a bath or shower!  Rose and Orange are other great scents!
• Hair Spritzer- Again, my go to is lavender and sometimes rose-Spraying a little hydrosol in your hair can enhance shine, moisture and make your hair smell amazing!  Rosemary hydrosol is not only cooling but has shown signs of stimulating hair follicles-it’s the perfect scalp spray!
• After Shave- This is so easy for men.  Hydrosols can have a slight tightening effect as well as soothing properties.  Spraying a bit on after shaving can protect the skin as well as calm and prevent irritation78/.
• Linen and Air Freshening Spray- No brainer here-I spray hydrosols on my pillows and sheets in between laundry days.  I also spray it in my drawers and closets to freshen up stale smells.
• Deodorant spray- Keep a bottle in your purse to re-fresh those pits!  Because hydrosols are water infused with the essential oils of plants-there is an antibacterial action as well as an odor neutralizing effect!
• Healing Spray- Helichyrsum is so incredibly healing and perfect for accelerating wound healing.  When those boo-boos are too painful to touch, a hydrosol can really come in handy!  Lavender, Calendula and Chamomile are also very helpful in healing.
• Burn & Rash Relief- Calendula Hydrosol is extremely calming and healing when it comes to burns (including sun-burns) and rashes.  Plus, since you can spray it on, no painful rubbing is required.
• Mood Lifter- Many natural scents are proven to have an effect on our emotions.  Uplifting scents like Blood Orange, Lemon Balm and Neroli can help lift the mood while Peppermint and/or Rosemary is great to energize and rev up energy as well as mental clarity!
• Cooling Spray- Peppermint Hydrosol is the perfect relief you need on a hot day!  It’s cooling benefits are perfect for hot flashes as well as fevers.  Got a pup with hot spots?  This hydrosol is much less agitating to them then peppermint essential oil.
• Feminine Douche-I know nothing about this personally but according to MRH’s website, hydrosols are safe and effective.

Where to Buy the BEST Hydrosols:

Mountain Rose Herb is a company I trust-Like I said above-Hydrosols and essential oil companies are notorious for obtaining oils from plants that have been treated with pesticides.  MRH’s hydrosols are organic and obtained by proper distillation.  Plus, they have a great variety to choose from, ranging from cheap to not so cheap!  If you decide to buy some hydrosols, be sure to check out their aloe vera gel as well as witch hazel and glycerin-they are great quality and very inexpensive.  These are all water based products and can be used to make toners and even my hyaluronic acid serum!

Hydrosols are really simple products.  They actually are very easily made at home!  I have never attempted it only because Mountain Rose Herb’s hydrosols are naturally preserved so you can actually use them for several months rather then several days.  If you are considering making your own, just remember that many herbs and flowers have been treated with pesticides and other chemicals-this includes anything you’ll get from most florist.  Of course, ideally-we all would have a thriving herb garden and rose garden where we knew the quality of our own plants and could make infusions ourselves-how neat would that be?   Since I don’t have an herb garden and I’ve never personally made my own hydrosols, I’m not qualified to say much more about it-just go HERE if you are interested in learning how to make your own.

Find Mountain Rose Herb’s Hydrosols HERE.

xx, Jenni

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