Genuine aromatic hydrosols, also known as aromatic waters, are an important form of herbal preparation that have been in use for perfume, beauty-care, healing and sacred rituals in virtually every civilization since the dawn of human history. Distilling aromatic plants with hot steam or water to produce an aromatic water or hydrosol therefore preceded essential oil production for many thousands of years. In the West, while essential oils were only produced and available as medicines and perfumes since the early 1500s, hydrosols were routinely produced and enjoyed in Medieval European, Turkish, Arabic, Greek, Roman, Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations, for instance. To this day, aromatic waters, especially Rosewater, is still produced domestically and in small businesses in countries such as Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey and Morocco.
How Are Hydrosols Produced?
Like essential oils themselves, genuine hydrosols are produced by hot steam distillation, but using fresh plant material rather than dry (as in the production of most essential oils). All Snow Lotus hydrosols are dedicated water distillations, meaning that they are not the by-products of essential oil production, as many hydrosols on the market are. This ensures the maximum content of essential oil in the aromatic water and therefore the best fragrance and therapeutic potency.
Nor are our hydrosols reconstituted from water and essential oil, as some available today are. These are clearly not true hydrosols, as water and essential oil are not soluble and make misting or other usage problematic unless a chemical dispersant is added. Many so-called hydrosols available today are in fact reconstituted in this way.
All Snow Lotus hydrosols or aromatic waters are produced, just like the essential oils themselves, from organically cultivated or ethically wild harvested plant sources. They are fully and therapeutically potent, as well as wonderfully fragrant.
Mist freely in the environment to fragrance, humidify, refresh, revitalize, clear negativity and deodorize. Hydrosols are ideal for dry climates in general, will refresh in hot weather and are wonderful to freshen the face anytime as well.
Because they are so hydrating, hydrosols are ideal for maintaining moist, breathing skin, and especially dry skin, regardless of cause, e.g. from stress, long driving, swimming, air-conditioning, flying, and so on. They can also be very helpful for treating actual skin conditions, especially when applied onto the skin with a cotton ball or small compress.
How Are Hydrosols Used?
Hydrosols have a special place in facial and skin care: they are truly hydrating and toning to various skin types. Certain hydrosols are more stimulating and rejuvenating to the skin, while others are more calming and soothing. Likewise, some are 'wetter' and have a deeper hydrating action, while others are more drying and firming. See this schematic on the facial serums page for guidelines on use with different types of skin.
In cooking, hydrosols can be used as a gentle flavoring agent. Rose hydrosol, i.e. rosewater, for instance, has been used in cooking for flavoring baked goods for thousands of years, especially in pastries, cookies or biscuits, and such.