Hydrosols, also known as floral waters,
hydroflorates, flower waters or distillates are products from steam
distilling plant materials. Hydrosols are like essential oils but in
far less of a concentration. 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.
Usually the distillation is of hydrosols is the
result of an essential oil production by-product but the highest
quality hydrosols come from the devoted distillers who, with artist
like precision steam the floral and plant material strictly to
produce a hydrosol. (The Hydrosols offered by Mountain Rose Herbs
are produced in this fashion) Hydrosols contain all of the essence
of the plant in every drop, just like essential oils but in a milder
form; making them suitable for all manner of applications where
essential oils would be too strong.
Noted author Jeanne Rose is
quoted as saying…
- "The best comes from a distillation where it is the hydrosol that is being produced rather than the essential oil. Often the best comes from the earliest part of the distillation rather than the body of the distillation. This usually smells bright and pleasantly fragrant. Although, some of the therapeutic part of the hydrosol is also produced at the very end of the distillation, and usually has a rather grassy or vegetative note. As the plants are being distilled, micro-particles of essential oil are in suspension, they give the aromatic distillate its scent and will separate out as the hydrosol cools. There is approximately .02% essential oil in hydrosol".
