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How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol

August 24, 2013 by Tash 46 Comments

*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my affiliate disclosure.

How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol

How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol for Beautiful Skin.

There is an amazing cohesion that takes place between volatile oil and water when making an herbal hydrosol. It reminds me a lot of the forbidden romance of Romeo and Juliet in the sense that they are forbidden to be together. However for hydrosols, that oil and water continue as one entity bringing together the lovely aromatics of herbs into a wonderful aqueous coexistence.

What is an Herbal Hydrosol?

Hydrosols are the baby that comes from distilling aromatic herbs for their essential oils leaving a faint but pleasant memory behind in the remaining water.

Only recently have floral waters been saved from being disposed of as lowly byproducts. Since their unique medicinal and therapeutic properties had not yet been realized, only rose and orange blossom waters had center stage as true hydrosols.

Nowadays many aromatic herbs are appreciated for their soothing, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties that are not found in essentials oils. Whereas most essential oils must be diluted before application, hydrosols do not.

How to Use Herbal Hydrosols

Hydrosols can be used both internally and externally provided they come from a nontoxic plant. Their light flavor and aroma pair wonderfully with homemade skincare recipes like lotions, body mists, and mouthwash as well as baked goods like baklava, tea cakes, and cookies.

Externally hydrosols are slightly astringent in nature and are wonderful as a daily skin tonic. They are incredibly hydrating for dry skin types and work well as toners for balancing pH and normalizing the skin’s acid mantle. Hydrosols are also good for acne prone skin and oily complexions.

I especially love rose hydrosol for skincare as it’s healing, balancing, and restores the skin’s proper pH levels.

To use herbal hydrosols externally, simply spray them directly onto freshly cleansed skin. Apply your usual moisturizer (I like to use hemp seed oil) and let it all soak in before applying any cosmetics. Your skin should feel refreshed and hydrated.

Some of my favorite hydrosols to use include:

• Rose
• Chamomile
• Catnip – try this one with your cat, you won’t be disappointed!
• Frankincense
• Jasmine
• Lavender
• Thyme– great for acne prone skin
• Lemon Verbena– Oh my goodness!
• Peppermint (you can read more about peppermint hydrosol here.)

How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol

Since hydrosols are a product of steam distillation and buying real one is just a bit nutty, we will need to make our own. This is simple and kinda rewarding!

Here’s what You’ll Need

• A stock pot that is enameled or made from non-reactive metal (stainless steel will work)
• A lid without a steam release hole
• A metal vegetable steamer that goes inside the pot
• A bowl
• 3 liters of spring water
• 10oz of fresh herb
• Ice

Loving Preparation – Herbal Hydrosol Recipe

1. Make sure all of your distillation pieces are clean

2. Pour in the 3 liters of spring water

3. Add the plant matter and let it sit for a few hours

4. Put the strainer into the pot fully opened

5. Put the bowl on the strainer

6. Bring your water/plant matter to a boil

7. Once it begins to simmer, put on the lid upside down

8. Place a nice big bag of ice on the upside down lid (the ice will give your hydrosol more oomph but isn’t necessary)

9. Keep the water simmering nicely at about medium heat

10. The vapor produced from the boiling plant matter will condense on the lid and drip into the bowl

11. Let the water/plant matter distill for a few hours or until you have the desired amount of hydrosol

12. Let the hydrosol cool enough to be poured into glass bottles

13. Keep them capped tightly (hydrosols will last much longer in the refrigerator)

Spritz on your hydrosol to refresh and awaken your senses with a snapshot of aromatic herbs.

[yumprint-recipe id=’74’]Have you ever made your own herbal hydrosols before? Please share in the comments!

You may also enjoy reading:

How to Pamper your Face for Clear Skin
How to Make a Cooling Peppermint Hydrosol
Elderflower Water: A Homemade Hydrosol

How to Make an Herbal Hydrosol - Use this simple method to make your own herbal hydrosols at home for beautiful balanced skin!

This post contains affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my full disclosure and disclaimer.

Filed Under: Beauty, Hydrosols, Mists, and Toners Tagged With: diy hydrosol, herbal hydrosol, how to distill herbs, how to make hydrosol

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About Tash

Tash Penman, Founder of Holistic Health Herbalist, has a background in herbal and essential oil studies at The Herbal Academy and Aromahead Institute. Holistichealthherbalist.com is a culmination of her passion and research regarding how herbal remedies can support our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Read More…

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet says

    September 17, 2019 at 7:37 am

    Hi Tash. I’m wondering if I can make a hydrosol with regular geraniums (not rose geraniums), and if there would be any benefits of doing this. I can’t find any info on this, but a lot on rose geraniums.

    Reply
  2. Niamh says

    August 17, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    Hello there! l love this blog 🙂 As per a previous posters suggestion is it possible/safe to use a preservative to make the floral water last longer than a week? Thanks so much x

    Reply
  3. Deanna says

    July 26, 2019 at 2:21 am

    @ mimi – put the entire pot in the fridge overnight, the essential oils that have steamed out of the plant matter will be on top and harden and you can collect them. if you pick up some water too – heat on low and the water will evaporate out. Warning – 10oz of plant matter produces only a small amount of essential oil and it will not be quite as strong/potent as when done with a distiller. Have fun!

    Reply
  4. kim says

    July 21, 2019 at 5:56 am

    HI Tash – Thank you for this article. How long do hydrosols last out of refrigeration? Is there anything bad about using one that is old or it just won’t have the same effect?

    Reply
  5. cyrena says

    July 9, 2019 at 10:55 am

    Just learning about hydrosol, however I wanted to make a toner and wondering would the herbal water left in the pot work and what is the shelf life? I also plan on adding other ingredients for different skin types.

    Reply
  6. Craig Loeffelholz says

    July 9, 2019 at 10:04 am

    Nice / informative. As much as had read of essential oils / hydrosols (“cold / critical” or whatever the recent fad was), I had never run across basic very effective method of condensation in readily available pots/bowls. In todays world where nature and flowers struggle to thrive, nice to read of such methods that help appreciate the power of nature & as well put in bottles through off-season & or for concentrated holistic medicine.
    Thank you

    Reply
  7. Mac says

    May 27, 2019 at 12:58 am

    Thanks for the details in this process. I made a hydrosol with chamomile flowers, lemon balm and dandelion flowers that ended up much darker than other hydrodols; it was the color of dark tea. Later I realized I had used an aluminum pot for the process (even though the “collecting lid” was enameled and the collecting container was glass. Should I toss this or is there a way to salvage it? Thanks very much!

    Reply
    • Tash says

      June 6, 2019 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Mac!

      Hmmmm, I’m wondering if the aluminum transferred into the finished product? If it did, I’m just concerned about how much of that would get absorbed into the skin.

      Reply
  8. Erika says

    May 14, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    The lid keeping it pretty much airtight seems to be a problem for me. Am I missing something?

    Reply
  9. Rachel says

    April 23, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    Can you post the process if you do have a distiller please?

    Reply
  10. aprierta suci says

    December 18, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    thank you so much for making this, i wanna ask something
    can we make a hydrosol not just by 1 plant? like mixing several plant in the pot? thank you so muchhhh

    Reply
    • Tash says

      January 23, 2019 at 8:22 pm

      Yes, you can! 🙂

      Reply
  11. STEVIE says

    July 15, 2018 at 12:35 pm

    Hi Tash,
    I tried your methods yesterday with my fresh lavender everything went just as you said but there was no smellbean at all in the bowl. It smelled wonderful when I was making it . HELP
    Stevie

    Reply
    • Tash says

      July 18, 2018 at 11:43 am

      Hi Stevie!

      I wonder if the heat wasn’t high enough? Or perhaps the steam was escaping somehow? That’s the only thing I can think of!

      Reply
  12. Binky Melnik says

    October 10, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    Hi, Tash: I only just heard of hydrosol today. I don’t use essential oils,but I eat wheelbarrows full of grapefruit every day, and wen throwing the peels out, I always wish I had a way to save the smell for use later. Finally getting serious about the idea, I did some research and that’s how I iscovered that a hydrosol is zactly what I need! I’m think my [new, unused] crockpot will be POIFKT for this DIY project.

    I’d appreciate one thing: please explain what purpose the ice serves in science terms. I don’t need “oomph,” but if the ice akshully provides a real benefit, then I’ll do that.

    Thanks very much! Next time you hear from me, I’ll be ruby grapefruit-scented, sitting in my ruby-grapefruit scented sheets.

    Oh! I nearly forgot to ask: my plan is to use the cast-off parts I don’t eat, eg, the peel and the “skin.” I don’t need grapefruit flowers do I? I can make a hydrosol from nearly anything Mother Nature makes that smells good, right? (So I could theoretically make a hydrosol from cacao beans, right?)

    I appreciate the info!

    Reply
    • Tash says

      October 12, 2017 at 8:10 am

      Hi Binky!

      Grapefruit hydrosol sounds amazing! Please let me know how it turns out 🙂

      As for the ice, it isn’t mandatory to use, all it does is speed up the process. The most important this is make sure your supplies (like the pot, the lid, etc.) are as clean as possible and to use filtered water in order to make the most pure hydrosol you can. It should turn out great!

      As far as cacao, you CAN make a hydrosol from it from what I’ve seen. Best of luck!

      Reply
      • Binky Melnik says

        February 21, 2018 at 4:22 pm

        How’s this for being behind in my email? You responded to me in October, and I’m now reading the response the following February. Argh. (I bury my head in the sand to avoid email until a critical point is reached, and then I attack.)

        “Speed up the process”? I think I know what you mean: by making the lid cool/cold, condensation will happen faster! I get it now! I didn’t, in fact, use ice when making my grapefruit hydrosol, but now I wish I had, because it took forEVER. I’ll definitely use it next time, and I’m due for some … right about now, as a matter of fact.

        And it turned out INCREDIBLY marvelously! I preserved it with one part Optiphen so I don’t grow bacteria, fungi, or other nasties, and I spray it on after a shower, before applying my occlusives, and also before bed. It’s remarkable how many people tell me I smell fantastic, and this despite my being a (reluctant, trying-to-quit) smoker!

        I can’t tell that it does anything useful besides making me smell nice (and not making me scratch, the way perfumes and most eaux des toilettes do), but that’s enough! Unsure whether any of the compounds which make citrus substances cause photosensitivity are in a hydrosol, so I never apply it to my face or hands (which’re exposed to the sub, obviously).

        Thanks for helping to pop my hydrofoil cherry, Tash! 😀

        Reply
  13. Bruce Carlson says

    September 11, 2017 at 12:59 pm

    A very informative article. Another opportunity to use the gifts nature has given us. My wife and I have used essential oils for a long time. This will broaden our horizons.

    Reply
  14. Nathalie says

    August 26, 2017 at 6:53 am

    Hi!

    I tried rose water as a body spray and i love it ! But the scent doesn’t last more than 10 minutes on my skin
    I am looking fot a body spray recipe that would last and without using essential oil ( look like it’s dangerous to cats )
    I thought of using vegetable glycerin, vodka or witch hazel and even maybe jojoba oil
    But i don’t know how much to put of every ingredients
    And i wonder if that would really make the scent last longer

    Do you have any suggestions?

    Thanks !

    Reply
    • Tash says

      September 1, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Nathalie!

      That’s a tough one especially without the essential oils. Also, I think cats actually lack a specific enzyme in their livers that breaks down essential oils meaning that it can be pretty dangerous for cats to breathe them in. Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but I’m thinking you may just have to stick with floral waters. Witch hazel or vodka won’t make the scent last longer unfortunately.

      Reply
  15. Perpetual udemba says

    August 18, 2017 at 12:59 pm

    I want to know one can use apple or strawberry fruit to make hydrosol cause I really want to use apple or strawberry extract for lotion formulation

    Reply
    • Tash says

      August 20, 2017 at 10:54 am

      I haven’t tried it personally but I imagine it would work! Worth a try at least 🙂 Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  16. Mary says

    July 30, 2017 at 5:55 am

    I have a huge patch of lemon balm (melissa) in my yard. Will this be ok to use as a hydrosol? Also, will this keep in sealed jars?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      July 30, 2017 at 6:15 pm

      Hi Mary! You can absoluteley use this for making hydrosol! It’s going to be amazing for your skin 🙂 I would recommend making smaller batches since it won’t be pure enough to last months and months without a proper distiller. If you do make a larger batch though, you can always freeze it to keep on hand as needed. Keeping it in jars will still allow bacteria to grow after about two weeks.

      Reply
  17. Deborah Roeser says

    June 6, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Thank you for your knowledge. What temporature do you keep the still at produce the oils?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      June 8, 2017 at 5:16 pm

      Hi Deborah!

      I actually don’t have a still, but I’d LOVE to have one!!

      Reply
  18. Willow says

    April 22, 2017 at 11:47 am

    HeY tash. so is the water in the pot left that has not been distilled is the same thing? its different right? that would be herbal water insted of hydrosol ??
    Let me know

    Reply
    • Tash says

      April 24, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Hi Willow!

      The water left in the pot would just be considered an herbal water 🙂 Or, basically a strong tea! This water still has great qualities though!

      Reply
  19. Taralee says

    April 1, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    Can you just boil, steep and strain or do you have to use the condensation method?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      April 1, 2016 at 11:03 pm

      Hi Taralee!

      You can definitely just boil, steep, and strain. I typically use this method to make a simple rose water for daily use. However, if you want a pure hydrosol that is clear without any plant matter, you would want to use the condensation method. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  20. Emily says

    October 7, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    DO the herbs have to be fresh or can they be dried?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      October 8, 2015 at 9:42 am

      Hi Emily!

      The herbs can be dried 🙂

      Reply
  21. UllaSQ says

    June 8, 2015 at 6:00 am

    How do you make a hydrosol in this way with frankincense? It is not a herb… Just wondered – thank you for some awesome and very useful recipes 🙂

    Reply
    • Tash says

      June 9, 2015 at 10:28 am

      Hi UllaSQ!

      From my research I have found that to make a hydrosol from resins you need to place the resin around an empty bowl on a wire rack that fits in the pot you are using. Something like a vegetable steaming rack. Next you fill the pot with water below the rack because you don’t want to resin to be IN or touching the water. As the water boils, the steam will leach the essential oils from the frankincense. The hydrosol will collect in the bowl.

      So basically, it’s the same method except you don’t put the resin in the water.

      I hope this makes sense!

      Best of luck!

      Reply
      • UllaSQ says

        June 9, 2015 at 2:24 pm

        Yes, that makes sense. Thank you, Tash!

        Reply
      • Mimi says

        September 3, 2017 at 12:34 pm

        How would one actually collect the essential Oil from this process?

        Reply
        • Tash says

          September 3, 2017 at 2:39 pm

          Hi Mimi!

          I think the best way to collect essential oils at home would be to get a personal still/distiller. Using the hydrofoil method will not produce enough heat or offer a way to collect the oils. I have been playing with the idea of distilling some of my own essential oils, but I haven’t gotten around to it 🙂

          Reply
      • Kaye Smith says

        February 8, 2019 at 12:11 am

        Hey my name is kaye can you show us how we should do the. The frankincense please

        Reply
  22. Susan says

    January 24, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    Hi Tash! Love your site! Going to try to make some Lavender Water – I LOVE using this around my house to clean with, freshen my car and spritz on my skin for a little picker-upper! Can’t wait for spring and summer flowers this year! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tash says

      January 24, 2015 at 11:27 pm

      Hi Susan!

      I’m thrilled you like my blog! 🙂 Thank you for your kind comment! I have to say that I LOVE lavender floral water too! I always have some in my bathroom cabinet to use during the winter 🙂

      Reply
  23. Brenda Gomez says

    August 16, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    So much of hydrosol does it end up making?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      August 19, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Brenda!

      I got about 8oz out of this batch =)

      Reply
  24. lc83 says

    August 13, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    How do you know when a hydrosol has gone bad?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      August 14, 2014 at 9:01 pm

      Hi there!

      Normally the hydrosol will have a different smell to it or a cloudy look. I like to keep mine in the fridge. They usually last a week but if you add essential oils to them it will extend their shelf life.

      Reply
  25. Lenna says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:50 am

    Can you use already distilled water and simmer and drain for rose or lavender water? Would it be the same thing?

    Reply
    • Tash says

      February 23, 2014 at 5:29 pm

      Hi Lenna,

      Yes you can! The water will have the color of the flower you use.

      Reply

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About Tash

Tash Penman, Founder of Holistic Health Herbalist, has a background in herbal and essential oil studies at The Herbal Academy and Aromahead Institute. Holistichealthherbalist.com is a culmination of her passion and research regarding how herbal remedies can support our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Read More…

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