Aromatherapy:
Essential
Oils & Hydrosols
Jeanne
Rose
Essential oils have been used for centuries. They serve as
healing substances in aromatherapy or simply as fragrant additions to our
bodies and homes. Though we may all be familiar with essential oils, we may be
unaware that an integral part of the process that creates an essential oil
produces another very useful substance—namely Hydrosol or floral water.
What is Hydrosol?
When plants are steam
distilled to release
their essential oils another substance also occurs the hydrosol. This is the
water from the steam — or water distillation that comes into the receiver. In a
regular production, the essential oil will eventually rise to the surface and
be skimmed off and the hydrosol discarded as waste. But the hydrosol contains
the water soluble or hydrophilic (water-loving) components of the plant and is
a powerful therapeutic agent in its own right.
Related Sponsored
Links |
|
|
|
Related books |
|
|
Briefly, the steam distillation process is as follows: The
plant material (called the charge) and water are placed in a still. Heat is
applied to the still or alembic. The heat and warming water gradually breaks
down the cell structure that holds the essential oil. The water turns to steam,
carrying along with it the now-released essential oil which is in a vapor form.
The steam and vapor collects in the head of the still, slowly flows down a pipe
which is connected to a condensing spiral tube that is immersed in cold water.
The steam slowly cools as it goes down the condenser turning to water, the
vapor cools reverting to essential oil. This then drips into the container
called the receiver.
I prefer to think of the hydrosols as a form of plant and
aroma therapy that can be used by children, babies, the sick or the infirm.
Essential oils themselves are powerful forces for health but
they are extremely concentrated and powerful. One drop of an essential oil is
all that is needed in one treatment— but the hydrosol can be used extensively
and without fear of over dosage.
Hydrosols are nearly free of irritating components such as
the terpene hydrocarbons and are particularly suited to utilize the beneficial
properties of alcohols without the irritation potential that is part of some
essential oils. Certain hydrosols are so gentle that they are used in the eyes
as treatments for allergies or as antiseptics.
General Uses of Hydrosols:
Lemon Verbena Hydrosol
- (Aloysia triphylla) is unavailable
on the open market but is being privately produced in California from
organically grown leaves and distilled in an ancient alchemist copper alembic
in the Mendocino hills. This hydrosol is lovely and useful for the most
sensitive skin, to degrease teenager acneic skin, to heal minor skin
imperfections, to take internally as a sleep aid or to soothe an upset stomach.
It also has much use as a spritz to soothe the psyche.
Melissa (Lemon-Mint) Hydrosol is not available in its true
form. The essential oil is one of the most adulterated on the market and when
available at all, costs $450/ounce.
But the hydrosol is being produced from organically grown
plants in California. This wonderful, fresh, lemon-scented water is used for
sensitive aging skin, or sprayed down the throat for many kinds of throat
infections. It has therapeutic and anti-microbial action. Wonderful as a facial
spritz, for hot flashes or in the summer to cool the skin.
Yarrow Flower Hydrosol is wonderful as an astringent and
anti-inflammatory for reactive skin. It is a wonderful non-sweet scent that is
acceptable to the most discriminatory scent-conscious.
Other hydrosols that are available are: Myrtle hydrosol for
infected or irritated eyes; Rosemary Verbenon and Thyme linalol hydrosol for
dry skin; Chamomile or A. arborescens for sensitive skin and abnormal growth;
Lavender hydrosol for soothing and easing mental tensions; Marjoram hydrosol
for soothing the stomach; Rose hydrosol (commonly called Rosewater) for
cooking, as a spritzfor all facial types, with glycerin as a hand lotion, in
alcohol beverages; Orange flower water in beverages and for mature skin.
There is a way to mimic a true hydrosol. Add 2
- 3 drops of
essential oil to 1 quart of pure or distilled water. Shake daily for two weeks
and bottle into small containers. Be aware that in no way does a water based
essence such as this truly duplicate the qualities of a true hydrosol.
 This
article was
excerpted from
"Aromatherapy Book: Inhalations and Applications"
by Jeanne Rose.
Info/order this book
More
books by Jeanne Rose.
About The
Author
The
above was reprinted with permission from Jeanne Rose, @1992. She is a well
known herbalist and aromatherapist. For more information about hydrosols and
where to obtain them, contact Jeanne at 219 Carl St., San Francisco, CA 94117.
| Comments () >> |
 |
 |
