Hydrosols are a staple in my aromatherapy toolkit
Hydrosols have been an important part of my aromatherapy practice for decades – I’m not exaggerating! I’ve been working with aromatic for 34 years. Hydrosols are a staple in our home—and not just for me! My entire family uses them regularly… even our cats benefit from these gentle plant waters. 💧🐾
Back in 2013, my love for hydrosols deepened when I trained with master distiller Ann Harman. That training opened my eyes to how easy (and magical!) it is to make your own hydrosols—especially when you use a beautiful copper still.
Let me walk you through what a hydrosol really is and why I believe every aromatherapist and natural-wellness practitioner should have a few bottles in their collection.
🌿 So, What exactly is a Hydrosol?
A hydrosol—also known as hydrolat or aromatic distillate water—is the water portion that remains after steam-distilling aromatic plant material such as flowers, leaves, seeds, bark, or roots.
This water contains tiny, micro-particles of essential oil plus the water-soluble (hydrophilic) components of the plant, which makes hydrosols very different from essential oils. It’s a completely separate product with its own gentle yet powerful therapeutic properties.
For the best quality, look for hydrosols that were distilled intentionally for the hydrosol itself, not as a by-product of essential oil production. Artisan distillers who make hydrosols as their primary product tend to produce waters that are superior in both scent and benefit. When purchasing hydrosol, as if the water’s you’re buying were produced from a copper still. It makes a massive difference in terms of aroma and shelf-life. ✨
💦 Hydrosols vs. Essential Oils
One of the biggest reasons I adore hydrosols is how safe and easy they are to use.
Unlike essential oils, which must be diluted before topical application, hydrosols are so gentle you can use them directly on the skin—even on babies, the elderly, and animals. No measuring, no diluting, just mist and enjoy!
In fact, I always have a collection of small bottles of hydrosols (about 2 fl oz/60 ml) of hydrosols in my fridge for quick use. In the summer peppermint hydrosol misted on the face is incredibly refreshig!
💧How Much Essential Oil is in a Hydrosol?
This beautiful explanation from the late aromatherapy pioneer Jeanne Rose says it best:
“The best comes from a distillation where it is the hydrosol that is being produced rather than the essential oil… 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 0.02% essential oil in a hydrosol.”
Because of this minuscule essential oil content, hydrosols carry the plant’s full energetic imprint—but with far less risk of irritation or overuse.
📚 Keep Learning!
If this sparked your curiosity, you’ll love my companion blog post:
👉 Practical and Creative Ways to Use Hydrosols
And if you’d like to go even deeper, check out these two courses I created with so much love:
Hydrosols are truly the heart of the plant in liquid form—safe, soulful, and full of possibility. 💚
Let me know if you try one and fall in love with it as much as I have.
Be happy, be well,
Liz
If you’d like to learn more about hydrosols and how to use them,
check out my comprehensive step-by-step online course:
Hydrosols for Health:
Explore the Benefits and Uses of Aromatic Waters
PS. If you’d like to make your own hydrosols, it’s easier than you’d think!
Check out the premium handcrafted copper still to make your hydrosol at Copperstills.com
Updated May 11, 2025