How to Use Hydrosols with Your Family

My first experience with hydrosols came when I received a pack of five of them in the mail as part of my aromatherapy studies. I opened them, smelled them, and … wondered what to do with them. Since that day a few years back, I’ve become a fan of them, well, really obsessed with them, and I use them almost every day. Their gentleness makes them perfect for use with the whole family—even the youngest ones. Let’s explore how to use hydrosols to nurture your family.

What Is a Hydrosol?

• Hydrosols are a by-product of the essential oil distillation process. You may sometimes hear them called hydrolats, floral waters, herb waters, or distillates.
• Hydrosols contain the water-soluble constituents of the aromatic plant and retain a very small amount of essential oil.
• Hydrosols are not the same thing as a few drops of essential oils added to water. That is called an aromatic spritzer.
• Hydrosols are so mild that they can be used on babies and children much more safely than essential oils can be. (For information on using essential oils with children, read my post on using EOs safely with children.)

Benefits of Hydrosols

Hydrosols vs. essential oils

Hydrosols have some of the same benefits as do their essential oils, while being much gentler. They are free of the lipophilic substances that are in essential oils and are richer in water-compatible (hydrophilic) components. This means that they are:

• highly tolerable
• soothing
• generally anti-inflammatory
• antiseptic
• wonderful for sensitive skin
• mildly astringent, yet nondrying

How to Use Hydrosols

Hydrosols can be used as they are without diluting—except for use with children and when ingesting. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Babies. For babies up to six months of age, add 1 tsp of hydrosol to to an infant tub or 2 tsp in an adult tub filled for a baby. For children up to 12 years of age, use 1 tsp of hydrosol per year of age up to 8 tsp. For an adult, use from 1-8 ounces per tub. For foot baths, use 2-3 tbsp for an adult.
2. For concentrated lotion, cleanser, cream, and gel bases: Add 1 tsp-1 tbsp at a time until you have the consistency you want.
3. For handmade creams/lotions: Substitute a hydrosol in place of water while you are making the cream.
4. Aromatic sprays. For adults, use full strength as body sprays or air refreshers.
5. Toner: Adults can use full strength on face. Can mix multiple hydrosols together or can add aloe vera or honey (1-2 tbsp per 2 oz.) to the mixture.
6. Masks. Mix a hydrosol (I love to mix German chamomile hydrosol) with green clay for a mask.  Add enough to get the consistency you want.
7. Compresses. For children add 2 to 3 tsp of hydrosol per 1 liter of water; adults add 3-5 tbsp to 1 liter of water.
8. Internal Use: For children OVER 3 years of age, add 1-2 tsp to 6-8 oz of a beverage, like water or tea and drink. German Chamomile hydrosol can be beneficial to help a child get to sleep. For an adult, add 1-2 tbsp to a glass of water or tea.

Be creative. Think of the potential of hydrosol uses for sunburns, wet wipes, inflamed skin, diaper rash, and so on.

How to Store Hydrosols

Fresh hydrosol that has been distilled should be pure and free of bacteria. Still, it’s best to store your hydrosols in a sterile container in the refrigerator and use within the year it is distilled.

My Take on Hydrosols

?This summer I experimented with making hydrosols and was successful in making German chamomile

Calendula in the distiller

hydrosol, calendula hydrosol, and lemon balm hydrosol (also called melissa hydrosol). I use the chamomile almost every day as a facial toner and alternate between using it and calendula in clay masks for facials or for bee stings. I have not yet tried it in tea or water, but have plans to mix lemon balm hydrosol in a cup of tea.

?I love the gentle, therapeutic qualities of hydrosols and their light fragrances. The three that I made all retain a lighter aroma of the plant than the essential oil does. If you have children, hydrosols are the perfect soothing herbal treat to use with them, and you don’t have the concerns that you do as when using essential oils.

?Hydrosols are definitely hard to find in retail stores, but you can order them online. Eden Botanicals,  Stillpoint Aromatics, and Mountain Rose Herbs are just three companies that carry them.

?Actually, as an aromatherapist, I can’t recommend hydrosols highly enough. I hope this post has given you some ideas on how to try them, and I bet that soon they’’ll be part of your go-to remedies to care for and pamper yourself and your family!

Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section, or share what your favorite hydrosol is and how you use it.

Botanically me,

Jane

Resources 

I used the resources listed below as I was writing this post. (I am an affiliate for both the New York Institute and Amazon).

The New York Institute of Aromatic Studies is where I received my Level 1 aromatherapy training and certification from. I continue to study with them. You can see all the classes they offer at the hyperlink. They offer both online and in-person classes.

The following two books both have a  section on hydrosols.

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Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’ Mark 2:3-5

The healing of the paralytic man is an incredible story. Jesus is in Capernaum, where so many healings happened. Not coincidentally, the people in this region had a strong faith. That realization made me stop and ask myself this question:

Do I have a faith that allows miracles to grow and blossom, or is mine a stunted, puny faith where the seeds of miracles whither and die?

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What is God wanting to do in my life, but He is waiting on my faith to grow up and catch up?

Perhaps you’ve wondered this same thing. Finish listening to this 5-minute meditation by clicking on the arrow below, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. If you like it, we’d appreciate if you’d leave us a review.

Thanks for listening. May your soul’s meditation be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!

It’s September and as I look at my aromatherapy garden, I can see the season changing before my eyes.

My chamomile and cosmos are spent and withered. But the zinnia are going strong and the asters are just getting started. Many of my herbs are still happily blooming, ready and waiting to be plucked and enjoyed. One of my favorite ways to use them is as a healthy water flavoring. 

Healthy Water Flavoring

Early autumn is still a perfect time to enjoy the infused water I’m going to share with you today. It couldn’t be simpler; it tastes wonderful and is so much better for you than soda. This recipe and its variation are also easily adapted. I’ll give you my favorite infused water recipe that I made this year, but, really, you can use whatever herbs you have on hand.

You can see the water in the top left corner

Over the summer, I made a big batch of herb and fruit-infused water that I took with me to a craft fair. The temperature was 96 degrees that day, and I gave the water to everyone who stopped by my booth. It was a hit, and it kept me hydrated during the seven hours I worked.

Enjoy your herbal water, and if you make it, leave me a comment and let me know which herbs and fruit combination you used. You may also want to check out my posts on herbal infused sun tea or my video with personal trainer Sarah Lewis and her Lavender-Vanilla Chai tea recipe.

Botanically Me,

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.” Luke 1:57

Elizabeth and Zacharias had waited a lifetime for their son to be born. In fact, they were both past the childbearing years. Elizabeth thought the Lord had denied her the blessing of being a mother. Yet God had big plans for them–they were just in His timing, not hers.

What Kind of Time?

The New King James refers to the mention of time in this verse as full time with the meaning of “being fulfilled.” God knew that their son John the Baptist would be a special child, the prophet of the Most High (Jesus), so John’s birth had to be at just the right time, at the same time as Jesus’ birth. God’s plans can’t be rushed.

When I compare Elizabeth’s story to our lives, to my own life, I empathize with some of her challenges. After all, it feels like we spend much of life waiting for things to happen …

To hear the rest, simply click on the arrow below or subscribe to this podcast in iTunes.

Thanks for listening. May your soul’s meditations be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!

Do you love chai tea but the caffeine doesn’t love you?

I can’t do caffeine, so I was excited when my friend and personal trainer Sarah Lewis told me about her recipe for Lavender-Vanilla Chai tea. She then whipped up a cup for me, and oh, my, the taste was heavenly!

I know there are other tea enthusiasts out there who would love the caffeine free version of chai, so Sarah happily agreed to do this video tutorial with me. You can watch below, but keep reading for the recipe.

Customize Chai Tea

One of the fun things about chai is that you can customize the recipe to your taste. The book that I mention in the video is Healing Herbal Teas: Learn to Blend 101 Specially Formulated Teas for Stress Management, Common Ailments, Seasonal Health, and Immune Support by Sarah Farr (note: the link is an affiliate link for Amazon.)  I have this book and in it she has nine different chai recipes!

Sarah uses lavender as her base, and it makes a very fragrant, lovely tea. Lavender is a relaxing herb, so drinking a cup of this lavender chai is a wonderful way help your stress melt away. In addition, the spices that make up chai have so many wonderful  health benefits. They are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, warming, and carminative.

Note: Sarah likes her tea very spicy, so adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. Also, she likes to bring the milk mixture to a boil, but other chai recipes call for simply warming the milk mixture so that you don’t scald it. I would recommend trying that first because then you can probably avoid the “film or casing”  we mention in the video.

You can reach Sarah Lewis via her Facebook page if you would like to schedule a personal training session in the Indianapolis area. She is also available for Skype personal training sessions if you are long distance.

Let us know if you try the recipe and any of your favorite chai “modifications.”

Botanically me,

Wouldn’t you love to be able to enjoy the healing plants of summer in winter too?

I know I would! There’s nothing better than fresh herbs. That’s why I’ve created a workshop to help us enjoy indoor herbs for wintertime use.

Schedule Workshop Now

During the Herb & Tea Workshop, you’ll make a cutting from your choice of herbs from my aromatherapy garden to take home with you. You can select from the following herbs: scented geranium, lemon verbena, lemon balm, peppermint,  lavender, or Rosemary.

Once the plant has taken root, you can transplant it in a small pot to watch it grow through the winter and then harvest from your own mini indoor herb garden. I’ll be sure to send home directions so you know exactly what to do.

Here’s what the hour-long herb workshop includes:

• Taking a cutting from an established herb plant from my garden (includes the pot and soil).
• Teaching time on how to care for your herb, along with some of the benefits of the type of herb you choose.
• Printed directions on how to care for your herb.
• A cup of herb tea. You get to choose the base of your tea (red rooibos, green rooibos, green tea) plus additional herbs, many of which are fresh from my garden: chamomile, sage, lavender, peppermint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, and thyme, depending on what is available. Besides the fresh tea, you’ll enjoy the lovely aromatherapy experience as you pick the fresh herbs from the garden.

I offer the herb workshop in Westfield, Indiana, and the cost is $30 per person. Schedule the herb workshop now or call 317-513-4270 with questions. When scheduling, be sure to give me your contact information.

Botanically me,