Haven’t heard of them? Don’t know what to do with them? Then, read on, my friend! First, though, let me tell you what a hydrosol is NOT. Hydrosols are not floral water, which is simply the process of infusing water with flowers by letting them sit over a period of time to absorb the essence of the flowers. Floral waters have their own limited range of healing properties, but they are not the same as a true hydrosol. Hydrosols are not water with essential oil added to them, which can be dangerous when ingested. True hydrosols are created using a steam distillation process to extract the beneficial properties of the herbs that cannot be obtained any other method. This is the same process used to obtain the essential oils from plants, but renders a completely different finished product. So, why use hydrosols?
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Hydrosols are the perfect balance between herbal teas and essential oils. They are safe to use internally and externally, unlike essential oils which should NEVER be used internally. Because they contain many of the same elements as the essential oils, they offer a wider range of benefits than a simple herbal tea.
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Unlike herbal teas, hydrosols have a long shelf life. Depending on the herb, the shelf life can range anywhere from 6 months to several years, so they are much easier to keep on hand for a quick-fix when you don’t have the time or energy to whip up a batch of tea.
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Hydrosols can be used topically for instant relief from many issues.
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Hydrosols can be used safely on most animals and children
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Hydrosols can be used to replace the water portion of your skincare recipes in things like soaps and lotions.
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Hydrosols can be added to your cleaning routine to add a gentle fragrance, or to kill bacteria and viruses.
So, why aren’t you hearing more about hydrosols? Because they have only recently been studied for their medicinal benefits. In the past, hydrosols have been nothing more than the byproduct of essential oil making, rather then the main goal of the distillation process. The remaining water (hydrosol) was simply pitched out as being useless. It was a bit surprising to many when they realized that hydrosols were actually quite potent and effective in their own right. The multitude of benefits they provide is still being studied and experimented with, as is the range of plants that produce the best hydrosols. Of course, being the enterprising soul that I am, I had to jump on the bandwagon. As a result, Tamara's Herbes has a growing collection of hydrosols to offer our customers. Each of them is created from plants that are grown right here on our farm, and are free of all chemicals and other dangerous contaminants. The result is a product that is as pure as possible.
