Lavender hydrosol is possibly our favorite product that we make here at Within You Farm. It is extremely versatile, offers many health and practical benefits, and its aroma transports you right to the summer lavender bloom.
What is lavender hydrosol?
Lavender hydrosol is the aromatic water produced during the steam distillation of lavender essential oil. When lavender is steam distilled to produce oil, it first turns into a vapor. When the vapor is cooled and condensed, it becomes liquid again. The liquid then separates out into two parts: lavender hydrosol, and lavender essential oil (which floats to the top).
Put another way, lavender hydrosol is a water-based distillate that is infused with the water-soluble components and benefits of lavender. Put more simply, you can think about hydrosol as lavender-infused water.
What ingredients are in lavender hydrosol?
Pure lavender hydrosol has two ingredients: lavender and water. We keep our hydrosol pure, but some producers add preservatives to increase shelf life. We never spray or treat our plants with any chemicals either, and are committed to delivering a 100% pure product.
What is the difference between lavender hydrosol and lavender essential oil?
Hydrosol and essential oil are both extracted from the lavender plant through steam distillation, but they have very distinct aromas, properties, benefits and uses.
The first thing you will notice is that lavender hydrosol and essential oil smell quite different. Essential oil is much more fragrant, with only a few drops needed for most applications. Hydrosol has a softer, more mellow smell without much of the camphorous quality of essential oil.
Hydrosol and essential oil have very different uses as well. Essential oil is highly concentrated and works well diffused or diluted into other applications. Hydrosol is extremely versatile and can be used directly on skin, as a cleaner, and in many more ways that I will detail below.
Is hydrosol the same thing as floral water?
You may have seen the term “floral water” floating around and wondered if it is the same thing as hydrosol. Generally, the terms hydrosol and floral water can be used interchangeably, but some producers may add other ingredients to their floral water to create slightly different products.
Uses for lavender hydrosol
Of all of the lavender products that we make here at Within You Farm, hydrosol is my favorite. It is simply the most versatile lavender product out there! Here are a few of our favorite uses for lavender hydrosol.
Lavender hydrosol uses for skin and body
- Toner
- Hydrosol makes an amazing natural toner. I love to spray it after a shower or washing my face, wait for it to dry, then apply a moisturizing lotion or serum on top.
- Facial cleanser
- In addition to toning after washing your face, you can absolutely use hydrosol as a cleanser in its own right. Spray a few pumps and wash with water to leave your face nice and clean.
- After-shave
- Hydrosol is a perfect after-shave because it gently reduces redness and irritation while smelling great.
- Rashes or skin irritation
- Hydrosol is mildly anti-inflammatory, so it is a great way to provide relief for rashes and skin irritation. Hydrosol can also be used as a rinse for small scrapes and cuts.
- After sun
- Hydrosol works well to soothe sunburn. We have a specific after sun spray made with our hydrosol specifically for this purpose.
- Hair and scalp
- Lavender hydrosol soothes the scalp, especially in the colder winter months. I also like to use hydrosol to lightly dampen my hair before applying pomade.
- Baby
- We spray hydrosol on cotton rounds and clean our daughter’s skin with them. It is a great substitute for harsher, bad smelling baby wipes and the like. Side benefit - now that she’s a toddler, spraying the hydrosol has become a fun game for her too!
- Bug repellant
- Lavender is a natural insect repellent. We created an all natural hydrosol-based bug spray to kick the bug defense up a notch.
- Freshening spray
- You don’t always need an excuse to use lavender hydrosol! I often use it as a facial mist throughout the day just because I enjoy it.
Lavender hydrosol uses for cleaning and around the home
- All-purpose cleaner
- Hydrosol is mild and safe for most surfaces while being effective at fighting messes.
- In the kitchen
- We use hydrosol every day to clean our kitchen countertops after cooking.
- In the bathroom
- Hydrosol is great to use for bathroom cleaning - sinks, toilets, tubs, etc.
- Automotive
- I detail my car with hydrosol. It is safe on leather and leaves the interior smelling great. Always test a small area first and be careful with materials like suede, roughout, etc.
- For glass
- Hydrosol works well as a glass cleaner and is in constant use cleaning dog nose and toddler finger prints off of our windows.
- For anything in close-contact use
- I like to use hydrosol to clean anything that I will be smelling or coming into close contact with, like my yoga mat or gym equipment.
- To remove adhesive residue
- Hydrosol usually works to remove hard-to-clean adhesive residue.
- For more stubborn messes, we infuse lavender in white vinegar and mix with hydrosol to make a lavender all-purpose cleaner.
- Aromatic spray
- On its own
- Hydrosol smells great on its own and can be sprayed around the home to freshen spaces, linens, and more.
- For mindfulness
- I love to use hydrosol to set a calming mood for meditation. Many of our yoga instructor friends use our hydrosol in their post-class cool compress as well.
- In the bathroom
- When nature calls, hydrosol answers. You can use hydrosol as an “after you go” spray in the bathroom. We also make a dedicated hydrosol-based bathroom spray for this purpose.
- For pet bedding
- Hydrosol works well to clean pet bedding. I use it to clean my large (and stinky) farm dog’s bed between more thorough washes.
- When we want to kick the aroma up a notch, we use our room and linen spray, which is hydrosol with lavender essential oil added.
How long does lavender hydrosol last?
Because we do not use any preservatives in our lavender hydrosol, it does have a natural shelf life. We recommend using our hydrosol within one year, and storing in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
Are there different types of lavender hydrosol?
Hydrosol can differ depending on the cultivar or variety of lavender that it is distilled from. There are many types of lavender, similar to how there are many types of wine. Within the scope of "red" wine, there are many varieties like cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. While wine aficionados can certainly pick out a cab vs. a pinot, the average person may simply notice that one is bolder while one is smoother (or perhaps notice no difference at all).
Lavender is very similar to wine in this way. We grow several cultivars of "English" and "French" lavender here at Within You Farm. The difference between our English blend and French blend is subtle but noticeable. In terms of smell, English tends to be lighter, almost sweet, while French tends to be darker and slightly woodier. I generally prefer using English on my skin and French around the home, but everyone has their own personal preferences.
