Lavender Flower Water
What is Lavender Flower Water?
True Lavender Flower Water is the by-product of the steam distillation process used to make essential oils. Another term for it is a Lavender Hydrosol, hydrolats, or hydroflorates. When the Lavender flowers are processed with the steam the essential oil is captured to make pure Lavender oil. Not all of the oil is recaptured so the residual water and essential oil mixture is the hydrosol or flower water.
There are those dedicated distillers who only produce hydrosols and floral waters. They are the artisan producers of some of the finest flower waters available.The very best flower waters come from the early part of the distillation process and not the middle or latter distillation.
Lavender Flower Water contains all the same plant essence components as essential oil, has all the beneficial qualities and sweet aroma of essential oil, but can be used as is without dilution.
The water is excellent for the use as a skin toner, or to add shine and gently scent the hair.
A spritz or two on the face refreshes, tones skin and controls breakouts. Lavender Flower Water sometimes contains a small amount of Ethyl alcohol especially when the intended use is as a Lavender perfume.
Why Do Floral Waters Benefit Us?
The principle components of flower hydrosols are water loving (hydrophilic) plant acids. This gives a slightly acid ph to the floral water itself. Our skin benefits from the preservation of its acid mantle.
A slightly acid ph to the skins surface is beneficial because it is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic because bacteria do not like to live in acid environments. Flower water is also mildly astringent and due to this mildly acidic ph helps to control blemishes and breakouts.
How to Use Lavender Flower Water?
Besides the obvious skin applications as a body spray, facial spray and acne treatment, sunburn skin cooler, foot spray flower water works wonderfully as a room mist, linen spray, pillow spray for sweet dreams, or for scenting ironed clothes - here is a Lavender Water Recipe. Store it in the fridge for a post exercise skin refresher or to just chill out on a hot summers day.
Spray yourself after a bath to pamper your skin and your partner with the alluring scent.
Calming and relaxing flower waters promote sweet dreams and a blissful night away from anxiety and stress.
Spray flower water on the pillows and sheets of your child's bed prior to bedtime. This can be part of your bedtime ritual along with stories and prayers. You can even use it as a "Monster repellent" if you are so inclined. Lavender Flower water can be used daily in so many useful ways.
