# hydrolates or floral water : a soothing treatment for your skin..

I always keep several bottles of floral water in my cupboard .. It was actually a friend of mine who introduced me to the world of hydrolates, and since then I am completely addicted to these organic treatments and care, that are natural and kind for my skin. Now it is my turn to pass on what I know and share this with you.

What is it ?

Hydrolates are waters with flowers or leaves that have stemmed from the distillation of plants in a still.. This process separates the water on one side and the oil on another. So basically hydrolates are waters that contain small quantities of essential oils but in a much “softer ” and ” less active” version than essential oil, because they have been much more diluted.

What for ?

Floral waters are ideal to clean, calm or refresh the skin without being too aggressive. We can clean skin without makeup using hydrolates, but they are a little bit light for make-up removal, so use them afterwards, as a tonic or a soothing lotion when the skin is bare and all makeup has been thoroughly removed. On clean skin, we can again vaporize, and leave the mist for a few minutes without letting it dry. Hydrolates can also be mixed with skin cream or treatment, or mixed between them to create a “synergy” and strengthen the properties. There are actually pre-made mixtures / synergies already that you can find and buy easily. It is also ideal for making a face mask using clay, simply replace the water with the hydrolate for a more specific action.

Some people even mix their preferred floral water when ironing for a scented mist in a steam iron…

For who ?

People with all skin types, even the most fragile and most reactive can use hydrolates. They also suit pregnant women, babies, animals, in short all the family can use them carefree, which is still not the case with essential oils 😉 there is an equal amount of both floral water and essential oil in hydrolates,(which is a lot ) but here are some ideas for how to use them.

oily/combination skin :

Floral water of lavender, spike lavender, niaouli, myrthe, small grains, hammamélis, chamomile, mint, thyme.

fragile/dry skin :

Hydrolate of German or Roman chamomile, orange blossom, immortal, pink Damascus, lemongrass, hammamélis, cornflower.

irritated /acne skin

Here too the Hydrolate of lavender and its anti- inflammatory and soothing qualities, or the Hydrolate of geranium, rosemary, eucalyptus globulus or tea tree …

mature skin:

Hydrolate of rose, hélichryse, sage or cistus ladanifère …

for men :

Floral water of lavender, cistus or sandalwood are perfected to calm and tone up the skin after shaving.

taking care of babies and children :

The Hydrolates of orange blossom, Roman chamomile, burdock, lavender or rose of May are perfect to wash baby, and clean his body while calming delicate and sometimes irritated skin.

Must haves :

Cornflower floral water :

For swollen, irritated, eyes or after a short night or tears, to be used in a compress, it refreshes, calms and relieves congestion in our eyes.

Cistus water :

This is one of my favorites, it does pretty much everything: healing, anti-wrinkle, astringent, antiseptic .. Recommended for mature skin, treatment for acne, for smoothing/healing care (stretch marks, acne scars …) .. basically it multitasks and does a little of everything… the slight drawback is the scent, which I am not a huge fan of so I mix it with another hydrolate that I do like the smell of like orange blossom, lavender or of ylang yang.

Lavander water :

This is also one that I couldn’t live without, works especially well for combination skin/oily/acne prone skin, it really soothes and calms the spirit.

Good to know :

Floral waters can also be used for other purposes, such as cooking and can be added to dishes to give them more flavor, but personally I only use them on my face.. If you have recipe ideas or other uses that you tested, do not hesitate to share with us…. I use the organic hydrolates by the brand Bio.K or from Essenciaga which are excellent, but those from Ladrôme, Bioflora or small brands with homemade ones are of equally good quality. The most important thing is that they are organic.. Avoid all hydrolates which contain alcohol or conservatives as it distorts the product. Instead go for certified organic hydrolates ..

We find Bio.K on-line or almost everywhere in France in organic stores. Also on-line Essenciaga. Hydrolates are always in blue or dark flasks, and should be kept away from light, in a cool place and used no longer than one year after opening.

xo <3