Cooling yourself with Peppermint Hydrosol
Lets talk hydrosols. What are they, and where/how do you make or obtain them?
Distilling fresh leaves, fruits, flowers, and other plant materials produces hydrosols also called hydrolats, distillate waters or floral waters. Hydrosols have similar therapeutic properties to essential oils; but these aromatic waters are much less concentrated. Their aromas are often soft and subtle when compared to their essential oil counterpart. These aromatic products usually have a scent similar to their essential oil, but also can have a greener note. This comes from the water-soluble constituents in the plant material that are not present in the essential oil.
*Please Note: Hydrosols are specifically distilled for the hydrosol. Many people think the aromatic water that comes off the distilling process of essential oils is called a hydrosol. It is not; that is called the by-product of the essential oil. When distilling for hydrosols, you are distilling at a lower temperature, for a longer time, requiring cleanliness and sterilizing protocols. You are also using a pristine water source.
Uses for Peppermint Hydrosol
Peppermint Hydrosol is a go to in a spritzer bottle for cooling down on a hot summer day, or pulling heat from sunburn. It can also be used for the hot flashes of menopause, or if fever is present (neither hydrosols or the essential oil counterpart reduces a fever; it just provides cooling comfort).
- Good for insect bites, allergic skin reactions.
- Combats itching and is cooling for the skin, dabbed on acne prone skin to calm redness and inflammation.
- Mentally stimulating and especially to keep at your desk when you need a quick pick me up.
- Cooling foot spray that will invigorate your feet
- I LOVE using hydrosols in place of water when I’m creating natural fragrances; lotions, creams, body butters, facial toners and other skin care products.
- Peppermint hydrosol is useful for colic, heartburn, bloat and other digestive issues.
Suzanne Catty recommends its internal use in combatting the effects of IBS or Crohn’s Disease. (Please consult her book Hydrosols, The Next Aromatherapy for details on internal use for treating serious medical conditions.)*
You can have hot peppermint tea after dinner as a digestive aid.
Or a nice cool refreshing drink on a hot afternoon.
Storage of your hydrosols:
When not in use, store in a cool dark place. A refrigerator is great!
Sources of Information About hydrosols
- Ann Harman, author of Harvest to Hydrosol,
- Suzanne Catty, author of Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Rochester, VT)
- Jeanne Rose, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols (Berkeley, CA)
