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Herbal distillates are aqueous solutions or colloidal suspensions (hydrosol) of essential oil
Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
s usually obtained by steam distillation
Steam distillation

Steam distillation is a special type of distillation for temperature sensitive materials like natural aromaticity compounds.Many organic compounds tend to Chemical decomposition at high sustained temperatures....
 from aromatic plants. These herbal distillates have uses as flavorings, medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
 and in skin care. Herbal distillates go by many other names including floral water, hydrosol, hydrolate, herbal water and essential water.

Herbal distillates are produced in the same manner as essential oils.






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Herbal distillates are aqueous solutions or colloidal suspensions (hydrosol) of essential oil
Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove....
s usually obtained by steam distillation
Steam distillation

Steam distillation is a special type of distillation for temperature sensitive materials like natural aromaticity compounds.Many organic compounds tend to Chemical decomposition at high sustained temperatures....
 from aromatic plants. These herbal distillates have uses as flavorings, medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
 and in skin care. Herbal distillates go by many other names including floral water, hydrosol, hydrolate, herbal water and essential water.

Herbal distillates are produced in the same manner as essential oils. However, the essential oil will float to the top of the distillate where it is removed, leaving behind the watery distillate. For this reason perhaps the term essential water is more descript. In the past, these essential waters were considered a byproduct of distillation, but now are considered an important co-product. Much of the process of making and using herbal distillates was documented in Grace Firth's 1983 book entitled Secrets of the Still.

The science of distillation is based on the fact that different substances vaporize at different temperature. Unlike other extraction techniques based on solubility of a compound in either water or oil, distillation will separate components regardless of their solubility. The distillate will contain compounds that vaporize at or below the temperature that water boils. The actual chemical components of distillates have not yet been fully identified, but distillate will contain essential oil compounds as well as organic acids. Compounds with a higher vaporization point will remain behind and will include many of the water soluble plant
Plant

Plants are Life organisms belonging to the Kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae....
 pigments and flavonoids.

Herbal waters contain the beneficial products of essential oils plus more and in a less concentrated, safer form. Besides aromatic chemicals, these distillates also contain many of the plant acid
Acid

An acid is traditionally considered any chemical compound that, when dissolved in water, gives a solution with a hydrogen ion Activity greater than in pure water, i.e....
s making them skin friendly. With a pH between 5-6 they are great to use as facial toners. Cosmetics and toiletries makers are finding many uses for herbal distillates. They can be used alone as toners or room sprays. Distillates are also used as flavorings and curables.

Because hydrosols are produced at high temperatures and are somewhat acidic, they tend to inhibit bacterial growth. They are not however sterile. They are a fresh product, like milk, and should be kept refrigerated. Small-scale producers of hydrosols must be particularly aware of, and take steps to prevent bacteria
Bacteria

The Bacteria are a large group of unicellular microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals....
l contamination
Contamination

Contamination is the presence of a minor constituent in another chemical or mixture, often at the trace level. In chemistry, the term usually describes a single chemical, but in specialized fields the term can also mean chemical mixtures, even up to the level of cellular materials....
.

Books

Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols. Frog, Ltd, Berkeley, CA, 1999. ISBN 1-883319897

Rose, Jeanne. Hydrosols & Aromatic Waters. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Study, 2007.