Hydrosols vs Essential Oils: How are they different?
Simply put, the hydrosol is a water-based product, while the essential oil is… well, oil! A hydrosol contains the plant’s hydrophilic (water-loving) components, while the essential oil contains its lipophilic (fat-loving) components. They do contain small amounts of essential oil, but not enough to where the oil will separate and float to the top (you don’t have to shake a hydrosol before using it). Hydrosols are not distilled water with added essential oils. Many products are being offered that are not authentically hydrosols.
In her book, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, author Suzanne Catty says:
“Hydrosols Contain All Of The Plant In Every Drop…
“Here We Have The Water-Soluble Components, The Essential Oil Molecules, The Very Fluid That Was Flowing Through The Plant Cells When The Plant Was Collected. It’s All There In A Matrix Of Water That Is So Much More Than Water…”
References: Catty, Suzanne; Hydrosols The Next Aromatherapy, Healing Arts Press, Rochester, VT. 2001
***Please consult your doctor before using this product for health purposes. These statements have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.***