You may have heard of hydrosols, usually referred to as floral waters. Most people know of their use as face mists and many are familiar with rose water and / or lavender water. Both are wonderful but there is so much more to this powerful branch of aromatherapy.
Hydrosols are aromatic waters that are a byproduct of the distillation of plant material which is being distilled for its essential oil. There are a variety of ways essential oils are obtained but in this case we are talking about steam distillation in a still such as the one pictured above. The steam carrying the aromatic molecules of plants rises while being distilled and, after cooling, separates into essential oil at the top and water, the hydrosol, at the bottom. These hydrosols are fragrant and contain their own unique healing properties.
In the aromatherapy world, hydrosols are considered by many professionals to be a blend of aromatherapy and herbalism. Use of them is often compared to homeopathy, a type of alternative medicine that believes the more diluted the formula , the stronger it is. It is believed by many that floral waters are assimilated better when diluted as they subtly prompt the body to respond – less is more.
Over the summer a friend of mine had gone to Corsica to harvest and distill one of my favorite essential oils, immortelle, which is known for its healing, rejuvenating effects on the skin. By the end of a full day of farming her legs were bruised, cut, and aching. After the distillers collected the essential oil from the distillation, they allowed my friend to bathe in the remaining hydrosol, an experience she said healed her damaged legs overnight.
After hearing this story, I knew I had to incorporate hydrosol bathing into the Amayori line. The concept is highly unique and ultra-luxurious. And so, the Kaori Sake Soak was born.
Each hydrosol we use is so unique and has its own distinct properties. For instance, balsam fir hydrosol, used in the Hinoki Onsen Kaori Sake Soak, is used to uplift the mood and treat seasonal effective disorder. Ylang ylang hydrosol, used in both Dreams of Gion and Ambrosial Ofuro, is perhaps the most luscious fragrance I have ever encountered. It is ultra-relaxing and an aphrodisiac. Organic Bulgarian lavender hydrosol, used in the Geisha Ritual, is a new level of relaxation. I find that using these aromatic waters works on a deep energetic level and only enhances the effects of Amayori’s aromatherapy fragrances.
The dilution that we use in the soak is 50% hydrosol. This is intense and to put it simply, it works. The experience is healing, relaxing and otherworldly. I find when I take a bath with this soak, I will linger for up to an hour, sometimes getting out of the bath before it calls me back in again. The experience is truly sublime.
Please join me in welcoming hydrosols into the Amayori line. This is truly a celebration of fragrance and healing at its best.
Warm wishes,
