Hydrosols 101

What is a Hydrosol?

Hydrosols are a water-based product created from steam distillation of a plant. Plants can be distilled for the hydrosol, or a hydrosol can be a by-product of steam distillation for essential oils. They are water-soluble, as opposed to fat-soluble like essential oils. 

Why use Hydrosols? 

Hydrosols are highly effective and gentle! They are non-toxic, making them an excellent choice for everyone including cats and kittens, sensitive dogs and puppies, birds, small pets like guinea pigs or chinchillas, even reptiles. And, of course, people too, including babies and young children.

Hydrosols are safe to take internally. They don’t irritate mucous membranes like essential oils.  And they’re skin-loving, making them helpful for most skin issues, like wounds, hot spots, bug bites, itchy skin, and post-surgery healing.

Hydrosols are safe enough to be used full strength, but are also effective diluted. They can be diluted in your pet’s water bowl or added to your glass of water.  Cats have been known to sit by a bowl with hydrosols, just inhaling the scent. Like essential oils, hydrosols don’t need to be ingested to be effective.

Hydrosols have the same therapeutic properties as their essential oil counterpart. For example,  Tea Tree hydrosol has the same properties as Tea Tree essential oil… anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and bactericidal. The hydrosol isn’t as strong as the essential oil, which is excellent news for our furry or feathered friends, and perfect for reptiles.

Hydrosols are very versatile...

• Spritz into the air to freshen a room or over your pet’s bedding 
• Clean wounds or compress skin irritations 
• Safe enough for cleaning and soothing goopy eyes
• Saturate a cotton ball to clean ears
• Cooling to hot spots
• misting spray for birds
• support for shedding reptiles

One downside is that hydrosols have a shorter shelf life, generally 1- 3 years. As a water-soluble aromatic, bacteria can quickly grow inside the bottle. To extend their shelf life, they should be stored in a cool, dark place, ideally a refrigerator. 

Get Started wtih Hydrosols

Which hydrosols you use will depend on you and your pet’s needs. For a few ideas, here are a few of my favorites …

Tea Tree is a must-have for your first aid kit! Almost as powerful and far more gentle than the essential oil, Tea Tree hydrosol can be used diluted, or undiluted, to clean ears or rinse wounds on even the smallest pets. A teaspoon in a diffuser sends its anti-viral and antimicrobial properties into the air to fight colds and coughs.

German Chamomile is a powerful anti-inflammatory and a go-to for inflamed skin. Hot spots, skin irritations, scratches, and cuts all benefit from these pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory hydrosol. German Chamomile is safe for eyes and has the added benefit of calming and soothing to the nervous system making it a good choice for anxious pets. 

Peppermint tops my list for cooling hot, itchy skin, and relief from bug bites. It cools red, irritated skin, (and sunburns) or soothes tummy upsets. Used alone it’s great for bad breath, or combine with German Chamomile for gingivitis.

Neroli distilled from the flowers of the Orange Blossom, is just lovely. It's aroma is sweet, floral, and slightly citrus, just like the essential oil, at only a fraction of the cost. It soothes digestive upsets, calms anxiety, PTSD, and helpful during times of grief. 

Neroli was one of Jake’s favorites. safe to ingest, he would lick it off my hand or drink a small amount diluted in water. Watch him lick some off my hand in this short video.

Hydrosols aren’t nearly as popular as essential oils so you have to know where to find them. There are under 100 hydrosols available through small, independent aromatherapy suppliers. Sold in 2-8 oz bottles, they average under $10 per ounce (or 30 mLs), an affordable alternative to more expensive essential oils like Rose, Neroli, or Helichrysum. 

Hydrosols might be the best kept secret in Aromatherapy.  If you’ve never heard of them you aren’t alone. For decades they’ve been tossed aside in favor of essential oils. Or maybe you have heard of them by a different name, such as hydrolat, distillate, and floral waters. 

If you’d like some pro tips for purchasing hydrosols or like to learn more about how to use hydrosols with your beloved pet, email me.