Hydrolates are facial waters that replenish skin with moisture, soothe irritations and nourish. You can use it as a replacement for a skin toner, combine with a natural oil, clay, serum and hyaluronic gel. What exactly is a hydrolate and what are its benefits? Devote just a short while to read this article to learn the extraordinary properties of hydrolates – this all-natural cosmetic is worth it!
What is a hydrolate?
Hydrolate is a really simple product, which is just marvelous for the very simplicity. In short, this is floral or herbal water – a side product obtained during the essential oil extraction process. While the distillation is taking place, the steam water absorbs the water-insoluble particles of the essential oil. When this solution cools down, the oil splits itself off and the water that remains is the very hydrolate – the essence of a flower/herb it was extracted from. The particles that remain in the water together with trace amounts of essential oil (0,02-0,5%) are two basic constituents of the hydrolate.
Benefits of herbal waters
Hydrolates have various properties and share them with the flowers/herbs they were obtained from. In general, they are supposed to promote self-healing processes of tissue and improve the skin in a natural way.
The most popular hydrolate, which is recommended to treat dehydrated, delicate and couperose skin, is extracted from Damask rose. Thanks to the high concentration of anthocyanins and gallic acid, it has antioxidative and cleansing effects. Apart from that, Damask rose water is known for making the walls of capillaries stronger. Finally, this hydrolate works in a similar fashion as a skin toner and improves the skin’s abilities to absorb all the nutrients delivered with facial creams.
Another equally common hydrotale is the water obtained from bitter orange – Neroli. It’s rich in hesperidin that is known for being a potent antioxidant. Apart from this flavanone glycoside, Neroli water also contains betaine having a deeply moisturizing effect on the skin. Additionally, Neroli water improves the firmness of mature skin and adds glow to dull and fatigued face. Like Damask rose water, this hydrolate restores skin’s pH balance, makes capillaries stronger and more elastic.
Lavender water – extracted from English lavender – makes yet another top pick of many women who like natural beauty products. Its biggest advantage is the fact that it’s perfectly suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, problematic and irritation-prone. It’s known as an all-natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent that is also antiseptic. Lavender water deals with breakouts, acne, psoriasis and eczema. It nourishes, soothes and leaves skin fresh. Finally, it’s found useful as a product soothing the bug bites and sunburns.
In the case of the oily face, witch hazel water seems to be the perfect pick. This hydrolate is able to cleanse, detoxify and shrink skin pores. Additionally, it reduces sebum secretion and improves blood flow in the skin. All these benefits are owed to tannins that witch hazel water brims with. This herbal water can be also used by those with couperose skin because it’s able to constrict the capillaries.
Cornflower water is rich in mineral salts and polyphenols, and therefore it’s able to soothe irritation caused by shaving and exposure to solar bed lamps. It’s perfectly suitable for delicate and sensitive skin. It soothes and helps the skin relax. The best bit is that cornflower water delays ageing.
How to use hydrolate properly?
Each and every herbal/plant distillate can be used as an alternative to skin toner, body mist, hair mist, water phase in cosmetics, a constituent of clay-based facial masks and a moisturizer that is followed by a natural oil. Being such a do-it-all and all-natural cosmetic, it won hundreds thousands of hearts of those who live in harmony with nature.
If you switch your regular skin toner for a hydrolate, you should spritz it all over your face, neck and chest morning and evening. Let it absorb fully, but if you can’t wait that long, you can wipe it off using a cotton pad or a tissue. Obviously, you can use a herbal distillate to treat your scalp as well. When massaged into the skin of the head, hydrolates boost blood circulation, restore skin’s pH balance and soothe the scalp. Additionally, most of them are proven to deal with seborrhea and leave hair visibly stronger.
The last piece of information concerns the allergy-prone skin. If your skin is hyper-reactive but you wish to treat it to a herbal distillate, try to thin it down first (1:1). In this way, your hydrolate will be more gentler for the skin.
