The Meadowsweet Journal
Independent journalism driven by thoughts and imagery on art, nature, and intentional living through the seasons.
From Harvest to Hydrosol
In most cases, people hear the word distiller and automatically think about alcohol such as moonshine or vodka. The distillation process involves separating the alcohol from its fermented liquid through heating and condensing it down to a potent and concentrated form. That same process is used in the Essential Oil industry. By steam distilling plant material, which includes leaves, flowers, stems, and even fruits, we are able to extract highly potent essential oils that can be used in soap bars, salves and balms, candles, and a full list of skin products and aromatherapy. Hydrosols, which are often overlooked however, are often the byproduct of essential oil production that started to gain popularity for their gentle, versatile, and skin-soothing benefits.