Tone Your Skin with Hydrosols (and what they are!)
I'm super excited to be sending you the second part of the Bainbridge Island Organics skincare newsletter. Today it's all about hydrosols. To be honest, I'm excited about a lot of things lately, and am having a hard time deciding what to share first. Like how in love I am with my therapeutic oils (sooo many ways to use lemon essential oil!). And how I love my in-person "health seekers" group so much my heart may burst; the elimination diet this group is doing (as is my dear, patient son) has helped many of their long-terms ailments. Also, how magnesium is the most powerful relaxation mineral there is... and so many other things, but that's all coming soon. :-) For now, it's all about Glowing Skin Part Deux. Enjoy!!
Glowing Skin: Tone with Hydrosols!
By Patricia Intihar
Ok, I’m hoping I didn’t lose you with the cleansing your face with oil newsletter.
Your face is now clean and your pores open, so what next? Hydrosols.
Let’s back up a bit and explain essential oils and their natural by-product (hydrosols). The most common way to extract essential oil is through steam distillation. Plant material is loaded into a still, steam is forced in and the plant cells burst, releasing the precious oil inside. The oil will separate into a different vessel leaving the water, now a hydrosol containing the lighter compounds from the plant. Unlike an essential oil, hydrosols can be applied directly to your skin. These waters are fragile and have a finite shelf life that can be affected by the packaging and storage conditions. We recommend 100% pure organic hydrosols with no additional ingredients packaged in violet glass.
Hydrosols were once simply discarded, used to water the fields and fill the swimming pools of the French. Today, we see distillations of plant material specifically to produce hydrosols. Why? Because, they are amazing! Our focus is on skin but people are finding all the ways that these waters are beneficial, including drinking them. Each hydrosol is unique to the plant that is distilled. A list of benefits for all hydrosols includes being anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, calming, healing and nourishing for the skin. Rose is one of the best for skin care and is appropriate for all skin types. This is what "rose" is suppose to smell like. The aroma will evoke something different for each person, some finding it reminiscent of their grandmother while others will describe it as sensual.
Once your skin is clean and your pores are open, drench your skin by spritzing with hydrosol to hydrate and tone. Your face will be restored to its natural pH balance and prepped for your skin serum.
You can apply hydrosol to your face anytime throughout the day to hydrate or enjoy the light aroma. We love it after exercising, traveling on a plane, to set makeup, or a quick spritz so you can drink in the incredible scent and feel refreshed as you walk out the door.
Hydrosols ~ Your skin will love you for it!
Final skincare article coming next time: moisturizing.
Be Radiant. Be Nourished. Be Beautiful.
You can find Bainbridge Island Organic products locally at lark! and Renew Day Spa, or on the web at bainbridgeislandorganics.com.
~Patricia & Veni
