Making Jasmine Hydrosol

Before we dive into making our very own hydrosol, first let’s get clear on what hydrosol actually is because there is a lot of misinformation around it. I first thought botanical infused waters & hydrosols were just a fancy or scientific name for the same thing but it turned out their properties & extractions methods are different.

Hydrosol: Hydro (water) + Sol (solution)

Hydrosols, hydrolats or hydrolates & distillates generally refer to pure hydrosols. Hydrosols are generally produced as a byproduct of essential oil distillation but it can also be intentionally produced which is fantastic for botanicals that don’t produce essential oils. A few botanicals that don’t yield essential oils are:

  • Calendula
  • Aloe
  • Vanilla
  • Jasmine
  • Apple

There are 2 types of distillation when making floral water or floral infused waters:

Hydrodistillation:

Plant matter that’s boiled in a covered pot or vessel to form a rich infusion.

Steam Distillation:

Plant matter is boiled in a vessel & the steam or vapour rises into a separate chamber that, when cooled, returns to liquid to form a pure water based solution or hydrosol.

This residual water contains certain compounds like antioxidants & minor elements that are similar to essential oils which is what makes hydrosols a fantastic alternative to essential oils for those with acute allergies or skin sensitivities.

While hydrosols have a delightfully delicate scent, they also have a few beautiful benefits for your skin.

πŸ’§ Applying hydrosol before moisturising helps replenish the moisture content to your skin, which is vital to keep your skin fresh, tight & healthy.
πŸ’§ Hydrosols contain antioxidant compounds
πŸ’§ They can balance the skin’s pH & regulate sebum production, preventing breakouts.
πŸ’§ Fresh hydrosols (unpreserved), like the one I made, can be stored in the fridge & kept up to 1.5 months

The leftover infused floral water can be used for food & drink! Add a little sweetener like honey or sugar & drink it. Add it to desserts or other dishes for an herbal or floral delicacy.

How can you use a Fresh (unpreserved) Hydrosol?

πŸ’§ Skin Toner: Spray onto clean skin until it’s damp or dewy. Pat in if you need. Follow up with a moisturising cream. It has a delicate scent, so use a plant you like the scent of & are not allergic to!
πŸ’§ Hair Rinse: Pour or spray some onto your scalp & massage into damp hair. Follow up with a leave-in conditioner or hair oil.
πŸ’§ Mood Boost: Spray a little onto your outfit for the day & carry the subtle scent with you.
πŸ’§ Room / Car Fragrance: Spritz onto curtains and / or carpets in your room that need a little livening up or even on the carpet in your car for a subtle freshening up. This isn’t a cleanser! It’s just for a touch of fragrance that can liven up or calm the space!

**PLEASE NOTE, THIS RECIPE IS ONLY FOR PERSONAL USE AS IT’S MAKING AN UNPRESERVED HYDROSOL WHICH LASTS UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS FOR A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME**

Alright, now we’ve gotten some of the basics out of the way, let’s get to cooking!

If you like a visual aid, you can watch me make it!

CLEAN ALL YOUR UTENSILS

You’ll need:

  • Strainer & tea strainer
  • Bowl to catch water under strainer
  • Large Pot with Lid (make sure to clean the top of the lid very well as we’ll be inverting the lid to help the distillation process
  • Heat proof bowl
  • 1 – 1.5 Liters of boiled water or boiled distilled water
  • 1 Water Jug (to let hydrosol cool in before bottling)
  • Funnel
  • 2 bottles: 1 for hydrosol (with spray top if you have one) & 1 for infused water
  • 1 – 3 hours (don’t let the time daunt you! it can be left on it’s own as long as it’s away from kids & animals! It’s a wonderful practice to take part in on a self-care day.)

1. PICK YOUR PLANT

I have pink jasmine in abundance, so that’s my pick. Use herbs or flowers that are safe for you & you have plenty of. You don’t need too much but you’d save a penny if you grab something from your garden that’s overflowing or that’s cheaper to buy from a market.

A few popular plants are:

  • Lavender
  • Rosemary
  • Mint
  • Parsley
  • Dill
  • Citrus flowers & leaves
  • Basil
  • Calendula
  • Rose

2. RINSE

Grab a bowl, a strainer & your herbs. Pop your strainer in your bowl & gently rinse your plant matter with cold water. If you’re using running water, make sure it’s on low pressure to avoid damaging your plants or overflowing your bowl. The bowl will catch any excess dirt or small insects that can be thrown back into your garden bed or compost.

3. HEAT YOUR PLANT MATTER IN A LARGE POT

Heating your plant matter with boiled water or boiled distilled water helps break down the plant walls & build condensation a little faster. Stir it around for a few seconds on low heat.

 

4. POP YOUR BOWL IN THE POT

If you have a metal stand that fits easily when your bowl is standing on it with your lid turned upside down, use that so it stays still. Make sure no plant matter or boiled water falls in. If it’s not weighted enough to sit comfortably at the bottom or if the water content is overflowing, surround the bowl with the plant matter in a ring to act as a gentle barrier to hold your bowl in place.

5. COVER THE POT WITH AN INVERTED LID

Inverting the lid created a convex where the distilled water can be guided to the center and drip into the bowl. It also makes it easier to pop your frozen block of ice or ices cubes on.

6. PLACE YOUR FROZEN BLOCK OR ICE CUBES

I didn’t have a bunch of ice cubes so I just froze some water in a zip-lock bag overnight. The ice increases the level of condensation so you can get as much out of the distillation process as possible.

7. LEAVE ON TIL YOUR ICE HAS COMPLETELY MELTED & YOUR POT HAS COOLED

This can take between 0.5 – 3 hours depending on how much you’re making. I left mine on low heat for 2 hours and let it cool for 1 hour without removing the lid. Letting it cool allows for more distilled water to drip into the bowl.

8. REMOVE ICE PACK OR CAREFULLY REMOVE WATER FROM LID

If you used loosed ice & have a little pool of water, this water can be thrown into your garden or compost.

9. REMOVE BOWL OF HYDROSOL

It may still be warm so ensure you’re protecting baking gloves or it’s cool enough to touch, if you left it to cool completely before touching it.

10. POUR HYDROSOL INTO JUG OR BOTTLE

If it’s still a bit warm, pour it into the jug to cool. If it’s cool enough, pour it into the bottle. You may need a funnel to avoid spilling.

11. STRAIN INFUSED WATER INTO THE OTHER BOTTLE

If it’s still a bit warm, pour it into the jug to cool. If it’s cool enough, pour it into the bottle. You may need a funnel to avoid spilling.

12. LABEL WITH THE NAME OF THE BOTANICAL, DATE YOU MADE IT & WHEN TO USE IT BY

It lasts 1.5 months from the date of distillation when stored in the fridge. This is an unpreserved product so it will go off faster & must be stored in the fridge. If you’d like it to last longer you can divide it and store small amounts of it in the freezer & take it out when required. Once thawed, please do not refreeze.

I wanted to show the cold hydrosol but my label with my information is on the other side!

Mocha Hand + Foot Scrub

DIY Mocha Hand + Foot Scrub

What better way that to start one of the chocolatiest times of year with a scrumptious Mocha hand + foot scrub. This easy DIY Hand + Foot Scrub leaves your skin silky soft and hydrated.

Cocoa powder contains manganese, magnesium phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc, Vitamins A + E. All of this essentially means:

🍫 Cocoa powder assists cell regeneration
🍫 It improves nervous system and cellular function
🍫 It contains fatty acids which retain moisture in the skin and keeps the lipid layer tight making the skin appear taut, vibrant and plump
🍫 It repairs skin rashes and controls sebum production

In Ayurveda, cocoa, more specifically raw cacao, is believed to warm the hears and abdomen and elevate mood. The caffeine in chocolate stimulates neuron activity. When it comes to its emotional value, as we all know there’s plenty of research proving its affect on mood, in Ayurveda it is said that mixing rose and cacao could soothe a broken or lonely heart.

So, we know a little bit about cocoa powder but what about coffee?

Apart from the exfoliation benefits the ground coffee provides, coffee is packed with B Vitamins which are essential for cellular metabolism (the chemical reactions within cells to keep it functioning)

β˜• Coffee dilates blood vessels which increases blood flow and assists circulation; this soothes the nervous system but also brightens and tones up the skin
β˜• It reduces inflammation, redness and hyperpigmentation
β˜• It’s packed with antioxidants which fights free radicals (free radicals: unstable molecules that can damage our cellular structures and functions thus causing skin and barrier issues causing dry skin, acne and other skin issues.)

Need a visual? Watch how it’s made

How often can you use it?

Daily or between 1 – 3x a week

How long does this mixture last?

2 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer

Ingredients:

∷ 200mls / 3/4 cup Coconut Cream (boiled)

∷ 1 Heaped Tablespoon of Cocoa Powder, or cacao if you have the means to get it

∷ 2 Heaped Tablespoons of ground Coffee (I used the excess ground coffee from my partner’s morning coffee – Freeze the ground coffee and let it thaw out when it’s ready to use). If you don’t have coffee, you can use Black Tea leaves. If you have neither, use granulated or raw sugar but don’t mix it in until the mixture is completely cool – you want to avoid melting it to get that delicious exfoliating scrub.

Method:

βŒ– Boil the coconut cream on medium low til til it starts to bubble

βŒ– Pour the boiled coconut cream into a heat safe bowl or jug

βŒ– Add Cocoa Powder + Coffee

βŒ– Mix well, it will thicken as it cools

βŒ– Scrub a generous amount into hands + feet

βŒ– Rinse off

βŒ– Pat dry and follow up with moisturiser; I use my Mango Butter Cream because it’s absolutely one of my faves.

Quick tip

Pour into an ice cube tray and freeze it. When you want to use it, pop out 1 – 3 ice cubes and let it thaw before scrubbing your hands and feet into silky softness. If you’d like, you can heat it up for a warm and soothing scrub.

we put our feet through a lot

Coconutea Foot Scrub

We put our feet through a lot! It’s easy to forget showing our feet tender loving care. I’m a barefoot baby, if I can be around without my shoes, you know I’m not wearing any. My feet are particularly thick-skinned but to ensure they get the best treatment, sometimes a simple foot scrub is all we need to ensure our feet are soothed and relaxed. Toe squats, ankle stretches and laying down with our legs up against the wall are wonderful exercises to to alleviate pressure, tension and assist circulation in our feet.

Another wonderful way is massaging a scrub that’s moisturising, soothing whilst removing tough, dead skin. This is easily my favourite foot scrub recipe, it’s simple and does the job well!

Need a visual? Watch how I made it here + Watch the application here

How often to use:

Weekly

Perfect for rough skin.

Sensitive skin – add 1 cup of coconut cream or almond milk to easy the roughness of the tea.

Ingredients:

∷ 2 Tablespoons Black Tea (Loose leaf)

∷ 2 Tablespoons Almond Meal

∷ 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

Method:

βŒ– Mix Black Tea, Almond Meal + Coconut Oil

βŒ– Massage scrub into feet, ankle and legs

βŒ– Rinse off with cool or lukewarm water

βŒ– Towel dry then moisturise with a butter, cream or lotion

Neem Rice and Honey Mask Recipe

Neem, Rice and Honey Mask Recipe

A divine Neem Rice and Honey Mask Recipe for a gorgeous glow. Perfect for a deep cleanse using nourishing ingredients that scrub off dead skin without scratching the skin’s surface and penetrating deep enough to push out excess dirt and oils without removing necessary natural oils. What’s great about this hair and body mask is the ingredients used are perfect to help sebum control; the combination of ingredients assist in bringing balance to your skin and hair. Generally, with oily hair, the scalp is secreting too much oil which then spreads through the hair fibers. A big mistake is over-washing hair, as we continue to wash our hair, it strips the natural oils which results in more moisture being secreted on top of flaking, dry skin. Neem Powder and Rice Flour are fantastic for removing the dead skin and providing a deep cleanse. Honey is a wonderful mosituriser that also tightens the pores and locks in necessary moisture.

This is an indulgent mask so please only use it on the scalp & hair once a fortnight and weekly on the face and body. It has a wonderful result after just a few (3 – 5) uses. Keeping on masks for longer than the recommended time doesn’t improve the quality and can worsen your skin. Make sure in between the use of this mask, you’re also moisturising daily and not over washing skin and hair. If you can, reduce washing your hair to once every 3 days.

Wonderful things take time and the natural self-care process is all about patience. Take it easy and treat yourself.

Need a visual? Watch me make + apply it here

Suitable Skin & Hair Types:

🌡 Dry
πŸ’§ Oily

How often to use:

Face – Once a week
Hair – Once a fortnight

Ingredients:

∷ 2 teaspoons Neem Powder

∷ 2 teaspoons Rice Flour

∷ 2 teaspoons Honey

∷ ½ Cup Hot Water

Method:

βŒ– Mix Neem Powder, Rice Flour & Honey

βŒ– Add Hot Water, mix in well or until smooth

βŒ– Massage onto skin & scalp

βŒ– Leave in for about 5 – 10 minutes or before it starts to dry

βŒ– Wash out of hair with shampoo and rinse off skin with warm soapy water

βŒ– Finish off your routine with a deeply moisturising cream or lotion