{"id":19986,"date":"2025-06-06T11:10:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T09:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.boemia-aroma.com\/whats-the-difference-between-hydrolat-and-floral-water\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:42:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T12:42:17","slug":"whats-the-difference-between-hydrolat-and-floral-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boemia-aroma.com\/en\/whats-the-difference-between-hydrolat-and-floral-water\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the difference between hydrolat and floral water?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Eau florale or hydrolat<\/span>: you’ve seen both on labels… but are they the same product? Lavender, Damask rose, witch hazel, cornflower, helichrysum… All these aromatic plants<\/strong> give birth to a precious, gentle and surprisingly versatile floral water. <\/p>

Obtained by steam distillation<\/strong>, this aromatic water<\/strong> contains a low concentration of water-solubleessential oil<\/strong> molecules. It is neither a perfume nor a residue: it is a natural active ingredient in its own right, used in aromatherapy, cosmetics and even cooking. <\/p>

But beware: not all hydrolats arecreated<\/strong>equal. There’s a world of difference between an<\/strong>organic bottle stored in the fridge without preservatives, and a generic floral water with a tampered perfume. And the consequences for skin, eyes and health. <\/p>

This article will help you to tell the difference, to understand how these distilled liquids are obtained, why they are so precious, and how to use them on a daily basis, for natural, sensorial care that’s truly tailored to your needs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The difference between floral waters and hydrosols: one product, two names\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Hydrolat and floral water<\/u><\/strong><\/a> refer to the same aromatic liquid, obtained by steam distillation of<\/strong> a plant. The term “hydrolat” is the most scientifically accurate: it designates the recondenseddistillation water<\/strong>, which contains a small proportion of water-solubleessential oil<\/strong> molecules. The more poetic and popular term “floral water” is often used when the distilled plant is a flower: rose floral water<\/a>, orange blossom floral water<\/a>, chamomile floral water<\/a><\/u>… <\/p>

In reality, all hydrolats made from flowers are floral waters, but not all hydrolats are floral waters. If you distill rosemary twigs or peppermint<\/strong> leaves, you<\/strong>‘re talking about a hydrolat, not a floral water. <\/p>

\u2728 Remember: hydrolat<\/u> is a generic term, floral water a special case.<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How do you obtain a hydrosol?\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Hydrolat or floral water<\/strong> is obtained by steam distillation<\/strong>. In a still, the fresh plant is placed on a grate. Steam passes through the plant,drawing out<\/span>its aromatic compounds, which then condense in a cooled coil. <\/p>

This gives us two distinct products:<\/p>