Hydrolats: Aromatic Waters for Face and Body

Aromatic Waters, a Gift of Distillation

Hydrolats, also known as aromatic waters, are a product obtained from the process of steam distillation of essential oils: a precious perfumed water, rich in active ingredients and ready for use. They are delicate and versatile cosmetics, perfect for those seeking 100% natural skin care.

During the distillation process, the steam that passes through the plant also collects the water-soluble active ingredients: upon re-condensing, it generates a lively, delicate, perfumed water rich in benefits. This is how a hydrolat is born. Unlike essential oils, hydrolats can be applied pure directly to the skin, which makes them particularly easy and safe to use.

How they are born

The hydrolat is the natural result of steam distillation, the most traditional extraction technique. The plant is placed in the still and steam passes through it: upon re-condensing, it separates into two parts in the Florentine flask – the lighter essential oil, which remains on the surface, and the aromatic water, the hydrolat, which retains its water-soluble active ingredients.

It is not a byproduct, therefore, but a precious cosmetic in its own right, with its own functional profile. Each hydrolat carries with it the delicacy and benefits of the plant from which it originates, in a light and immediately usable form.

Olfattiva hydrolats and their uses

Olfattiva offers hydrolats of Lavender, Rose, Neroli, Chamomile, Rosemary and Mint, each with a precise functional profile. In a beauty routine, they lend themselves to various uses: they act as facial toners, decongest in cases of slight inflammation, and are excellent complements for anti-hair loss and purifying scalp treatments.

They can be sprayed directly on the face after cleansing, or on the scalp before washing. They can also replace water in the preparation of masks, poultices, or DIY cosmetics. They are fresh and scented waters: at any time of day, especially in summer, they can be sprayed on the face and body for an extra boost of energy and freshness.

They have a soothing effect on slightly inflamed skin and, when sprayed and massaged onto the scalp before shampooing, they are excellent complements to anti-hair loss or balancing skin treatments.

Which hydrolat to choose

Each hydrolat has its own specific purpose, to be chosen based on skin type and needs. For sensitive skin prone to redness, Lavender and Chamomile hydrolats are recommended; for mature or dry skin, Rose and Neroli hydrolats; for impure skin, Rosemary hydrolat; for a refreshing effect, especially in summer, Mint hydrolat.

For hair care, Lavender hydrolat is suitable for an oily scalp or one prone to imbalances, while Rosemary hydrolat helps to strengthen the hair. This versatility makes hydrolats valuable allies for a complete and natural beauty routine.

How to use them in your beauty routine

Hydrolats are excellent as facial toners, to be sprayed after cleansing and before cream. By choosing the hydrolat best suited to your skin type, they complete your skincare routine with a fresh and natural gesture.

In addition to the face, hydrolats prove to be excellent hair products: Rosemary hydrolat, for example, can be sprayed on the hair for a purifying action on the scalp and strengthening of the hair follicle. They can also replace water in the preparation of masks and DIY cosmetics, enriching them with the active ingredients of the plant.

For a complete and 100% natural face routine, we suggest moistening the face with a hydrolat before applying the Rose and Sandalwood Elixir serum and the Moisturizing Base Cream: a simple gesture that enhances the absorption of subsequent products.

How to store them

Hydrolats are living and delicate aromatic waters: to best preserve their quality, we recommend storing them away from direct light and heat sources. As they are natural products free from synthetic preservatives, they should be treated with the care reserved for fresh raw materials.

Careful storage helps to maintain the aromatic profile and active ingredients of the hydrolat intact, so you can enjoy all its freshness and benefits for a long time.

Natural, vegan and cruelty-free

All Olfattiva products are 100% natural, handcrafted in the Massa Lombarda Workshop. The hydrolats are vegan and cruelty-free, made exclusively from plant-based raw materials, without animal derivatives and without synthetic substances. Olfattiva is certified AIAB Bio Eco Cosmesi and Vegan OK.

We believe in the law of resonance: what goes into a formula carries information with it. This is why our hydrolats only carry the delicate and beneficial message of plants, with full respect for Nature and every living being.

The Workshop and artisanal care

Like every Olfattiva creation, hydrolats are born in the Massa Lombarda Workshop, in the province of Ravenna, in the heart of Romagna, through careful and conscious gestures. The selection of raw materials begins long before the laboratory: with the encounter with the plant and the territory.

We work with a network of selected producers, which allows us to know the traceability of each raw material: origin, cultivation method, botanical name, chemical profile. For each essential oil, we verify all technical characteristics, always alongside olfactory evaluation, because the scent tells a lot about the vitality and balance of a raw material. Hydrolats are born directly from distillation, and their quality depends on the quality of the plant and the process.

Packaging is done entirely by hand: while we work, we try to maintain beautiful, clean, and bright thoughts, because we believe that every gesture leaves a trace. We want a good formula and good information to be found together within each product.

Hydrolats and essential oils: two gifts from the same plant

From the same distillation, two complementary products are born: the essential oil, concentrated and potent, and the hydrolat, delicate and ready to use. While essential oil must always be diluted before skin application, hydrolat can be used pure on the skin, which makes it particularly safe and versatile.

These are two different ways to welcome the gift of the same plant: the essential oil for diffusion, synergies, and more intense treatments; the hydrolat for daily facial care, hair care, and a touch of freshness. Together, they tell the complete richness of the plant from which they originate.

For a natural beauty routine, hydrolats integrate beautifully with Olfattiva serums, creams, and vegetable oils, completing a fully plant-based skin care.

Hydrolats for hair and scalp

In addition to facial care, hydrolats prove to be excellent hair care products. When sprayed and massaged onto the scalp before shampooing, they are valuable complements to anti-hair loss or balancing scalp treatments. Rosemary hydrolat, in particular, helps to strengthen the hair and purify the scalp; Lavender hydrolat is indicated for an oily scalp or one prone to imbalances.

These are simple gestures to integrate into your hair care routine, which harness the active ingredients of the plant in a delicate and natural form. They can also replace water in the preparation of DIY masks and compresses, further enriching them.

It is this versatility - from face to hair, from tonics to DIY cosmetics - that makes hydrolats valuable allies for a complete and 100% natural beauty routine.

Why choose Olfattiva cosmetics

Choosing Olfattiva hydrolats means choosing products that are genuinely live, pure, and natural, resulting from a rigorous selection of raw materials and artisanal processing that preserves their integrity. Not just simple cosmetics, but small well-being rituals that combine skin care with emotional care.

Our hydrolats are live aromatic waters, obtained from steam distillation, rich in active ingredients and applicable pure on the skin: a delicate and versatile cosmetic for daily care.

This is Olfattiva's understanding of beauty: as an act of authentic care towards oneself and towards Nature. Each product carries the living message of plants, preserved without compromise and with full respect for every living being.

A guide to Olfattiva hydrolats

Each hydrolat has a specific purpose. Lavender hydrolat is soothing and rebalancing, ideal for sensitive skin and a scalp prone to imbalances; Rose hydrolat is tonifying and suitable for mature or dry skin; Neroli hydrolat is illuminating and indicated for dull or tired skin; Chamomile hydrolat is decongestant and perfect for the most reactive skin types.

Rosemary hydrolat is purifying, ideal for impure skin and for strengthening hair; Mint hydrolat is refreshing, particularly pleasant in summer, to be sprayed on the face and body for a touch of freshness and energy.

Choosing the right hydrolat means starting from your skin type and your needs: a simple gesture to complete your beauty routine with a fresh, delicate, and 100% natural cosmetic.

Natural freshness in every season

Hydrolats are valuable companions in every season, but they are at their best in the warmer months, when their freshness becomes a small relief. Sprayed on the face and body, they provide a touch of energy and lightness at any time of day, even outside the home.

They are versatile and immediate products, requiring no dilutions or preparations: just a few sprays to enjoy the benefits of the plant. It is this ease of use, combined with their complete naturalness, that makes them beloved allies for those seeking gentle, fresh, and daily skin care.

A simple, complete and gentle cosmetic

Hydrolats encapsulate all the gentleness of the plant in a single aromatic water. They are complete yet very simple to use: they do not require dilutions, do not need preparations, and can be applied pure to the skin at any time. It is this immediacy, combined with their richness in active ingredients, that makes them a cosmetic as versatile as it is precious, suitable for the whole family and every skin type.

Every time a hydrolat is sprayed, a small gift of distillation is brought to the skin: the living water of a plant, with its delicacy and benefits, preserved just as it was born, without unnecessary additions.

How to integrate hydrolats into your day

Hydrolats lend themselves to small gestures throughout the day. In the morning, after cleansing, a hydrolat suitable for your skin type prepares the face to receive serum and cream. During the day, a fresh hydrolat like Mint or Neroli can be sprayed on the face for an energizing touch, even when you're out and about.

In the evening, after removing makeup and cleansing, a soothing hydrolat like Lavender or Chamomile helps to decongest the skin and prepare it for rest. For hair, a rub of Rosemary hydrolat on the scalp before shampooing enriches the hair care routine.

These are simple and quick gestures that make hydrolats daily companions for natural skin and hair care. Their versatility and delicacy allow them to be used generously, according to one's needs and moments.

Precious waters, allies for every skin type

Hydrolats are cosmetics suitable for all skin types, from the most sensitive to the most mature, because each plant offers an aromatic water with specific properties. This variety makes them a small treasure of natural cosmetics, capable of meeting different needs with the same delicacy. Choosing your hydrolat means finding the ally most suited to your skin, to easily integrate into your daily routine.