How to Distill Your Own Hydrosols at Home (A Simple Step-by-Step Guide)

KhadiYah Preciado
May 28, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Apr 30

If you've ever wondered how to make your own hydrosols — also known as flower waters — this guide is for you.

Hydrosols are gentle, water-based plant extractions that can be used in skincare, hair care, home cleaning, and even emotional healing routines. While essential oils get all the hype, hydrosols are just as powerful — especially for everyday, family-friendly use.

In this post, I’ll walk you through:

What hydrosols are
How steam distillation works
The step-by-step process for using a distiller
How to store and use your finished product

And if you’re ready to move beyond just one project and build a full herbal toolkit, I’ll also show you how to grab my book Recipes for the Earth, which includes over 40 herbal projects like this one — from skin tonics to syrups and more.

The Process

The Distiller

Screenshot This!

What Is a Hydrosol (and Why Should You Make One?)

Hydrosols are the water-based extracts left behind after distilling plants. They’re different from essential oils in that they’re:

Safer (great for babies, sensitive skin, and pets)
Water-soluble (perfect for facial mists, room sprays, and toners)
Gentle but effective for cleansing, soothing, and healing the skin

And the best part? You can make them yourself with just a few tools and the right plants.

If you’re building a biblical and holistic home apothecary, hydrosols are a must-have. They allow you to preserve the healing properties of herbs without alcohol, preservatives, or synthetics.

➡️ Want more healing recipes like this? Grab your copy of Recipes for the Earth — and learn how to make teas, tinctures, oils, sprays, and more, step by step.

Recipes From the Earth: For the Face, Body and Hair

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The Distiller: What It Does + How It Works

A distiller is the tool that makes it all possible. It uses steam distillation to extract aromatic plant compounds into water — your hydrosol.

Here’s how the process works:

Prepare your plant material: Choose clean, fresh or dried herbs (flowers, leaves, etc.). Remove any dirt or bugs.
Load the distiller: Place the plant material in the botanical basket. Don’t overpack — you want steam to flow easily.
Add water: Use clean, distilled water in the boiling chamber. This will create your steam.
Apply heat: Turn on your heat source (electric burner or stovetop) to begin boiling the water.
Steam passes through plants: As it rises, steam grabs onto the plant’s essential compounds and carries them up.
Condensation: The vapor passes through a cooled coil or condenser. It turns back into liquid.
Separation: You’ll get two layers: essential oil (top) and hydrosol (bottom). We’re focusing on that water layer — the hydrosol.
Collect and store: Pour the hydrosol into a dark glass bottle, seal it tight, and store it in a cool place.

➡️ Need a distiller?

➡ GET THIS DISTILLER: Click Here

Screenshot This: Quick Reminders

✔ Always use clean, pesticide-free plant material
✔ Use distilled water — not tap
✔ Store your hydrosol in dark bottles away from light and heat
✔ Label your bottle with the date and plant used
✔ Use within 6–12 months for best results

Hydrosols can be used as facial mists, linen sprays, wound cleansers, or even mixed into creams and washes. They’re easy to make — but even better when you know what plants to choose and why.

➡️ That’s exactly what I teach in my book Recipes for the Earth — from blending basics to deep healing formulas.

EBOOK: Recipes From The Earth: For the Face, Body and Hair

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Learning how to distill your own plant medicine gives you freedom.

It means you're not dependent on store-bought products with sketchy ingredients or overpriced essential oils. You get to make your own — safely, simply, and naturally.