In a previous post, I explained What is a Hydrosol?—covering how hydrosols are made and why they’re such a beautiful and versatile part of aromatherapy.
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to use hydrosols practically and creatively. From wound care and hot flashes to pet care and yoga mats, you’ll be amazed at the many roles these gentle aromatic waters can play in your daily life.
Let’s dive into the many ways you can begin incorporating hydrosols into your wellness routines!
🌿 Practical and Creative Ways to Use Hydrosols
1. Wound Care
Hydrosols are safe and soothing for tender, open skin. Use them to gently cleanse cuts, scrapes, or infected areas.
👉 Try: Helichrysum hydrosol for its powerful healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Skin Soothing
Cooling and calming, hydrosols act like a gentle water-based balm for irritated or inflamed skin.
👉 Try: Lavender, Frankincense, or Yarrow hydrosol for sunburn, rashes, or poison ivy.
3. General Skincare
Hydrosols are allies for nearly every skin type and condition—from acne to mature or sensitive skin.
👉 Try: Rose or Frankincense hydrosol as a refreshing toner.
4. Mouthwash
Hydrosols can freshen breath and support oral health without the intensity of essential oils.
👉 Try: Peppermint or Spearmint hydrosol.
5. Hot Flashes
Misting your face and neck with cooling hydrosols can offer immediate relief during a hot flash.
👉 Try: Peppermint, Clary Sage, Lime, or Geranium hydrosol.
6. Digestion
Skip the essential oil in water (which can be too strong!) and add hydrosol instead.
👉 Try: Add 2–3 tablespoons of Peppermint hydrosol to 1 liter of drinking water for gentle digestive support and a refreshing lift.
7. Bath Bliss
Add hydrosols to your bath for relaxation, skin nourishment, and emotional balance.
👉 Try: Rose, Lavender, or Clary Sage hydrosol (about ½ cup per bath).
8. Humidifier Boost
Add a splash of hydrosol to the water in your humidifier for a light, therapeutic aroma throughout your space.
9. Hair Rinse
Use hydrosol as a final rinse after shampooing to leave your hair soft, fragrant, and your scalp happy.
10. Energetic Clearing
Hydrosols can be used in energy work and chakra balancing. Mist around your body to cleanse your aura or refresh your space.
👉 Try: Sweetgrass hydrosol for spiritual clarity and grounding.
11. Foot Soak
Soak tired feet in a cool water bath with hydrosol or spritz them with a cooling mist.
👉 Try: Peppermint or Spearmint hydrosol.
12. Animal Care
Hydrosols are safe and effective for pet care, unlike essential oils which can be too harsh.
👉 Use for: hot spots, ear infections, mange, wounds, or to gently clean around their face.
💡 Liz Tip: My sweet pug Sassy had frequent hydrosol wipe-downs with Chamomile hydrosol, which was perfect for her adorable (but dirt-prone) wrinkles.
13. Culinary Uses
Replace water in recipes with hydrosols to add a delicate flavor and aroma.
👉 Try: In tea, baked goods, salad dressings, or soups.
14. Soap & Skincare Formulations
Use hydrosols in place of water in your handmade soap, lotion, or skincare recipes for an aromatic and skin-loving touch.
15. Yoga Mats & Massage Tables
Spray and let dry! Hydrosols gently cleanse surfaces and leave behind a soft aroma—without damaging vinyl or coatings like essential oils can.
16. Ironing Water
Yes, really! Add hydrosol to your iron’s water tank for a burst of natural fragrance while you press clothes. Ironing might even become enjoyable.
17. Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Use hydrosol in place of water for countertops, windows, tile, glass, and more. It adds both cleansing properties and beautiful aroma.
18. Car Cleaning
Spray and wipe down your car’s interior—steering wheel, dash, seats—for a clean and calming environment.
19. Classroom Freshening
Teachers love using hydrosols to wipe desks and refresh the air. One kindergarten teacher shared that since using hydrosol, her classroom has had the lowest illness-related absences in the school.
20. Linen & Pillow Spray
Lightly mist sheets, pillowcases, or pajamas to infuse them with calming botanical fragrance before bed.
👉 Try: Lavender or Chamomile hydrosol for sweet dreams.
21. Personal Cooling Spray
Keep a small spray bottle in your purse, gym bag, or car. Hydrosols are the perfect pick-me-up on hot days or after a workout.
✨ Want to Go Deeper into the World of Hydrosols?
If you’re excited to learn more about hydrosols—how they are made, the benefits of different types, and more ways to use them—I invite you to explore two of my popular online courses:
🎓 🔗An Introduction to Hydrosols
🎓 🔗Hydrosols for Health: A comprehensive training on hydrosols
This course is packed with knowledge, tips, and real-world experience to help you feel confident using hydrosols every day—for yourself, your family, and even your pets.
Be happy, be well,
Liz 🌿
PS: Did you know you can make your own hydrosols at home? It’s easier than you think! You can buy premium handcrafted copper still at Copperstills.com and make your own hydrosols!
Just an FYI, mange is a mite that digs itself under the skin of dogs/cats. Hydrosols would of course treat the itching, any infection as a result of their intrusion, and repel them, maybe even kill the buggers. All of this would of course would help reduce scaring (from all the scratching) of the skin, and allow the animal to heal faster as well. 🙂
Valuable information! Love using essential oils! Thanks!
Thanks for going all out to explain and how to use this hydrosol oil….thanks Liz!
Thanks for sharing such great tips 🙂
I’m thrilled to read about the uses for dogs. My dogs love to get their faces wiped off as it’s very dusty where we live.
I had no idea hydrosols could benefit us in so many ways! Thank you for this list. I’m going to try some of these!
Thnaks for sharing how to use oils fro natural healing. Great tips.
Great tips on hydrosols! Will make sure to use them. Thanks.
I didn’t realize that hydrosols can be used in so many ways. Informative article Liz! Looking forward for more! =)
This is one of my favorite Blogs. The postings are very unique and also outstanding with the new creativity and knowledge and with the new different ideas and concepts. I am waiting for some more new posts from you.
Hello Liz, I was sent here from Andrea Butje’s webinar a couple of days ago. I am interested in using hydrosols on my two little ones who are too young to use EO’s. We suffer from eczema/digestion/liver problems. You mentioned ingestion of hydrodrols. Is this safe on small children? Thank you for your help.
Hi Wendy, Usually ingestion of hydrosols is okay IF you are using pure, organic hydrosols without preservatives and you dilute the hydrsol in water. I usually advise 1:2 ratio – 1 part hydrosol, 2 parts water. I can’t speak to the safety for your children without knowing their ages and the exact hydrosol you’d like to use. Tell me more and I’ll be happy to help!
I am really enjoying the experience of using Hydrosols in my facial care routine. I mist a mixture of 1/2 German Chamomile and 1/2 Helichrysum on my face after I cleanse in the morning and evening and before I moisturize. It really seems to minimize the redness of rosacea and helps my skin stay more moisturized. I also use this same mixture and mist my face during the day. I wear a very light tinted moisturizer and it seems to refresh and hydrate my skin.
I have also used German Chamomile and Lavender hydrosols in a spray deodorant in place of water. The hydrosols seem to enhance the scent of the product.
Wow – that’s a gorgeous combination of hydrosols, Heather! I too have rosacea and find the hydrosols help cool the redness and heat in my cheeks. Thanks for sharing! Liz
Hi Liz! Thanks for the info about hydrosols! Your class is on my to-do list! I’m still planning my spring schedule! I bought some of Stillpoint’s hydrosols and they are lovely! I’m glad you mentioned to put them in the ‘fridge! I just ran and did that! thanks, Kathy
I’m so glad you bought hydrosols and Stillpoint’s products are wonderful! I know this is a good choice for you with your sensitivities. Thanks for staying in touch! Liz
Hi Liz,
I am just hearing about hydrosols for the first time. I would like to try them on my dogs but I am not sure what to use. My dog Ace has a sore ear and my other dog Jinxie has sores from itching herself. I think from allergies? They are both labs. What would be your recommendations?
Thanks,
Kristi
Hi Kristi, I’m SO glad you’re turning to hydrosols for your dog, rather than essential oils. Your dog will thank you 🙂 Without knowing more about what kind of sore ear you mean, or Jinxie’s itching, I’d say you would be safe using hydrosol of helichrysum or german chamomile. I would put some on a cotton pad and hold it against the dog’s ear. For the itching, I suggest a spray directly on the spots that are itching. These are both cooling, soothing hydrosols for skin problems. Good luck and let me know how it goes. You can purchase hydrosols at PompeiiOrganics.com.
Hi,
I’m doing some research on hydrosols as my husband and I inadvertently made a lemon balm hydrosol this past weekend! We were trying to extract the essential oils but I guess there was so little essential oil that it wasn’t even detectable except for what clung to the insides of the glass. But I supposed the steam distilled water we got is indeed hydrosol! Have you ever done this? Do you know if it’s feasible to try to extract the essential oils with a home distiller?
Hi Goldie! I love your story, and yes, I have made lemon balm hydrosol as recently as two weeks ago. It is divine! You learned a valuable lesson in that the Melissa officinalis plant, though abundant, doesn’t produce much essential oil which is why it is so expensive. BUT it does produce a gorgeous hydrosol as you discovered. I like to drink my Lemon Balm hydrosol in water or add some to a cup of tea as it is very relaxing. As far as extracting essential oils with a home distiller, it IS possible but takes a lot of plant material to produce even a small amount of essential oil, even from the high-yielding plants like peppermint. But I say, go for it! If nothing else, you’ll produce some wonderful hydrosols that have a lot of applications as you learned from this blog post! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
I bought myself a diffuser, and a variety of essential oils that can be used with it, but then I discovered that most of the oils I bought are not safe for cats. I have a cat that lives in my room all the time. So I kept reading and chasing information and someone said use hydrosols instead of essential oils for diffusing with pets. So I am trying to find out how to do that, and where to buy some hydrosols for my diffuser. Can you help me?
Hi Dana, Actually, no essential oils are very safe for cats. However, you can diffuse your essential oils happily for yourself and make sure to give your cat an egress. Just leave the door open so they can get out when it begins to bother them. If you would like to purchase really good hydrosols, I recommend PompeiiOrganics.com. If you use the code “liz” when you checkout you’ll get a 15% discount!
Hi Dana, Actually, no essential oils are very safe for cats. However, you can diffuse your essential oils happily for yourself and make sure to give your cat an egress. Just leave the door open so they can get out when it begins to bother them. If you would like to purchase really good hydrosols, I recommend PompeiiOrganics.com. If you use the code “liz” when you checkout you’ll get a 15% discount! I appreciate the responsibility you’re showing for your fur babies! Liz
My daughter has a diffuser she uses, and she uses some essential oils, such as Lavander and tea tree oil. I don’t know how much she knows about the safe and unsafe ways to use these oils, she has a dog, and she is about 8 weeks or so pregnant. I am a little worried about her using a diffuser with certain EOs while she is pregnant, and I don’t want her to hurt her dog either. Can you give me some advice concerning which oils are safe, or even benefitial during pregnance, and dogs, or should she change and use hydrosols too. Please help me if you can.
Liz I LOVE using hydrosols. I have 3 really active kids and started using hydrosols for all of their bumps and bruises. I’m especially impressed by how well a cold compress of helichrysum and chamomile roman (or lavender) hydrosols can ease the pain and swelling of a bruise. I also use them for compressing sore joints and muscles. Different blends of hydrosols depending on what’s causing the pain. My favorite thing? That I’m working in harmony with the wisdom of nature by using the hydrosols 🙂
Great article, Liz!
Tracie
tracienichols.com
I couldn’t agree more, Tracie! You are most definitely working in harmoney with nature! And they are also wonderful energetic tools, as well. Love your newsletter and read every issue! Thanks for stopping by.
Liz, I’ve recently been investigating the various hydrosols that are available. I’m curious as to whether the same principles apply to combining them as applies to essential oils. Or are the better used singly?
One more comment…..don’t know if it’s your site or my iPad,…..but 1/4 of the posts are covered up by the pics or other symbols……sometimes you miss out on something pertinent that some one says. Have you heard from anyone else about this issue?
Thanks! My company just came out with rose hydrosol so I appreciate this post.
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