Floral waters, or hydrosols are great for the skin. Hydrosols help tone, rehydrate and rebalance the pH of skin. Fruit or floral waters can be used in a number of ways. The first way is as a face toner or refresher. Simply dab an organic cotton ball with some of the hydrosol and wipe your face. You can do this twice a day, everyday. You can add hydrosols to your bath water for a fragrant bath and an all over body refresher. You can also mist yourself with hydrosols. A gentle fragrance will be left behind. Be sure to keep floral waters out of your eyes.
Here are some good ones to try.
Calendula hydrosol is a good one to use for its therapeutic properties. It has
has anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and astringent properties.
Lavender hydrosol is very relaxing and balancing.
Lemon balm hydrosol has a calming effect on mental stress and fatigue. It also works well on skin inflammations’.
Lemon verbena hydrosol is stimulating and uplifting.
Peppermint hydrosol is refreshing and revitalizing.
Rose geranium hydrosol is balancing. It is the perfect hydrosol for the sporadic symptoms of menopausal women.
Rose hydrosol makes a wonderful balancing toner for all skin types. It also works as an anti-anxiety spray, a deodorant and a room freshener.
Rosemary hydrosol is energizing and stimulating.
Filed under Hydrosols, Tinctures by on Jan 30th, 2010. Comment. 
To my amazement when I walked into the greenhouse today I was greeted by the bloom of this lovely Hedychium. Somehow I had missed the flower scrape, possibly because I have been entranced by the green Cananga fruticosa blooms. I am anxiously awaiting the day they turn yellow and that lovely ylang ylang smell permeates the greenhouse.
Hibiscus Red Road has been a faithful bloomer this year since being potted up and moved back into the greenhouse. The bright red blooms are so nice and will certainly brighten up the place come winter.
Above is a photo of the green blooms of cananga fruticosa. I am so excited about this plant having flowers, especially at its young age. I simply cannot wait for them to turn yellow. I am not sure if I am going to leave them on the plant or tincture them. I will make up my mind when the time comes.
Another fragrant beauty that is blooming, but not quite in full bloom is Brugmansia. This one was supposed to be pink, but as you can see, it is white. The fragrance is heavenly however and it is one of my staple plants.
While I did not get a picture, my cestrum nocturtum is also in full bloom. I have never seen one so full of blooms before. I just couldn’t resist, especially since I was making a lemon verbena tincutre, so I climbed back to it, cut some of the flowers off and am attempting to make a tincture.
I am not sure what fragrant concotion I will come up with to use the tinctures in, maybe a perfume that reminds me of the greenhouse or hot tropical nights.
I hope you have enjoyed the photos of what is in bloom. Stay tuned, there are many more fragrant tropical plants in the greenhouse with buds on them. You just never know what I might have blooming in my tiny Indiana greenhouse.
Filed under Herbal Preparations, Natural Perfumes, Tinctures by on Nov 2nd, 2009. Comment.
