Fire & Water: The Ancient Art of Making Hydrosols

It’s that time of year again—when herbs are ripe for the picking… or for distillation.

But what exactly is distillation, and what do we get from it?

Distillation is the process of heating plant material—either in water or with steam—to extract essential oils and hydrosols, also known as aromatic waters or plant waters. When plant material is submerged in water and heated, the rising steam carries the plant’s volatile compounds through a cooling tube, where the steam condenses back into water and drips into a collecting vessel.

Some plants are distilled using steam only. In that method, the plant material is placed above the boiling water in a column, and steam rises through it, collecting aromatic and therapeutic constituents before cooling and condensing. Depending on the density of the essential oil, it will either float on top of the hydrosol or sink to the bottom.

The essential oil contains the oil-soluble (lipophilic) components of the plant, while the hydrosol carries the water-soluble constituents along with microdroplets of essential oil. This makes hydrosols gentle, versatile, and incredibly useful.

The hydrosol dripping out

A Little History

Distillation has existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found primitive stills in ancient settlements—some made of clay pots resembling early alembics. One such example was discovered in a Himalayan village and is estimated to be around 5,000 years old. The oldest known alembic was found in Slovakia and dates to around 4000 BCE. It had a remarkably sophisticated design: a bottom vessel for plant and water, a middle ring-shaped chamber with a cone for condensation, and a top cap. As steam rose through the cone and hit the cap, it condensed and dripped into the ring for collection.

This ancient design isn’t too different from modern alembics. By the 3rd century BCE, writings by Synesius of Ptolemais and Zosimos of Panopolis described distillation equipment in use in Egypt. But it was the Arab world, particularly between 800 and 1300 CE, that truly advanced distillation through the study of alchemy. During this golden age of science, the renowned Persian physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) improved still designs by elongating and coiling the cooling tube—enhancing efficiency and output.

Refigerated Coil

Hydrosols as Medicine

In early Europe, hydrosols—also known as hydrolats, flower waters, or distilled plant waters—were likely the original form of plant medicine, not essential oils. Essential oils require vast amounts of plant material to produce, which wasn’t practical for most people. Aromatic plants were grown in kitchen gardens, and small-scale distillation would yield mostly hydrosol, with only trace amounts of essential oil.

With land prioritized for food and survival crops like grains or animal fodder, early distillers simply didn’t have the space to produce essential oils in quantity. Hydrosols, on the other hand, were accessible, practical, and potent in their own right.

Famous Water Through Time

Hungary Water

One of the most famous aromatic waters is Hungary Water, reportedly created in the 14th century for the Countess of Hainault by distilling alcohol with fresh rosemary blossoms. A version of the formula appears in Understanding Hydrolats by Len and Shirley Price. Their recipe includes grape spirits, rosemary otto, lemon balm otto, lemon peel, mint otto, rose, and orange flower extract.

Originally used as a face wash and added to bathwater, it was said to refresh the mind and invigorate the body. Honestly, it sounds like a refreshing beverage! I’m tempted to recreate a non-alcoholic version using just hydrosols and see how it turns out.

Carmelite Water

Another renowned formula is Carmelite Water, created in 1379 by the nuns of the Carmelite Abbey of St. Just for King Charles V of France. The king was suffering from advanced senility, and the nuns used this blend daily to help calm and refresh his mind. The scent became so well-loved that Carmelite Water was used throughout Europe for over 350 years.

Its ingredients included lemon balm, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves, coriander seed, cinnamon, and angelica root—distilled in orange flower water and alcohol. I’d love to try a version using modern hydrosols, though nutmeg hydrosol remains elusive on the market.

Still Rooms & Distilling Culture

By the 16th century, still rooms were common in large European households. These were spaces dedicated to distilling herbs from kitchen gardens—such as rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, and sage—for use in hygiene, medicine, and even food. While heating hydrosols too much can dull their flavor, perhaps they were added at the end of cooking to preserve their essence.

Co-distillation, where multiple plants are distilled together, was also practiced. A 1615 manuscript mentions distilling lavender with canella bark, wallflowers, and grains of paradise to make a fine lavender water. Queen Henrietta Maria had her own version, blending rosemary, rue, and white lavender for a lavender water she favored.

Out of Style, But Not Forgotten

As distillation techniques advanced, the focus shifted toward essential oils. By the 18th century, the slow commercialization of essential oils began, and hydrosols were gradually pushed aside. The rise of laboratory-based chemistry in the 19th and 20th centuries led to the decline of plant medicine overall—and many hydrosols were replaced by synthetic substitutes. Even beloved rose water became largely artificial.

But the good news? Hydrosols are making a comeback. Suzanne Catty’s Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy helped revive interest in these gentle and powerful waters. I agree with Len and Shirley Price on this point: hydrosols aren’t the next aromatherapy—they’re the first.

My Own Distilling Ritual

Each year, I look forward to distilling my own herbs. I always distill lavender and once did a lavender–helichrysum co-distillation that turned out beautifully. Sadly, I won’t have enough helichrysum this year for another batch.

This year’s plan includes yarrow—I finally have enough—as well as my usual lavender. I’m also eyeing catnip, which has volunteered itself all over my yard, and lemon balm, which I need to find another use for beyond tinctures.

There’s something meditative and grounding about the distillation process. It’s ancient, slow, aromatic, and rewarding. I look forward to it every summer.

Stay tuned for Part Two, where I’ll share how I use these beautiful hydrosols in my daily life—from food and drinks to skincare, wound healing, emotional balance, and beyond.