How to make Floral Water

Making Floral Water

With the arrival of winter and the temporary disappearance of the garden, it is still possible to revitalize your home with floral fragrance and beauty. Of course, as anyone knows, fresh cut bouquets will certainly enhance the memory of spring; but there is also another way. For over 5000 years, distillate waters (hydrosols), the most famous being rose water (in which history records both Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette bathed) have served to soothe the souls of those who embrace them as part of their routines. These sweet fragranced waters are simple to prepare and far less expensive than if purchased online, and the benefit of making your own floral waters is that you can create a unique signature scent to suit your own tastes. There are many ways to make floral waters, but here are two of the simplest:

1) Making floral water with fresh flower petals

You will need:

Fresh flower petals;

Distilled water;

Alcohol;

Two large glass bowls;

A fine muslin cloth;

and several pretty glass bottles.

In a large glass bowl, mix the distilled water and alcohol in equal parts and set aside. Pour a cup of fresh flower petals into the second bowl; thoroughly mix the distilled water and alcohol, then pour it over the petals until they are completely covered. Set the bowl in a warm room and allow it to sit untouched for seven to ten days; this will permit the petal fragrance to completely infuse the water and alcohol. Once you have reached the end of the waiting period, use the muslin cloth to assiduously strain the floral water, and pour it into the decorative glass bottles. Store the floral water in the refrigerator in order to maintain the shelf life for eight months to a year.

2) Making floral water with essential oils

You will need:

Essential oils;

Distilled water;

Vitamin E oil;

A glass measuring cup;

and several decorative glass bottles.

Using essential oils in place of petals allows you to produce the floral water without the seven to ten day wait! All you need to do is stop by your local Edmonton health food or holistic medicine store and select the floral essential oils which speak to your soul. Of course, the various scents have many different properties, so you can choose according to how you intend to use them. Examples of the ways essential oils affect our senses in aromatherapy are: Blue cypress is for balance, Lavender for relaxation, Myrhh for meditation and prayer, Peppermint is refreshing and Rose is soothing, and there are many more. If you wish, you can experiment by mixing two or more essential oils to create an exclusive fragrance.

Once you’ve selected your favourite essential oils, take the glass measuring cup and fill it with distilled water. Thoroughly mix fifteen drops of essential oil and two drops of Vitamin E oil (a natural preservative). Then pour into the glass bottles and store in your refrigerator; every so often you will also want to agitate the floral waters in order to disperse the fragrance. Always shake well before every use as the oils will settle when sitting idle.

Making use of floral water

There are many ways to use your floral waters and you might be surprised at how easily they replace a common, chemical laden everyday household product – the air freshener. How does this work? Simply pour your floral water into a spray bottle; you will immediately notice how much more natural and refreshing it is than the ones you buy in the store, and it is also much better for your health. You can even use it as a fabric freshener, for bedding, your sofa, clothes and lingerie, or use it to add that close-your-eyes-and-sigh-with-delight scent to any room by spraying it in the air. Floral waters bring spring to your home no matter what time of year! Share the love and give a few bottles as presents to friends and family. These rich, splendid fragrances are well worth the little time out of your day it takes to make them, and they will surely bring a sense of well being and floral communion to everyone, for, as Heinrich Heine said, “Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.”  Brought to you by a Mater Florist in Edmonton.