Floral waters have been used for an array of purposes such as skin care, fragrance, and traditional medicine for thousands of years. The first floral waters are believed to have been distilled from the first clay still, found in Pakistan, dating as far back as 5,000 years ago. Floral waters continued to increase in popularity, and chemist Nicolas Lemery described more than 200 varieties in commerce by the 18th century. In Ayurveda, Rose Water was believed to be an effective antiseptic eyewash for improving vision, stress reliever, and preventing infections. Rose and sandalwood waters have also been used in India since the Mughal Era to make fragrant attars. Meanwhile, Geranium Floral Water has been used traditionally to treat skin troubled by eczema, especially weepy type eczema.
Floral Waters have also been an integral part of Ancient social, religious, and spiritual practices. In the eastern Mediterranean, Neroli Floral Water was used as a welcoming ritual before meals by washing the hands of honored guests. In Iran, Rose Water is considered a gentle wash in holy spaces, while in southern India, Rose Water is a part of a wedding ritual to bless the newly wedded couple at the end of the ceremony. Floral Waters were popular and commonly used up until the mid '700s. Then, with the introduction of Essential Oils around 1840, Floral Waters fell off the radar since the same equipment and distillation process are used to produce Essential Oils.
Floral Waters possess a vast versatility due to the unique aromatic profile and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. With richer constituents than traditional toners, Floral Waters are suitable for a variety of skin types and are slowly assuming the role of toners in many skin care regimens. Floral Waters are milder alternatives to their Essential Oil counterparts, while still possessing the same essences of the plant of origin. Some of the many other benefits of Floral Waters include:
Hydrating and cooling for dry and sensitive skin.
Mild and safe enough for use on baby's skin.
Possessing gentle cleansing properties – Floral Waters help remove dirt and impurities from the skin.
Enhancing emollient properties in skincare routines - when applied prior to moisturizer, floral waters can lock in moisture, making this step more hydrating and effective.
Suitable for all skin types - With an abundance of antioxidant and antiseptic properties, Floral Waters are beneficial for dry, acne-prone, sensitive, and mature skin types.
CHAMOMILE FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Chamaemelum nobile
Constituents: Geraniol, Linalool, Borneone, Camphor, Cineole (Ketones), Methylchavicol, Eugeneol (Phenols), Ocimene, Pinene, Slyvestrene (Terpenes).
Believed to:
EUCALYPTUS FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Eucalyptus globulus
Believed to:
HELICHRYSUM (IMM / EVER) FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Helichrysum italicum
Believed to:
LAVENDER FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Lavendula angustofolia
Believed to:
LEMONGRASS FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon flexuosus
Constituents: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Magnesium.
Believed to:
NEROLI FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Citrus aurantium
Believed to:
PEPPERMINT FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Mentha piperata
Constituents: Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Farnesol, Citronellol, d-limonene.
Believed to:
ROSE GERANIUM FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Pelargonium graveolens
Believed to:
ROSE FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Rose damascene
Active Constituents: Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Farnesol, Citronellol, d-limonene.
Believed to:
ROSEMARY FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus offinalis
Active Constituents: Linalool, Borneone, Camphor, Cineol (Ketones), Methylchavicol, Eugeneol (Phenols), Ocimene, Pinene, Slyvestrene (Terpenes).
Believed to:
SANDALWOOD (EAST INDIAN) FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Sandalum album
Believed to:
SPEARMINT FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Mentha spicata
Believed to:
TEA TREE FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Melaleuca alternifolia
Active Constituents: Linalool, Borneone, Camphor, Cineole (Ketones), Methylchavicol, Eugeneol (Phenols), Ocimene, Pinene, Slyvestrene (Terpenes).
Believed to:
YLANG YLANG FLORAL WATER
Botanical Name: Cananga oderata
Active Constituents: Benzoic (Acid), Farnesol, Geraniol, Linalool (Alcohols), Benzy acetate (Ester), Eugenol, Safrole (Phenols), Cadinene (Sesquiterpene), Pinene (Terpene).
Believed to:
These beautiful Floral Waters are versatile enough for everyday use and are adaptable to any natural recipe. This makes the possibilities endless for these aromatic liquids. In many skin care regimens, Floral Waters can be used in place of a toner to cleanse, hydrate, and balance the skin's pH levels. Moisten a cotton pad and apply to the face after cleansing and before applying moisturizer for a noticeably radiant complexion. NDA's selection of Floral Waters possess skin enhancing constituents that can be beneficial for all skin types, so choosing the water that is most suitable for your skin care should be simple. On an especially hot day, cooling Floral Waters such as Peppermint, Spearmint, and Eucalyptus can be sprayed directly onto the skin as a refreshing mist.
Floral Waters are also highly beneficial for the hair and scalp, with potential to stimulate the follicle and promote new growth. For a nourishing hair tonic that delivers brilliant shine, spray the Floral Water in between the shampooing and conditioning steps, then rinse out. The aromatic Floral Water can also be applied to dry hair after styling to add shine and fragrance to strands. Rosemary and Ylang Ylang are known to moisturize dry hair and scalp while nourishing the roots. Spray directly to the scalp and massage into the roots to encourage healthy hair growth.
Along with their beatifying properties, Floral Waters such as Ylang Ylang, Spearmint, and Peppermint have a strong scent profile that can act as a natural pest or bug repellent. The astringent, antiseptic qualities of Eucalyptus make this Floral Water an effective treatment for bug bites, as well as for mild cuts and sores.
Since they are equally as beneficial yet, much milder than their Essential Oil counterparts, Floral Waters, namely Chamomile, is believed to be gentle enough for use on a baby's sensitive skin. Chamomile Floral Water can be incorporated into a bath or into homemade wet wipes.
Due to their fluid, versatile nature and their unique aroma profile, Floral Waters are a great addition to any natural skin and hair care product. Choose the Floral Water based on your desired results and add it to cleansers, toners, creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, and conditioners for an aromatic formulation that is nourishing to the skin, hair, and the body.
As with all other New Directions Aromatics products, Floral Waters are for external use only unless otherwise stated. Some individuals may experience cause skin irritation or allergic reactions when exposed to these products. For this reason, NDA recommends performing a skin patch test prior to using the product. To conduct a patch test, spray the Floral Water once onto skin that is not already sensitive. In the event of an adverse reaction, immediately stop using the product and seek guidance from a healthcare professional.