"Floral Waters?"

Once again, I am reminded that the term "Floral Water" can mean anything under the sun.  

Just received a marketing email from an aromatherapy and fragrance supplier from whom we have occassionally bought packaging materials.

HUGE attractive display ad raving about their "fresh floral waters."  I was intrigued.  Some hydrosols we had not encountered.  Most of you know I *do* love our hydrosols.

Most of you also know that a Hydrosol/ Hydrolat is "the other distillate".... it comes from the still along with the precious essential oils we make available.  A true hydrosol contains all the water soluble plant chemicals released during the distillation process.  It will contain traces of the essential oil, and a different chemical balance than that found in the essential oil.

This company offered a long list of floral waters.  I was excited.  Then I dug deeper and read further.


"Our floral waters are a mixture of distilled water and fragrant essential oils and absolutes. A versatile addition to any beauty routine, each of these Floral Waters can be added to the manufacturing process in place of normal water, used as a deodorant, facial spritzer, for direct application to the skin, as a cooling agent, in saunas, in hair care applications, as a fragrance or for massage. As you can see, Floral Waters are incredibly versatile!...from the most trusted name in Aromatherapy"

Really?

I got very curious.  Wanted to know how the essential oil is dispersed in the distilled water, since normally the eo will float on top of the water.  They give an MSDS and C of A.  I looked at the ingredients listed in the Certificate of Analysis:

"Purified Water >30 – 100 %

Vegetable Glycerin >1 - 3%
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Caster Oil >1 - 3%

(Steam) Essential Oil  >0.1 – 0.3%

Potassium Sorbate  >0.1 – 0.3%

Citric Acid  >0.1 – 0.3%

Dimethicone Defoamer"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooookay..  Dimethicone Defoamer?

Folks, I absolutely guarantee that NONE of our hydrosols contain vegetable glycerine,  castor oil, potassium sorbate, citric acid, OR...  "Dimethicone"

So much for natural products.