How is cornflower hydrosol made?

The aromatic hydrosol of cornflower is the result of a low-pressure distillation (less than 0.05 bar) and low-temperature (<100°C) steam distillation of dried flowers harvested in the summer. This process involves placing the raw plant materials and purified water in the still, before being directly heated over a fire. The steam produced feeds the tank that contains the plant to be distilled. The stream of steam then passes through the plants, carrying away the aromatic compounds that make up the essential oils, but also other active water-soluble molecules and low molecular weight molecules that end up diluted in the hydrosol. Loaded with various active molecules contained in the plant fibers, this steam is then returned to a liquid state by refrigeration, passing through a coil submerged in cold water. Once condensed, the distillate is collected in the essencier where it settles and separates into two distinct fractions by density difference: the essential oil, usually lighter, floats above the distilled water. Unlike other plants, cornflower does not contain essential oil.

The duration of distillation is tailored to each plant. Yields can also vary depending on the plant. For instance, to obtain a liter of cornflower floral water, one uses approximately 0.2 kg of dried flowers.

Long misunderstood as a byproduct of distillation, cornflower hydrosol is then microfiltered before being packaged in tinted and opaque bottles, protecting it from light and oxygen exposure.

The cornflower hydrosol used in our treatments is obtained by distilling the flowering tops harvested in France from organic farming type cultures. Very delicate due to its low essential oil content, the cornflower floral water is then protected from bacterial contaminations with Geogard 221, a mixture composed of dehydroacetic acid (INCI name: Dehydroacetic Acid) and benzyl alcohol (INCI name: Benzyl Alcohol).