Hawaiian Citrus
Citrus fruit is rarely distilled as the essential oil in the peel is usually removed by expression or pressing. These "Hawaiian Citrus" hydrosols are produced during the hydro distillation of bio-dynamically grown whole fruit in Hawaii. In fact the fruit distills in a combination of water and its own juice giving us intense flavour in the distillate waters that we normally wouldn't see from these varieties. Fifty pounds of whole fruit yield just 3 litres of hydrosol so quantities are limited. All the citrus waters help with digestion, supporting liver functions and aiding detoxification and they taste yummy. The You-Zi may also reduce appetite. Citrus fruit are now being explored for anti-cancer effects as well as their known anti-oxidant properties. Handy attributes when you consider these hydrosols make the most delightful beverage or can be added to any holiday festive recipe. Try Sweet Orange and Satsuma together in mulled wine, You-Zi with soda water for the kids or combine all the flavours for an exotic, crystal clear fruit punch. Add some ice cubes with flowers or cranberries frozen inside for seasons greetings or alternately make ice cubes with a little hydrosol flavoured water..WOW!. Add a splash to your cooking, citrus goes really well with holiday duck, goose or turkey and adds zip to winter vegetables. However you use them enjoy the wellness in each bottle and let the sun shine in.

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis): a cool, barely sweet flavour offset by the under-taste and smell of fresh orangeade. Not too intense this is an easy water to work with. Splash a bit in your morning juice for O.J. with panache or mix with sparkling mineral water for a gourmet touch at brunch. We like it sprinkled over fresh fruit as a sugar-free sweetener.

Lime (Citrus aurantifolia): My personal fave, and the most powerful of the citrus. Highly aromatic, intense lime flavour and just a hint of the zest in the aftertaste. Lime brings you the taste of a hot, sunny beach in a glass, great when you can't get away for a real holiday. Add it to salad dressings, any Asian recipe especially Thai, use it anywhere you'd use fresh lime juice. Finally this is the cocktail mixers dream so enjoy!

Satsuma (Citrus unshiu): The smell and taste of childhood. It's extraordinary! You'll want to add this to everything. Satsumas (related to tangerines) are the traditional fruit of the winter holiday season, now you can enjoy that freshness all year round. On stress filled days use satsuma in your water for a fresh perspective, anxiety is history with this happy water. Relaxing without being sedative try it as an evening beverage hot or cold, with honey or not, dreams will come easier and you'll wake refreshed in a new way.

You-Zi (Citrus maxima): Also called Pommelo or Chinese grapefruit,You-Zi is highly valued as a medicinal fruit. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses this fruit for the liver and gallbladder which supports recent western research on grapefruit. This is the best tasting detoxifier you'll ever find. Drink You-Zi when you've over-indulged or use as an aperitif to start digestion before you feast. A tablespoon in water before your morning coffee can reduce appetite all day. It's mild and slightly sweet taste is extremely palatable and even kids will love You-Zi punch. Blend with any of the other citrus for real taste sensations or use on it's own, even straight out of the bottle, for a quick pick-me-up. You-Zi strengthens and tones the whole body and mind and lightens your spirit., what more could we ask for?

Ancient Resins
Resins are exuded by plants through their bark, stems, leaves and even on the flowers as a form of protection. Resins deter pests, kill disease and germs, heal wounds, attract pollinators and also happen to smell amazing. Resins usually harden on exposure to air and traditionally are burned on lumps of charcoal to release the dense smoke and fragrance, in fact, our word incense comes from frankincense, perhaps the best known of the ritual resins. The smoke was seen as a direct link to the gods able to carry your prayers to the heavens and purify your space from negative energies. So valuable were resins that Egyptian pharaohs could be deposed if the temples ran out and frankincense was traded for it's volume in gold. No wonder 'wise men' carried precious resins on their journeys.

Use the resins for rituals, magic & prayer, smudge your space with a few mists in the corners of the room , clear your own energy field or those of clients and discover a new calm. Resin hydrosols are magic in skin care as well, erasing fine lines, smoothing the complexion and preserving skin, they were a key component of embalming after all and that's some serious preservation. Just add a teaspoon or two to your favourite products and wish the years away. Gentlemen, try any of the resins after shaving for a naturally soft skin tonic.

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): The gift of the Magi. This hydrosol also works to refine complexions and eliminate tiny lines. A little frankincense in water will open your lungs and expand your breathing, great for meditation or chest congestion. If you experience stuffy or dry sinus' try snuffing a couple of drops up your nose.. sounds crazy but the relief is real.

Myrrh (Commiphora molmol): an extremely rare hydrosol as myrrh is often salted to help separate the oil and hydrosol components. Myrrh is rightly famous for it's astringent, wound healing properties, mist it on cuts, scrapes or abrasions for fast healing. Skin irritations and acne are calmed and reduced by Myrrhs' toning effects. Use after cleansing skin for best results. Try it as a mouth wash for natural dental hygiene. During the festive season when family events and busy schedules create pressure, spritz Myrrh on your feet or solar plexus for instant chill-out and centering. Oh bliss, oh joy!

Galbanum (Ferrula gummosa): An ancient sacred resin, Galbanum has a resonating scent, like desert air blowing over a forest floor. It's a mild analgesic and relaxant so this is the one to pull out at the end of the day when you need to unwind. Galbanum shares many of the astringent, skin healing properties of other hydrosols so add it to masks or creams or use as a toner. Women may find this an aid to hormone balancing, there's something really supportive about this resin, let it hug you when you need it.

Opoponax (Opoponax chironium): Intense, deep, earthy fragrance that's really dry, you can smell it's astringency. Infected wounds, ulcers, tooth and gum problems all respond well, one of those tastes bad 'cause it works remedies. Historically used to smudge temples and homes, this is the resin for our four-footed friends, to deter fleas and ticks. Mist some on your hands and rub over your pets legs, belly, neck and back and mist over bedding to keep the house tickety-boo. It's an acquired taste but Opoponax hydrosol has a special magic all its own.

Heart Note Florals
Part of what attracts people to aromatherapy is the chance to play with flowers. The gorgeous scents exuded by natures most beautiful blooms enchant us with their promise and entice us with their succulence. This collection of hydrosols spans the globe in search of the perfect floral fragrance with the most delightful tastes.

Northern Italy gives us the bitter orange blossom. How could a fruit so tart have a bloom so sweet? Each tiny white flower must be picked when perfect and there is one less fruit with every blossom harvested. Nestled between the Bulgarian mountains lie the valleys of the rose. Still in Europe but bordering close on Asia where the rose originated, these valleys are pristine and the flowers considered the world finest. The white rose is the rarest of the rose oil blooms and we delight in sharing this special gift with you.

Finally we journey beyond the African continent to the island of Madagascar, home to some of the world's rarest flora and fauna. Here Ylang Ylang trees grow huge, the hanging blossoms dripping with scent as they change from green to yellow to white and ripe. We hope you enjoy the luxury of these waters and wish you plenty of time to "stop and smell all the flowers".

Neroli (Citrus aurantium ssp aurantium [flos]): Every aromatherapist smiles at the mention of the name Neroli. This is perhaps the most classic of the early perfume fragrances named for an Italian princess who wore this scent every day. Neroli is a major anti-stress and calming agent, chilling out the central nervous system. It stops caffeine jitters or the effects of overindulgence rapidly. Every A-type personality can benefit from a little orange flower, misted on or added to water (try a splash in orange juice.. yum!!). With children use Neroli to calm hysterics, tantrums or everyday tears whether at home or away, it works so fast you won't believe it.... just mist in the air around the children or on your clothes before you hug them, Neroli will kiss it all better.

White Rose (Rosa damascena var alba): The white rose, stuff of legends, symbol of a royal household and the rarest rose fragrance of all. This hydrosol smells and taste like a fresh rose flower in June, perfection. Rose is humectant drawing moisture to your skin, perfect for dry winter air, carry it with you and use liberally! You can also add White Rose hydrosol to any of your cosmetics, cleansers or lotions, both for the healing effects and the sublime aroma, who needs perfume? Rose has an affinity with the heart and the emotional spheres of mind, body and spirit. It promotes balance and supports you when making decisions or completing projects. Try rose hydrosol in desserts, beverages or a romantic new years glass of champagne, Happy indeed.

Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata): The sultry, sexy scent of those heady Ylang blossoms in a much subtler form, like scented silk floating over your skin. We've been using it in, and on, everything and it sure turns heads. Ylang Ylang is the 'flower of flowers' traditionally associated with marriage, love and sex. Wear it as an all-over perfume, use it as a linen spray and leave lavender to the kids, add a few drops to your body lotion and let the games begin. Ylang Ylang is fantastic for your hair leaving it soft and shining, add a teaspoon or two to your conditioner or spray it on your hairbrush to give you that just washed freshness anytime. The exquisite scent blends well with the citrus hydrosols too.