by Erik Wesseling
Recently we introduced a brand new product to Belvedere Lavender customers – Hydrosol. But what is this product, how can you use it around your home and most importantly, why should you?
Let’s dive in!
What’s Hydrosol?
When we extract essential oil from lavender, the process creates the essential lavender oil – which we bottle and sell, and the hydrosol. This hydrosol is the floral water, containing essence of lavender and water. Hydrosols are a gentle scent and less concentrated while essential oils are a heavier smell, and more concentrated.
Hydrosol has so many uses and purposes! While new in popularity, you’ll find a rich history of using floral water in various forms. These include: Perfumes, Skin toners, Aromatherapy, Makeup products, Skin care products, and Natural Health Products.
We’ll focus our attention on lavender. When we make essential lavender oil, using our copper still, we end up with 2 different products – the essential oil and the hydrosol. After these mixtures are separated and cooled, they’re bottled separately and dated. At each step we control the manufacturing process to ensure quality. Using both liquids from this manufacturing process is a smart, environmental move. We hate waste!
What do you use hydrosol for?
Now that we know what hydrosol is, what is its purpose? What can the floral water be used for, during or with? This is an excellent question. As we use all natural, organic products in our work and home lives, using hydrosol in our homes is the perfect addition to going green and using sustainable products.
Room deodorizer
You can use hydrosol for many purposes, including in place of room deodorizers. Looking to add a light, gentle scent to your room? Give hydrosol a try. You can add this light scent, without using products full of chemicals.
Ironing
Looking to iron a shirt or pair of pants, or whatever you iron? Use hydrosol in place of regular water. Be careful when ironing – cotton, linen clothing work well with hydrosol. But stay clear of using hydrosol on all silk items.
Cleaning Products
If you’re looking to kick your cleaning products to the curb because they’re made with too many chemicals for your liking, try making your own. We suggest a mixture of distilled water, white vinegar and lavender hydrosol. This cleaning mixture can also be used on windows and glass. If you’re cleaning greasy items, add a little dish soap into the mixture.
Rinsing Clothing
Adding lavender hydrosol to the final rinse of your washing machine is a great way to add softness and a light lavender scent to clothing. Consider swapping out fabric softener.
Makeup Remover
So many makeup removers are full of chemicals and dry out your skin. Instead of using these products, switch to a lavender hydrosol. You can add a little hydrosol to a cotton makeup pad and remove your makeup. The addition of lavender hydrosol adds moisture back to your skin and helps condition and tone it.
These 5 uses for hydrosol begin to demonstrate how useful and how versatile this product is. As we and many others continue to incorporate using all natural ingredients and products in our homes, we’ve begun to use our Lavender Hydrosol in place of many household products. We don’t miss the chemicals, but love the all natural scents.
You can find our all-natural, organic, Hydrosol on our shop, along with our luxurious hand processed organic skin care products.
by Erik Wesseling
When Belvedere Lavender began, we had a vision of revolutionizing the health and beauty industry by creating environmentally conscious skincare products that were spa-quality, but priced for everyone.
Let’s repeat that. We wanted to craft skincare that is spa-quality, but priced for everyone. Seems like a really lofty idea. But we did it! We craft European-style skincare products that work for everyone.
Everyone.
Everyone has skin.
We’re going to unpack some truths and false misconceptions about what skincare and what makes our customers and Belvedere Lavender products a good fit.
Truth 1: Skincare is tailored to each skin type
True.
Even with the various skin types, some basics ring true. You shouldn’t pay an arm and a leg for incredible skin. You deserve a skincare product that is all natural, organic and environmentally sustainable, regardless of your skin type.
Have dry skin? Check out our Body Oil for post-bath or shower bliss.
Have oily skin? Check out our Salt Body Scrub or Goat’s Milk Bath for use in the bath or shower.
Have combination skin? Check out our Face & Eye Cream for a balanced approach.
Have normal skin? Check out our Hand & Body Lotion to maintain great skin. Whatever skin type you have, you’ll find a Belvedere Lavender skincare product that meets your skin’s needs.
Did you know that our product containers are recyclable? Check out your local municipality to see how you can recycle the container. We believe in the power of sustainability and making good decisions for the planet.
Truth 2: Skincare is for women
False.
Each person on the planet, regardless of gender, has skin. Men, nonbinary people, women and kids have skin. Sometimes how you care for your skin depends on your gender and the products available. We don’t believe in different products for different genders – with one exception – For Him kit. Even this kit can be used by anyone.
Everyone has skin. Everyone deserves a quality skincare product that does actually what it should, like moisturize, exfoliate or softens the skin. Gender doesn’t decide what skincare products you use. You do. Feel good about the skincare products you use.
Truth 3: Skincare is for straight people
False.
Each person on the planet, regardless of sexuality, has skin. Regardless of your sexuality, you have skin that needs attention. Looking for a moisturizer? We have you covered. We don’t care who you sleep with. Belvedere Lavender is part of the queer community and supports all sexualities. We’ve been here and queer longer than many imagine. We also know firsthand the confidence incredible skin can bring.
Truth 4: Skincare is for white people.
False.
Each person on the planet, regardless of race and ethnicity, has skin. Who says skincare is only for white people? Since the dawn of time, people have been taking care of their skin in a variety of ways. Ancient Egyptians used to use perfumes, precious metals and cosmetics as part of their skincare routines. Ancient Greeks used all natural ingredients, like olive oil as part of their skincare routine. As well, Ancient Greeks used milk and honey as anti-aging agents. Throughout history all ethnicities have gravitated towards using all natural ingredients. Most of these ingredients were grown or found locally.
Want to learn more about a brief history of skincare? Visit a Brief History of Skincare.
Truth 5: Skincare is just for Canadians
False.
Each person on the planet, regardless of your country of birth, has skin. A quote making the rounds on social media resonates with us:
“Canadians are born all over the world. It just takes some a bit of time to get here.”
It’s true. Sometimes it takes time for people to find their way to Canada. If you’re new, welcome. If you’ve been here for a while, we see you. Skincare is for everyone.
Truth 6: Skincare is just self care.
False.
While skincare and self care are similar, we argue that you can’t have selfcare without skincare. Taking care of your skin is the way some people care for themselves. Sometimes sinking into a hot bath is the best way to wash away a difficult day. Sometimes spending a few moments applying our Anti-aging Serum is how we end our day. We spend 5 minutes breathing deep. That’s what self care looks like to us.
What’s your favourite way to practice self care?
Regardless of your skin type, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race or other intersectionality, you have skin. Sometimes your skin needs attention and support, especially during stressful times. We all agree that especially during the winter and changes in seasons, our skin can use some love. You can feel good about taking care of yourself.
Whatever intersectionality’s you experience, skincare – It’s all about feeling good!
by Erik Wesseling
When you think of folklore, the words “historic and spooky” may come to mind. While there is nothing spooky about Lavender, it has been around for ages and has even been used in mystic ways!
Lavender has long had an association with magic, in fact, as far back in time as the Pharaohs of the old dynasties in Egypt, and to the Holy temples in both Jerusalem and Rome. Let’s do a quick recap off lavender folklore through the ages and around the globe:
- In France, Spain and Italy, love spells have been recorded mixing lavender, rose hips/petals, and violet petals, a combination said to be most powerful.
- Alpine girls hid lavender sachets under the pillows of loved ones to keep loving thoughts in their beloveds’ minds.
- In the dark ages, lavender was associated with protection to ward off the evil eye; this particular belief was wide spread across different European countries over many centuries.
- In Christian folklore, a cross of lavender was hung on the door to safeguard against evil.
- In Ireland, lavender was used with a variety of other herbs, such as rose hips, and mixed into sweet-cakes to call favors from the elves and fairy people. It can also be found in Irish folklore that if lavender is used with rosemary, it will uphold a virtuous person or cause.
- Indian folklore shows lavender flowers to be healing to the body’s subtle energy system and the soft blue-purple color of lavender is associated with the crown chakra, the energy center associated with higher purpose and spiritual inter-connectedness. Lavender flower is still often used in India for healing and raising your energy frequency to the highest level where the body’s natural healing abilities are activated.
- From the Orient to the middle-east and through many cultures, lavender and sandalwood were and are still to this day burned together during child birth to ease the pain.
- Lavender oil sprinkled on tassels was said confuse and disorientate evil spirits.
- Powdered lavender made into candles were burned for protection in ancient Rome.
It is said that there are many threads of truth in folklore and the magic of lavender can be found to enhance life, spirituality and keep us safe from unseen forces. Today lavender is finding new breath in the modern world of magic that we call science. At Belvedere Lavender we believe there is still much magic to be discovered by introducing lavender to people’s lives.
by Erik Wesseling
Lavender and skin care routines have been entwined since the earliest written records and archaeology evidence dates its use far back in pre-history.
In written records, lavender has long been relished for its enticing scent as well as its healing effects. As far back as the ancient Egyptians lavender is referenced in hieroglyphics for its extensive use cosmetics and as anti-aging agent and was one of the essential herbs in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
In Victorian time, ladies of status used lavender oil as perfumes, most notable during this era Queen Elizabeth regularly used lavender as a perfume and in a medicinal tea.
In early America, wet bedding and clothing was thrown over lavender bushes to pick up the lavender scent.
Written records of the medicinal properties of lavender go back to the first century Greek medical writings. In Roman times lavender was used for indigestion, headaches and as an antiseptic for sore throats, wounds and burns. Lavender now has long list properties that have proven beneficial for medical usage, here the most common:
- Treatment for a large number of skin conditions
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Exhaustion
- Irritability
- Headache
- Migraine
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Digestion
- Upset Stomach
- Colds
- Breath Freshener
Lavender has many evidence for its benefits and is still popular until these days for skin care and alternative medicine. Beyond all the benefits lavender can offer, at Belvedere Lavender we added more natural ingredients to make we could deliver the best all natural skincare. Here is the list of our natural ingredients and their benefits.
