Hello Friend!

I’ve always loved creating natural perfume blends. While they can be made purely for enjoyment, I find great meaning in blending for beauty and well-being. Many of the ailments we experience begin with stress or emotions that never found their way to the surface. Scent has the power to support us, to center us, and to help us reconnect gently. This is the inspiration behind a new workshop I’m planning for late summer, where we’ll focus on blending for aromatic delight and therapeutic purposes.

My love for scent began as a small child. I remember wandering through my grandmother’s long rows of irises. They stood taller than I, and I would tilt my face toward each one, breathing in their fragrance. Each bloom had its own color and unique scent. I spent hours comparing them, completely absorbed by their beauty. Those moments shaped how I experienced the world. That quiet joy, that awe, still lives in my work today.

Maybe you have a memory like that: a flower you waited for each spring, a garden you wandered through, a scent that takes you back to someone you love. These small experiences stay with us and often return when we need comfort or clarity.

Later in this issue, I’ll share how one of my favorite hydrosols offered just that on a warm, sun-soaked morning in a lavender field. And if the idea of creating your perfume with purpose stirs something in you, keep an eye out. I’ll be sharing early details about the workshop very soon.

What You’ll Discover In This Newsletter

Aromatic Creations Recipe

After Gardening Cooling Mist

This refreshing mist supports both body and spirit after time in the garden, walking, or simply staying out in the summer heat. Peppermint hydrosol offers an immediate wave of coolness, while each essential oil in this blend is thoughtfully chosen for its naturally cooling and calming properties.

As it helps reduce body heat, it also gently eases emotional tension. This is a beautiful way to support ourselves with aroma, cooling the surface, and softening what’s within.

Ingredients

• 2 fl oz (60 ml) Peppermint Hydrosol (Mentha × piperita)

• 3 ml (75 drops) Solubol dispersant

• 8 drops Bergamot Mint Oil (Mentha citrata)

• 7 drops Cypress Oil (Cupressus sempervirens)

• 5 drops May Chang Oil (Litsea cubeba)

Directions
Blend the essential oils with the Solubol first. Stir gently to combine. Add this mixture to your peppermint hydrosol in a 2 fl oz (60 ml) glass or PET spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Store in the refrigerator for an extra crisp finish. Mist over the face, neck, or body after activity or when you need to feel refreshed and rebalanced.

For Children

You can modify this blend for children ages 5 and up by using 10 total drops of essential oil and omitting the may chang. Peppermint hydrosol on its own also works beautifully for children of all ages. It is gentle, safe, and effective, perfect for hot skin, restless energy, or simply bringing a sense of calm.

Notes of Discovery

How To Make a Cooling Body Mist for Summer

This week, I’m sharing a classic post from The Aromahead Blog, offering cooling body mist recipes made with peppermint, rose geranium, and lavender.

Crafted with love (and tested in the wilds of real summer days), these homemade sprays are a quick cool-down, a skin-loving aromatic ritual made with just a few natural ingredients.

In this post, you’ll discover:

• Why peppermint, rose geranium, and lavender are perfect companions for hot days

• Two tried-and-true cooling mist recipes, featuring hydrosols and essential oils

• Tips for safe blending and how to use each mist for maximum refreshment 

So step outside, spritz generously, and let the mist carry you through the heat!

Product Spotlight

Peppermint Hydrosol
Refreshing, cooling, delicious

Our peppermint hydrosol is a summer essential and a year-round favorite! Known for its instantly refreshing nature, it brings cooling comfort to warm skin, overheated emotions, and even sluggish digestion. The scent is sweet, fresh, and minty with a soft herbal edge that feels energizing and calming.

Peppermint oil has long been used to remedy discomfort, from queasy stomachs to tired feet. The hydrosol form carries many of the same gifts in a gentler, water-based expression.

Everyday Benefits

This hydrosol can support you in more ways than one. Use it to:

• Cool the skin and body

• Ease muscle tension or headaches

• Support healthy digestion

• Naturally cleanse and clarify the skin

• Comfort minor inflammation or irritation

• Freshen up a room or linens

A Personal Tip

If you find it hard to drink enough water, add 1 teaspoon of peppermint hydrosol to a quart of cool water and sip throughout the day. It’s light, refreshing, and encourages hydration most pleasantly.

Storage and Use

This hydrosol comes in a 100 ml bottle. You can blend with as little as 1 fl oz (30 ml) or use the whole bottle in a custom formula. Keep in mind that hydrosols do not contain preservatives. When stored in a cool, dark place, an unopened or unblended hydrosol will typically stay fresh for 1 to 2 years. If you add other ingredients to it, it’s best to make small batches and use them within a few weeks.

From The Vine

Understanding Hydrosols: A Gentle Q&A

Q: What makes hydrosols different from essential oils?
Hydrosols are the water-based result of distillation. While essential oils are concentrated and lipid-based, hydrosols carry the plant’s water-soluble compounds and energetic signature. They are gentler and often better suited for children, sensitive skin, and emotional care.

Q: Do hydrosols have the same properties as essential oils?
Hydrosols often have different properties. This is because they are typically distilled for a longer time, bringing through heavier and more complex components not present in the essential oil. This gives the hydrosol a fuller expression of the plant as a whole.

Q: When would I choose a hydrosol over an essential oil?
Hydrosols are ideal when you want something gentle, cooling, or hydrating. They work beautifully in facial care, body mists, emotional blends, and (often) beverages. They are also an excellent choice for pets and children.

Q: How long do hydrosols last?
A properly stored hydrosol, kept cool and out of light, can last one to two years. I recommend using it once blended with other ingredients within a few weeks. I make small batches to enjoy them fresh and vibrant.

Hydrosols are an important part of our work in aromatherapy. A few years ago, I created a course called Working With Hydrosols to help guide others in using them safely, creatively, and confidently. If you love hydrosols and want to learn how to work with them more deeply, this course might be what you’re looking for.

Learn more about the course here.

Stay Inspired!

As you move through the week ahead, may you find small pauses to breathe, refresh, and care for yourself in nourishing and true ways. Maybe it’s a spritz of peppermint hydrosol, a quiet moment in the garden, or a cooling sip of herbal water. Wellness lives in the simple things.