An herbal water is a refreshing, cooling, cleansing rinse for face and body. Best of all, herbal water is very easy to make!
- Gather your herbs. Try to do your harvesting early in the morning, before the sun burns off all the dew.
- Crush one once of herbs into one cup of water. Crushing (rather than adding the whole herbs) helps release the essential oils and other good stuff in the plants. If you’re using flowers, bruise them, rather than crush them.
- Pour the mixture into a ceramic or enamel pot. A metal pot is okay, but ceramic or enamel is better.
- Add another cup of water.
- Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, then let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the herbs infuse.
- Strain the mixture into a dark colored bottle — sunlight can shorten the shelf life of a lot of herbal remedies.
- Store in the fridge.
A splash of herbal water after you wash your face can be a great skin toner. You can also use herbal water to rinse your hair after you shampoo.
Here is a list of plants you may want to try in your herbal water:
- Blackberry leaves — astringent
- Chamomile — astringent, also a good moisturizer and good for delicate skin. Antiseptic, so it will help clear away bacteria.
- Eucalyptus — antiseptic
- Lemon — astringent and stimulating, but may be too harsh for delicate skin. Be sure to wear a sunscreen; lemon can make you more susceptible to a burn.
- Licorice — great for soothing skin
- Mint — astringent, stimulating, and cooling. A great refresher when you’re tired!
- Orange blossoms — great for soothing skin
- Pansy — astringent
- Parsley — great for cleansing
- Primrose — astringent
- Raspberry — astringent and stimulant
- Rose — astringent and smells just lovely
- Rosemary — astringent and stimulant
- Witch hazel — astringent