We’re excited to guide you through a hands-on process for making lavender essential oil and hydrolate. These products are fragrant, soothing, and versatile—perfect for skincare, aromatherapy, and home use.

Today, we’ll show you exactly what materials you need, how to set up your distillation, and step by step instructions to get both essential oil and hydrolate from fresh lavender flowers.

By the end, we’ll know not only how to extract the essence but also how to enjoy the delicate aroma in daily life.

What We’ll Make

- Lavender Essential Oil: A concentrated oil with the classic floral scent, used in perfumes, skincare, or diffusers.

- Lavender Hydrolate (Floral Water): The water collected during distillation, mild in aroma, great as a skin toner, room spray, or body mist.

We love using both because the oil is highly concentrated and the hydrolate is gentle, letting us enjoy lavender in different ways.

Materials and Equipment

Materials:

- Fresh lavender flower spikes: 500 grams (or partially dried for slightly higher concentration)

- Distilled water: 2 liters

- Ice or cold water for condenser

- Clean dark glass bottles for storage

Equipment:

- Steam distillation kit or a large vessel with lid, heat source, and a condenser (homemade setups can work with careful temperature control)

- Oil separator or a small glass funnel with stopper

- Thermometer

- Stirring spoon

- Clean containers for collecting hydrolate

Step-by-Step Distillation Process

Step 1: Prepare the Lavender

We carefully remove any leaves, dust, or debris from the flower spikes. Spread them evenly in the distillation vessel to ensure that steam can pass through uniformly.

Step 2: Add Water

Pour 2 liters of distilled water into the container beneath the flower layer. The water should not touch the flowers directly if you’re using a perforated tray; steam should pass up through the lavender.

Step 3: Set Up the Condenser

Connect the condenser to the distillation vessel’s lid. Run cold water or ice around the condenser to cool the steam effectively.

Step 4: Steam Distillation

Turn on the heat gradually. We maintain the water at a gentle boil so that steam rises through the lavender flowers, carrying aromatic compounds upward. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer—too high can damage delicate molecules, too low slows extraction.

Step 5: Collect the Condensate

Steam passes through the condenser and turns back into liquid. We collect the output in a clean container. The mixture naturally separates into two layers:

- Top layer: Lavender essential oil

- Bottom layer: Lavender hydrolate

Step 6: Separate Oil from Hydrolate

Using an oil separator or glass funnel, we carefully collect the top layer of essential oil. The remaining liquid is your hydrolate, ready to bottle.

Step 7: Storage

We store essential oil in dark glass bottles to protect it from light and oxidation. Hydrolate can be stored in a clean container in the fridge for up to two weeks for freshness.

Tips for Best Results

- Always use fresh or lightly dried lavender for optimal aroma.

- Avoid overheating the water; gentle steam preserves heat-sensitive compounds.

- Collect hydrolate immediately to prevent bacterial growth.

- Clean all equipment before starting to ensure pure, uncontaminated oil and floral water.

Why We Love This Method

For us, this method is rewarding because it’s simple, effective, and allows us to experience the full aroma of lavender. Steam distillation is reliable, produces both oil and hydrolate, and can be done at home with basic equipment. With care and patience, each step transforms flowers into two fragrant treasures that we can use every day.

Savor the Aroma

Making lavender essential oil and hydrolate is both a science and an enjoyable ritual. From carefully selecting the flowers to gently collecting the distillate, we can truly appreciate the fragrance and quality of lavender.

Next time we spray hydrolate on our face or add a drop of essential oil to a diffuser, we’ll remember the care and steps that made it possible. This hands-on process not only produces high-quality products but also connects us with the beauty of nature in every drop.