What are Essential Oils and Hydrosols?

Essential oils are highly concentrated and volatile components created by various plant tissues of a  plant species.  They consist of sometimes hundreds  of individual biochemical components. These distinctive  components defend plants from insects, harsh  environmental conditions, and disease.  In some cases,  they are used to attract beneficial insects. Essential oils are the result of millions of years of evolution and they are, therefore, incredibly complex in nature.    The therapeutic properties of the oils are the result of all the constituents working together rather than the sum of its parts.  Although it is possible to analyze their  chemical composition, they are virtually impossible to  reproduce in laboratories.  Hydrosols are the aqueous portion of the distillate,  separated from the distilled essential oil after the steam and oil vapors are condensed. It is also called Floral Water. Hydrosols contain minute amounts of soluble essential oil and the corresponding beneficial attributes of the oil itself, only more dilute, which makes them gentler than the  essential oils.