FLORA+FUNGI

Wild Botanical Skincare+ Non-Timber Forest Products+ Botanical Distillation+ Bioregional Herbalism

03/21/2026

Back in stock! 🌞Sunshine Youth Cream🌞 filled with soothing botanical extracts from our garden and the forests of Northeast Michigan.

03/19/2026

From plant to potion- distilling Tulsi Holy Basil from the misty morning harvest to the hydrosol. Click an icon to view the full reel!

03/18/2026

When a distiller is intentionally producing a hydrosol instead of essential oil, they will do a few things differently....

Use better sanitation! Hydrosols are perishable water-based products that can become contaminated if not handled with care.

Use fresh plant material for a more vibrant hydrosol

Use lower, more controlled temperatures to ensure the scent of the hydrosol stays vibrant and true to life.

Cut off the distillation when the correct amount of hydrosol has been gathered... Instead of continuing the distillation to get every last drop of oil

When an artisan distiller distills for hydrosol instead of essential oil... the hydrosol is the star of the show- not a by product

Because the goal is the aromatic plant water, the resulting hydrosol is often more complex, aromatic and richer in water soluble compounds

Why this matters....

High quality hydrosols contain a range of water soluble plant compounds that essential oils do not, leading to a more beneficial product.

To be sure you’re getting the best quality hydrosols, skip the big companies and buy direct from a distiller!

All of our hydrosols are distilled in-house by Amanda, with plants organically grown on our small farm or mindfully wildcrafted from our bioregion.

03/17/2026

Or is it just me?

03/16/2026

Hydrosols are gaining popularity in natural skincare, but there’s something no one talks about….

Not all hydrosols are created equal….. let me explain….

Many hydrosols sold by big companies are a by-product of essential oil distillation.

This means they aren’t distilled with the quality of the hydrosol in mind- but to optimize the yield of the essential oil.

Distillation for essential oils differs from hydrosols in a few key ways….

Distillation temperatures are often ran higher than ideal for a quality hydrosol since the goal is essential oil extraction.

Dry plant material is often used instead of fresh plant material- meaning the cellular waters of the plant will not be present in the hydrosol.

The condenser is often ran at colder temperatures to increase the essential oil yield and prevent oil loss into the hydrosol.

Essential oils are typically steam distilled, while hydrosols are often hydro distilled, or combination distilled, using both steam and plant material submerged in water leads to a wider range of water soluble compounds in the hydrosol.

When a distiller is intentionally producing a hydrosol, they will do a few things differently…. Stay tuned to Part 2 to learn how hydrosol distillation differs.

03/15/2026

Loading the still- where every distillation begins. Some shots from over the years✨.

03/14/2026

I’ve never met a dye flower I didn’t like, but coreopsis may be my favorite….
For the last few years I’ve been growing tons and tons of these for use in my textile art and am smitten- they bloom for months, come in a dizzying array of shapes, sizes and colors and leave some of the most beautiful prints on silk.

Here’s some of my favorite snaps and things I made with coreopsis last summer!

Which one is your favorite?

03/13/2026

5 plants that produce exceptional hydrosols….

Hydrosols can be made from many plants, but some produce more aromatic hydrosols than others.

These five plants are great for new distillers since they produce outrageously fragrant hydrosols:

Lavender produces an intensely fragrant hydrosol and exceptionally high yields of essential oil which make it a rewarding plant to work with.

Rose Geranium- with many cultivars available in a range of nuanced scents, this plant produces and amazingly fragrant hydrosol from its leaves.

Yarrow- During this distillation process a precursor compound called Matricin converts to Chamazulene resulting in this cobalt blue oil which gives the whole hydrosol a blue hue. The scent may be too earthy or herbaceous for some, but the spectacular color makes this plant worth distilling at least once.

Tulsi Basil- The Kapoor variety of Tulsi Basil grows well in temperate climates and produces an abundant harvest. This hydrosol smells like juicy fruit gum with a hint of clove- not what you would expect from a basil.

Balsam Fir- The queen of conifer hydrosols, Balsam Fir smells like everyone’s favorite Christmas Tree and works great on acne prone skin thanks to its antibacterial properties.

Visit our website to learn more about our hydrosols and distillation process!

03/12/2026

Condensation on copper, the delicate splash of drop after drop of Hydrosol as the still starts to flow, as plants grown by sun and soil meet metal, Fire and Water to create a new incarnation of themselves…. the first moments of distillation.

03/10/2026

On my mind all day long 🌼🌱🌞

03/07/2026

💧Most people misunderstand what hydrosols actually are….

🌼Hydrosols are floral waters distilled from fresh plant material.

⚗️Hydrosols are produced through distillation- where plant material and water are gently heated and the botanical infused steam is captured and recondensed into a liquid.

🌎Hydrosols differ from essential oils by being water based.

🌱They contain a range of water soluble plant compounds and trace amounts of essential oils

💦Their gentle water based nature makes them well suited to cosmetic use, and since they only contain trace amounts of essential oil they tend to be well tolerated by those who don’t usually tolerate essential oils.

💙At FLORA+FUNGI we love hydrosols! They are the core of our product line- we sell pure hydrosols for use as toners, and our serums and lotions are all formulated around our artisan distillations!

💧Join me to learn more about the art and alchemy of botanical distillation.

03/03/2026

Couldn’t resist hopping on this trend!

Address

Au Gres, MI
48703

Website

http://www.florafungiapothecary.com/

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