Orange blossom water refers to water that is infused with orange blossoms — yup, the ones that are commonly used for culinary purposes. In various parts of the planet, it’s something that is commonly used as perfume or freshener. It may also be employed in a variety of ways to reap its impressive beauty and health benefits.
You can purchase orange blossom water from an herbal shop or health food store. Or you can simply make it from scratch if you have bitter orange tree in your garden, or you have easy access to a bunch of fresh flowers from the said tree. It’s really easy to make orange blossom water, although it needs to be steeped for several days.
It is at the end of a particularly tiring day when you can really take advantage of the numerous perks that orange blossom water brings. It can help you relax and also prepare your skin for deep repair as you spend hours in dreamland. But at any other given time or day, you may also employ it for various reasons.
Before we learn how to make orange blossom water with your own hands, let us first check out some of the benefits that you can obtain from counting on orange blossom water at the end of a really busy day:
It helps you get a good night’s sleep
Do you have a favorite herbal tea that you take to combat insomnia? You can increase the relaxing properties of it by steeping it in a cup of orange blossom water that’s heated in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
It lowers your stress and anxiety levels
Consuming a hot cup of orange blossom water is a great way to lower your stress levels after or even during a hectic day. You may also do the same if you are feeling anxious to help soothe your nerves in an all-natural way.
It purifies your skin
After removing your makeup, use a cotton ball to apply orange blossom water on your face. This will help remove dirt, grime, excess oils and toxins, allowing your skin to attain utmost repair and rejuvenation while you are having your sleep at night.
So how do you make orange blossom water at home? Here are the steps:
-Gather a handful of fresh bitter orange flowers. For best results, make sure that the blooms are from a bitter orange tree that has not been sprayed with pesticides or insecticides — you certainly don’t want to introduce poisonous chemicals into your system or on your skin. Also, it is a good idea to collect bitter orange flowers within a couple of hours after sunrise.
-Fill a large basin with cool water. Place all of the bitter orange flowers you have collected in it to have them rinsed thoroughly. Do this until there is no trace of dirt or insect left. Transfer to a colander to strain.
-With the use of a porcelain or marble mortar and pestle, slightly pound on the bitter orange flowers in small batches. Transfer every batch into a large glass jar with a lid.
-Fill the large jar with distilled water and put the lid in place. Look for an area in or around your home where there is direct sunlight most of the time, and have the jar placed there for about a couple of weeks. Check the scent of the orange blossom water at the end of the said time period. If it’s too weak, then you may leave the jar in direct sunlight for a few more days.
-Once you’re happy with the scent of your homemade orange blossom water, strain and divide into several smaller jars with a lid.
