The Craft of Steam Distillation: Pure Botanicals for Your Skin

At Ninfa Skincare, we run our own small-batch steam distillations. This is the method we trust to capture the authentic character of our botanicals and transform fresh plant material into two precious products: essential oil and hydrosol (also called floral water).

This article takes you behind the scenes of this delicate craft - how steam distillation works, why it matters, and how our careful process brings botanical essence to life.

A Quiet Revolution: A Brief History of Steam Distillation

Humans have experimented with distillation since antiquity, but steam distillation for aromatic plants truly took shape in the 11th century. The Persian scholar Avicenna is often credited with refining the method by distilling rose petals, creating fragrant waters and essential oils with remarkable purity.

A few centuries later, European alchemists and herbalists adopted and spread the technique. In 1500, German physician Hieronymus Brunschwig published one of the first manuals on distillation, helping to move the practice from alchemy into daily apothecary use.

From those early stills to today’s precise equipment, the principle has remained unchanged: let steam gently lift the soul of the plant and collect it in its purest form. At Ninfa Skincare, we continue this tradition in small batches, balancing time-honoured craft with modern precision.

Why steam distillation matters in natural skincare

Steam distillation is a gentle, solvent-free way to separate the volatile aromatic compounds from plants. Because the process works at temperatures moderated by steam (and often at reduced pressure), delicate molecules are protected.

The result is an essential oil with a true-to-plant profile and a hydrosol carrying water-soluble actives - both valuable in high-performance, naturally inspired skincare.

What steam distillation actually is

Steam distillation moves three simple steps in a loop:

1. Create steam: Water is heated until it becomes steam.
2. Lift the actives: Steam passes through the plant material and dissolves the volatile aromatic compounds.
3. Cool and separate: The steam + aroma vapour is condensed back to liquid, then the essential oil separates naturally from the water phase (hydrosol) due to different densities.

This separation occurs in a special receiver (often called a Florentine flask) which allows the oil and water layers to separate cleanly. Some essential oils float; some are denser and sink. Either way, patience and precision make the difference. 

Where Plants Give Their Essence

A steam distillation set-up has four key parts: 

• Steam generator: produces clean, saturated steam at controlled pressure. 
• Plant chamber: holds the fresh botanical material on a perforated grid so steam can move evenly through it. 
• Condenser: a cooled coil or tube where vapours return to liquid. 
• Oil–water separator (Florentine receiver): where essential oil separates from hydrosol so each can be collected. 

Every variable matters - harvest freshness, plant loading, steam rate, run time, and cool-down. Adjust any one, and the profile shifts.

From harvest to bottle: a typical distillation day at Ninfa

1. Harvest & prep: We plan our distillation runs around peak freshness. Soft, aromatic parts (like flowers and young leaves) are loaded loosely to prevent compaction and ensure even steam flow. 

2. Warm-up: Gentle heat brings the still to stable operating conditions before steam meets plants. 

3. Distillation: Steam moves through the botanicals, lifting their bouquet of active compounds. We monitor the flow, temperature at key points, and the look and scent of the condensate. 

4. Separation: As the distillate flows into the receiver, essential oil naturally separates from the hydrosol. Depending on the plant, the oil layer floats or sinks; collection is adjusted accordingly. 

5. Rest & filtration: Hydrosols are allowed to rest before light filtration and storage. Essential oils are decanted and stored in airtight, light-protected vessels. 

6. Batch notes: Each batch is recorded with harvest details and process parameters. Small differences in weather or plant maturity can be felt in the character of the final oil and the softness of the hydrosol. 

Our signature for quality

At Ninfa, these steps are more than routine - they are our signature.

• Temperature & pressure control protect delicate molecules and preserve beneficial components. 
• Even steam distribution prevents scorching or waterlogging and keeps the profile balanced. 
• Clean separation in the receiver ensures clarity and stability in both oil and hydrosol. 
• Careful timing, from harvest to the duration of distillation, preserves vibrancy and prevents dull or 'cooked' aromatic profiles. 

This precision defines the consistency and authenticity our products are known for. 

Essential oil: concentrated botanical power

Essential oil is the concentrated, oil-soluble fraction. It is the essence of the plant, holding the most active and volatile molecules in a highly condensed form. Because of their intensity, essential oils are used in very small amounts in skincare and always within carefully defined safety guidelines.

In premium natural skincare, essential oils are key because they deliver potent activity without the need for synthetic substitutes. Their unique molecular composition brings together various skin benefits depending on the plant profile and also the ability to enhance the performance of other natural ingredients when blended thoughtfully into a formulation.

At Ninfa, Immortelle essential oil is one of the most precious outcomes of our distillations. Celebrated for its skin-regenerating and anti-aging properties, it also helps improve microcirculation, reduce redness, and support skin repair. These qualities make it a vital ingredient in our formulations.

Discover our products with Immortelle essential oil:

👉Revitalizing Day Cream Immortelle

👉Revitalizing Night Serum Immortelle

Floral water: gentle aromatic balance

Hydrosol (floral water) is the aromatic water phase. It carries water-soluble components from the plant and traces of essential oil. In skincare it’s the gentle companion - perfect for mists, toners, and emulsions where softness and freshness matter.

Among them, Immortelle floral water stands out. Known for its soothing, revitalising, and balancing qualities, it supports skin comfort, calms sensitivity, and restores radiance. It is a central ingredient in several Ninfa products designed to refresh and calm the skin.

Discover our products with Immortelle floral water:

👉Facial Cleansing Foam Immotelle

👉Botanically Active Toner Mist Immortelle

Conclusion

Steam distillation is equal parts technique and sensibility. It lets us bottle something fleeting (the living breath of a plant) and share it in forms your skin understands: a concentrated essential oil and a gentle hydrosol. That’s why we continue to distil in small batches and let the craft lead the science.