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BOTANICAL DISTILLATION:

ART, SCIENCE, ALCHEMY

The plants are waiting for you to join them…

If you’ve ever dreamed of learning how to transform your favorite plants into vibrant hydrosols and natural skincare products you’re in the right place. This course is invitation to deepen your work and relationship with the plant realm through the art, science and alchemy of botanical distillation.

Who This Course is For:

This course is for herbalists, gardeners, botanists, aromatherapists, holistic bodywork practitioners, cosmetic formulators and plant enthusiasts of all types who want to create their own hydrosols and deepen their relationship with plants.

This course is suitable for those with no prior experience in distillation, as well as those with some experience looking to broaden their skills and knowledge.

Course Outline:

This course is designed to teach you everything you need to confidently begin distilling your own hydrosols—but it goes far beyond the basics. You’ll dive into topics like sanitation and cleaning, cosmetic and culinary-grade preservation, plant chemistry, and cosmetic formulation.

With hours of in-depth video instruction, hundreds of pages of detailed course notes, and lifetime access to our Distiller’s Guild, this course offers a comprehensive and immersive foundation in the art and science of botanical distillation.

MODULE 1: THE BASICS

  • What Are Hydrosols?

  • Uses of Hydrosols

  • Why Homemade is Superior 

  • What Can You Distill? 

  • History of Distillation

  • Sourcing Your Equipment

  • Glossary of Terms

MODULE 2: THE STILL

  • Parts of A Still

  • Types of Stills 

  • Equipment Sizing.

  • Hydrosol Yield Guide

MODULE 3: GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE

  • General GMP

  • Hydrosol Specific GMP

  • Creating SOPs for Your Operation

  • Know Your Plants

MODULE 4: EQUIPMENT CARE, CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

  • Cleaning Copper

  • Cleaning Glass

  • Cleaning Stainless Steel

MODULE 5: DISTILLING WITH COPPER

  • Preparing the Still 

  • Choosing a Heat Source

  • Packing the Still

  • Sealing The Still

  • Troubleshooting 

  • Distillation Demonstrations on Three Types of Copper Stills

MODULE 6: DISTILLING ON GLASS AND STAINLESS STEEL

  • Glass Distillation Equipment

  • Assembly of Glass Apparatus

  • Stainless Steel Equipment

  • Electric Hybrid Still Options

  • Distillation Demos on Glass & Stainless Steel

MODULE 7: THE PLANTS

  • Plant Material for Distillations 

  • Plant Material Preparation

  • Chemical Composition of Hydrosols

  • How to Research the Chemical Constituents of Hydrosols

  • Case Studies of our Favorite Hydrosols

MODULE 8: POST PRODUCTION

  • Filtration

  • Essential Oil Separation

  • Preservation for Cosmetic Usage

  • Sourcing Natural Preservatives

  • Preservation for Culinary Usage

  • Microbial Testing

MODULE 9: MAKING COSMETICS WITH YOUR HYDROSOLS

  • Hydrosols in Cosmetics

  • How to Scale Your Formulas

  • Common Cosmetic Ingredients

  • Instructional Videos 

  • Cosmetic Formulas

  • Developing Your Own Formulas

MODULE 10: HYDROSOLS AS A CULINARY INGREDIENT

  • Cooking And Baking With Hydrosols

  • Hydrosols As NA Beverage Base

  • Hydrosol Cocktails and Mocktails

MODULE 11: GROWING A HYDROSOL BASED BUSINESS

  • Marketing Your Product

  • Labeling Your Product

  • FDA Regulations

  • Cosmetic Claims

MODULE 12: BONUS MODULE- DISTILLER’S LIBRARY

  • Resources to Continue Your Journey into Distillation.