Description

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Water is a hydrosol, or floral water, derived from the flowers of the Pelargonium graveolens plant, commonly known as Geranium. This water is produced during the steam distillation process of the plant’s flowers, capturing the delicate and refreshing essence of the blooms in a water-based form. It is used in cosmetics and personal care products for its soothing, toning, and refreshing properties.

Chemical Composition and Structure:
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Water contains water-soluble components, including:

Essential Oil Constituents: Although present in lower concentrations compared to the essential oil, it retains compounds such as geraniol, citronellol, and linalool, which provide the characteristic floral aroma and some therapeutic properties.
Flavonoids: These compounds offer antioxidant benefits, helping to protect the skin from oxidative stress and environmental damage.
Tannins: These provide mild astringent properties, which can help tone and firm the skin.
Phenolic Compounds: Present in small amounts, these contribute to the water’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

The composition is less concentrated than the essential oil but still beneficial for cosmetic applications.

Physical Properties:

Appearance: Typically a clear or slightly cloudy liquid.
Odor: Features a fresh, floral, and light scent characteristic of geranium flowers.
Solubility: Completely soluble in water, making it easy to incorporate into aqueous formulations.

Production Process:

Harvesting: The flowers of Pelargonium graveolens are collected.
Steam Distillation: The flowers are subjected to steam distillation, where steam extracts essential oils and other water-soluble components.
Condensation: The steam is then condensed back into liquid form, separating the essential oil from the floral water.
Collection: The floral water is collected and often filtered to ensure clarity and purity.
Formulation: The floral water is used in various cosmetic and personal care products, such as toners, facial mists, and lotions.

Applications:

Cosmetics: Used in skincare products for its soothing and refreshing properties.
Skincare: Beneficial for calming and toning the skin, and providing a light floral fragrance.
Haircare: Can be included in hair products to enhance scalp health and impart a subtle, pleasant scent.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

Environmental Impact: The production of Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Water generally has a minimal environmental impact. Sustainable harvesting and distillation practices are recommended to further reduce environmental effects.
Safety: This ingredient is generally considered safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products when used as directed. It is well-tolerated by most skin types, but people allergic to plants of the Geraniaceae family or with very sensitive skin should be cautious.

INCI:


Cosmetic astringent. This ingredient exerts a direct effect on the skin by tightening dilated pores by contracting stratum corneum cells and removing superfluous oil.

Deodorant agent. When substances that give off an unpleasant odour are included in cosmetic formulations (typical examples are methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide derived from garlic), deodorants attenuate or eliminate the unpleasant exhalation. It helps counteract the formation of bad odours on body surfaces.

Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.

Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability. It is able to create a perceptible pleasant odour, masking a bad smell. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.
Synonyms:

CAS: 90082-51-2 EC number 290-140-0