How to Make Your Own Refreshing Botanical Spritz

It's hard to stay cool at this time of year. Whether on a long journey or the daily commute a refreshing facial spritz, or mist, can be the perfect way to lower your body temperature and keep your skin feeling clean. To give your laundry and house that fresh-from-the-fields feeling you can also use scented waters. Spray onto linens before ironing to release their delicious fragrances, or spritz around the house.

Herbs and botanical scents can also help you relax. If you're finding it hard to sleep, spray some lavender water on your pillow or eye mask for a soothing aroma that will help you drift off.

We've got a simple DIY for you, with step-by-step instructions, so you can make your own. Just throw a bottle into your bag, suitcase or purse and you're good to go - wherever your summer adventures take you.

Floral linen water

There's something very evocative about freshly laundered linen. Memories of helping our mother fold sheets, holding two corners each and walking towards each other, then one of us taking them and snapping them in the air before folding. Or coming home from university to a clean, familiar bed. Or tucking in our children when they've had a bad dream and watching them fall back to sleep.

To give your linens a lovely, fresh, floral scent make this linen water and spray them lightly before ironing.

• Get a glass jar with a spray attachment (these are perfect)
• Mix 85ml vodka, 375ml distilled water (you can get this from the pharmacy) with 30 drops of your favourite essential oils. Lovely ones for this are lavender, bergamot, cedar, sandalwood, orange blossom or rose. Experiment with a few combinations first until you get the right scent for you
• Shake well and spray whenever your spirits need a lift or you like a waft of tranquility in your life (always?)

Botanical facial mist

Whilst there are plenty of facial mists out there (this one looks amazing), they are often expensive to buy. Why not make your own and use as a toner or to revive your skin when it's feeling stressed, tired or dull and give it a delicious dewy glow? These are perfect for travelling. Here's how to make your own.

• Find a handbag-friendly size glass mist bottle. Opaque is good as it prevents ingredients reacting with sunlight
• Fill your bottle 3/4 up and then add a combination of essential oils (up to one tablespoon) depending on what your skin needs. If your skin is particularly sensitive test it with a small amount first, and use less essential oils in the mix. To cool and soothe irritated skin choose lavender oil and rose hip oil, then top up the bottle with aloe vera. If you're prone to breakouts use neroli oil and avocado oil, then top up the rest of the bottle with alcohol-free witch hazel

Great all-round beautifying spritz

If you want a mist that you can use all over your body as a natural, subtle perfume, then try orange blossom water. Just add to a spray bottle and spritz on your skin for a lovely, fresh fragrance, over your hair to refresh it after a big night out or lots of swimming, and spray on sunburned skin for some soothing relief. A wonderful all-round beauty spray.

To help you sleep

Mix 5 drops of lavender and 10 drops of chamomile essential oils in 3/4 cup of water and spray on your pillow when you go to bed.

For more on how to sleep better go here. Happy mixing, spritzing and relaxing!