Bach Rescue Remedy: drops, spray, pastilles and Rescue Night, and what each format is

Rescue Remedy is the best-known blend of Bach flower essences, and it now comes as drops, a spray, chewable pastilles and a bedtime version called Rescue Night. Here's what's in each one and how to choose between them.

We get asked "which Rescue is which?" a lot at the counter, often from people who already know the Bach drops and spot the newer formats on the shelf. The short answer: the five flower essences are the same, and the format is what changes. If you're buying Rescue for the first time, or switching from drops to something easier to carry, this guide walks through the essences, each format and how to pick the right one for your day.

What is Rescue Remedy?

Rescue Remedy is a combination of five of the 38 flower essences developed by Dr. Edward Bach, a British doctor, in the 1930s. Dr. Bach put this blend together for the moments when there's no time to choose an individual flower remedy, and it has been made the same way for generations. The flowers are still collected from Dr. Bach's original garden in Oxfordshire, England, and the essences are made in England.

Bach Rescue products are made for relief of occasional stress, the everyday kind: an exam, a job interview, a driving test, a flight or a hard day. Many people keep a bottle in a bag, a desk drawer or the car.

The five flower essences in Rescue Remedy

In the Bach system, each flower is linked to a particular emotional state, and Rescue brings five of them together. These five flower essences are the active ingredients in every Rescue product, and they are very dilute. Rescue Night adds a sixth: white chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), the Bach essence traditionally used for a busy, repetitive mind.

Rock rose, clematis, impatiens, cherry plum and star of Bethlehem are the same five active ingredients whichever type you choose. What changes from one format to the next is the base (alcohol, a pastille or a capsule) and the dosage method, so the right one is simply the one that suits how you'll use it.

Rescue Remedy drops, spray and pastilles compared

Rescue Remedy drops

The original format. Add four drops directly on the tongue, or add them to a glass of water or another drink and sip it at intervals. You can repeat during the day as needed. A 20 mL bottle holds roughly 130 doses, and the dropper makes it easy to share a glass of water rather than a bottle. The drops are preserved in alcohol, which is why some people prefer the pastilles.

Rescue Remedy spray

The same blend in a spray bottle: two sprays on the tongue, with no dropper to fuss with. It's the one people keep in a coat pocket or the glovebox, and a 20 mL spray lasts about 200 uses.

Rescue Pastilles

Soft, chewable pastilles in a click-shut tin, each carrying four drops of the Rescue essences. Our blackcurrant pastilles are sugar-free (sweetened with sorbitol, isomalt and xylitol), alcohol-free and naturally coloured with red cabbage, elderberry and black carrot. They're suitable for the whole family from age 12, and they're the easiest format to take discreetly before a presentation or an exam.

BachRescue Pastilles, Black CurrantFour drops of Rescue essences per pastille. Sugar-free and alcohol-free. 50 g tin.Shop →

Rescue Night: spray and Liquid Melts

Rescue Night (sold in some places as Rescue Sleep) is the bedtime version, made for nights when repetitive thoughts keep your mind busy. It adds white chestnut to the five original essences. The spray goes straight on the tongue as you settle in. The Liquid Melts are small capsules that dissolve on the tongue and release four drops of Rescue Night, with no water needed; they're non-habit forming, and the capsule shell is fish gelatin, so they aren't vegetarian.

Same five flowers, different formats: pick the one that fits where you'll be when you reach for it.

Rescue for kids

Bach also makes Rescue Kids, an alcohol-free dropper for children. If you're looking for it, call either store and we'll check what's in stock. Rescue Pastilles are suitable from age 12, and they're alcohol-free.

How to choose a Rescue format

1. For the moment itself. The spray or pastilles are quickest when you're out the door.
2. At home or at your desk. The drops in a glass of water let you sip at intervals through a long afternoon.
3. If you avoid alcohol. Choose the pastilles; the drops and sprays are preserved in alcohol.
4. At bedtime. Choose Rescue Night, as a spray or the Liquid Melts.

Questions we get a lot

What does Rescue Remedy actually do?

Rescue Remedy is a blend of five Bach flower essences made for relief of occasional stress. People reach for it before exams, interviews, appointments and travel, or at the end of a hard day.

How long does Rescue Remedy take to kick in?

There's no set time. Most people take it in the moment they need it, and the drops can be repeated during the day as needed, following the label.

Is it safe to take Rescue Remedy every day?

Follow the directions on your product. The drops and spray can be taken as needed through the day, and the pastilles are an alcohol-free option for regular use.

Do Rescue Remedy drops really work?

Experiences vary from person to person. Rescue Remedy has been made since the 1930s, and many families keep it as part of a calming routine; plenty of people find the small ritual of pausing to take it is part of what helps, alongside rest, fresh air and a cup of tea.

Can I put Rescue Remedy in water?

Yes. Add four drops to a glass of water or another drink and sip it.

Find Bach at either store

Rescue Remedy sits with our homeopathic remedies in the supplement aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. For more bedtime options, browse our sleep section. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.

Sources: product labels and listings for the items shown; Bach Rescue. This article is general information, not medical advice.