These past few weeks I have been busy preparing plant infused oils for later use. This is a process, I have discovered over time, that I adore. While last summer seemed like a tincture summer, I feel like this summer was surely a drying and oil infusing summer. I love the joy of opening a finished infused oil to find the magical contents inside, very similar, but, also, very different from the parts that made the whole.
Infused oils can be used on their own as a massage, skin or bath oil or used in other goodies such as lip balm, salve, creams and lotions. It is a joy to make them yourself.
You can use whatever oil you have on hand, just make sure it is a shelf-stable (or relatively shelf-stable) one, such as coconut, olive, sweet almond, jojoba or hazelnut.
You can use dry plants (either yours or purchased in bulk at your local natural foods store or
Mountain Rose Herbs) or fresh plants that have been left to dry on their own for a few days before infusing. This gets rid of moisture that may later cause mold. Alternatively, you can also place them in the oven or a dehydrator on its lowest setting until they are wilted and have lost moisture (but not fully dry).
Since I like to keep things simple, I follow a simple preparation of infused oils, which is:
- Select a clean, dry glass jar with a tight fitting top (you can either boil or use a hot dishwasher to clean the jar).
- Fill the jar with plants and cover the material fully with the chosen oil.
- Use a chopstick or end of a wooden spoon to poke the mixture and let out any air bubbles.
- Covering tightly and label with the date of preparation, type of oil and plant.
- Use your favorite infusion method to complete the oil.
If you are a scientific type, you can weigh the plant material to oil 1:3 for an infusion that will be more consistent if you prepare additional batches. I choose the simple way since I just love the surprise of seeing how each batch turns out on its own!
In talking with my herby friends, the favorite infusion method varies. Here are a few ways to do it:
- Let the jar sit in the sun for 3-4 weeks, shaking daily.
- Place the plants and oils in the jar in a crock pot full of water on the "WARM" setting for several hours. If it is too warm, you can elevate the jar off the very bottom of the crock pot with another bowl resting inside.
- Place oil in a double boiler on a stovetop at a low temperature for several hours.
But my all-time favorite way to infuse oils is using the dehydrator (a technique I first learned about at the
What I Made Today blog - great blog!!! Thank you for the tip and blessings!!!). Prepared jars of oil can be placed in the dehydrator and left on the 110 degree setting for several hours.
When the oil has been infused to your liking::
- Strain into clean jars through a funnel lined with cheescloth.
- Label with the date bottled and contents.
- Enjoy within 6-12 months!
Oils I have prepared over the past few weeks with plants from my skin care garden:
- Violet leaf in coconut oil (very soft and soothing to skin)
- Mint leaf in coconut oil (to use in minty lip balms)
- Calendula in olive oil and sweet almond oils (very soothing and healing)
- Lavender in olive oil (pure love!)
Still more I hope to squeeze in this season:
- Basil
- Yarrow
- Oregano
- Plantain
Experiment with plants you have on hand! See what magic you make and tell me about it! :)
