Making your own homemade Herbal oils is a great homemade skin care ingredient project
because there is very little needed to get started. So if you have some left over
canning jars lets make some herbal oils. All you will need is:
Your herbs or flowers
Carrier oil
Canning jars 6 oz and 12oz
Store in colored bottles
We will start using the "Hot Method" using the stove to make our homemade herbal oils.
There is a "Cold Method" which is not really cold because you will be using the sun.
The cold method takes months on a shelf letting the sun do it's magic. I have only
worked with the hot method and look forward to trying it next summer.
Start by taking the flower peddles or herbs and rub them between your thumb and
pointing finger to wrinkle them up. This will help extract as much active plant
material as possible. Make sure there is no water on the peddles of the flowers or
herbs this may lead to spoiling.
I make this as if I were canning tomatoes. In one stock pot a place a wire grate at
the bottom of the pan with 6 12oz canning jar or you can use Pyrex measuring cup
inside. This way you can make up to six different types although I usually only make
up two or three different types.
In the 12 oz canning jar put herbs or flowers in. Only fill two thirds full then
cover with 6oz of your carrier oil. Leaver some room at the top so you will not
have to worry about spilling it when you bring it out of the water.
Fill the stock pot up with water so that it is haft way up the jar . If they start
to float there is too much water and you will have to ladle some out. Bring the
water up to a simmer and let the herbal oil stay in there for 2 to 3 hours. This is
best done when you know you are going to be in and out of the kitchen. You will need
to ad water to the pan from time to time, if you don't it will run dry!!
In another stock pot I put in six 6 oz canning jars and heat them up as if you were
canning. Make sure they are dry, then pour your oil through a fine mesh strainer
into your canning jars and put the lid on. I like when the top seals but if it does
not it will be ok. What you will want to look for is a layered look to the oil.
At the bottom if you see a watery layer this will need to be separated and discarded. This
This water will make your oil Spoil. I wait and see, giving it a day or two, then put
the oil into smaller colored bottles. If it does not happen I can wait and do it
latter. To make sure this does not happen use dried herds, but I use fresh even though
it can be more work for a homemade herbal oil.
If the oils are going to be used for the bath I will use Sunflower oil or Grapeseed
oils as the base oil. For body butter, lip balms I use Jojoba, Almond, or Extra
Virgin Olive oil.
Now the hard part what to put in the oil. Here are just a few of the many plants
that you can use. Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Rose, lavender, Comfrey. You may want to
look for plants to grow this spring in your garden.
One tip for your oils.
When I put the herbal oil into their individual colored bottles some I will
fortify the mixture with tea tree oil ( 5 drips or so ). This is the oil that
I will be using in body butters or lip balms.
When you find a good combination of herbs and you would like to share your recipe
I would be glad to post it for you.
Best Wishes Wayne'r
