Above: Dried dandelion flowers and violet leaves and flowers infusing in oil.

This blog post is part of my 2021 Herbal Oil Blog Series and addresses how to make herb-infused oils.

List of common base oils:

• Olive (use virgin, as extra-virgin goes rancid more quickly): moisturizing (protective and penetrating), great for dry skin types, cost-conducive, stable, most commonly used
• Jojoba: for faces and sensitive skin, moisturizing (protective and penetrating), good for normal skin types, useful for skin problems like acne, eczema, and psoriasis
• Coconut: good for oily skin types, use with other more moisturizing herbs for normal and dry skin types, solid to semi-solid, unrefined has a pleasant coconut smell
• Grapeseed: very light, good for the face and sensitive skin, as well as skin problems like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Good for oily skin types.
• Sesame: heavier oil that is extremely moisturizing and penetrating, good for dry skin types. Has a stronger smell, use a refined sesame oil if you’d like a more neutral smell, or add to other oils for it’s moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Almond: heavier, moisturizing and penetrating oil that softens and soothes the skin, good for dry skin types.

The Process:

Step 1: Collect and dry your plant material. I always gather plants on a sunny and dry day, from a pristine area away from roads and that isn’t treated with pesticides or frequented by dogs.

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I recommend immediately drying plants in a dehydrator on low for about 8-12 hours. After drying, store in an airtight jar with a few silica packets. Flowers in particular are extremely hydrophilic and will absorb moisture and quickly get moldy if you give them a chance.

After drying, make the oil right away. To store any extra plant material, place a few silica packets in the jar with them, keep in a dark place, and use within 6 months. Drying in a dehydrator produces brightly-colored, good-quality dried herbs and insures that there is no water content that will make your oil go rancid. Remember, it takes a very long time to air-dry flowers! It is very difficult to get good-quality, thoroughly dried flowers from air-drying.

Step 2: To make the oil, you’ll need half of your jar packed with plant material (they will re-hydrate and expand when you add the oil, so make sure to leave them this space). This method of making herbal oils is called the folk method. You can choose to mix your herbs, make each herb in a separate jar, or work with 1 herb at a time.

If this is a product you would like to reproduce in the future, I suggest using the weight-to-volume method instead. With this method, the ratio of dry herbs to oil should be 1:5. Say you would like to make 12 oz of herbal oil. 12 oz = 360 mL. Divide 360 mL by 5 = 72 grams of herb you will need. Grind your herb(s) finely before adding the oil. More oil may be needed to cover the herbs completely, depending on how fine you could grind them.

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Step 3: Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with your base oil. Stir with a chopstick to make sure there are no air bubbles and that all of the plant material is well-soaked. Then top your jar off with the oil and seal the lid on tightly.

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Step 4: Set up your hot water bath. Place your jar inside the oven-safe bowl and fill the bowl with water. Place on your warming tray and turn it on. You will need to add more water into the bowl every day, as it will evaporate. I set this up on my kitchen counter next to the sink so I can do this easily and keep an eye on it.

Heat the oil between 110-120 degrees consistently for 2 weeks. You may want to “burp” the jar for the first couple days to let any air out. To do this, simply open the jar and then re-tighten the lid on. At these times I like to check the temperature, give it a quick stir, and take a long sniff.

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Step 5: After 2 weeks, remove from the warming tray and let cool. Strain through a fine strainer or sieve, squeeze out and discard plant material, and store oil in a sterilized dark bottle in a cool place. It is best to use up herbal oils within 6-12 months.

Ask any questions you may have in the comments, and please let me know if you try this!

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