how to make herb & flower oils and balms
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Herb & flower oils and balms are carrier oils that have been 'infused' with the goodness of a botanical ingredient - herb, flower, berry, root. These infused oils are for external use, and are very beneficial to any herbal preparation because they contain the nutritive properties and therapeutic goodness of both the carrier oil and the botanical that it contains. Infused oils can be made with either a cold or hot method, but for a general rule, the cold method is best for delicate flowers, and the hot method for spices, leaves, roots and berries.
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Carrier oils top tips:
- Sunflower oil is a popular choice as a carrier oil. It doesn't have as many therapeutic benefits as almond, olive and coconut, but it's a light oil, with low odour and spreads well, making it a good choice for body blends.
- Sweet almond oil has valuable skin care benefits and spreads well, but is not suitable for anyone suffering from nut allergies. Also, when used for infusions, almond oil goes rancid more quickly than some of the other oils when used, so smaller batches are recommended.
- Olive oil has a high heat tolerance, and is a heavy, therapeutic oil that is especially suitable for dry, chapped, mature and sensitive skin types. It can be especially beneficial for irritated, itchy skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Olive has a stronger scent than sunflower and sweet almond, so you might like to blend it with a second oil to neutralise the odour.
- Coconut oil is less commonly used for infusions, but is a very good choice. It has a nice scent, has valuable health & skin care properties of it's own, and it has a high tolerance to heat and will last for long periods without going rancid. Coconut oil has become my personal favourite - it melts when put on the heat to infuse your botanicals, but will re-solidify at cooler temperatures to create an instant balm without adding a solid wax. If you'd like to increase the spreadability of your coconut blend, just add a tablespoon of a liquid oil such as sunflower, almond or olive to the coconut while it's on the heat.
ingredients
300ml carrier oil
2 TBL dried herbs, flowers, roots, berries
2 TBL dried herbs, flowers, roots, berries
method
How to make cold infusions (flowers)
How to make hot macerations (infusions): (spices, leaves, roots and berries)
- Put the flowers into a pestle. Add a small amount of your chosen carrier oil, to cover the botanicals.
- Mix the blend, using the mortar to crush and bruise the flower heads to release their goodness into the oil.
- Put the oil/flower mixture into a large clean, dry, sterilised glass jar. Pour in the remaining oil, ensuring the plant material is well covered.
- Shake well. Leave in a warm, sunny place for 2-4 weeks, shaking daily.
- Strain the mixture twice to remove all botanicals, using a muslin covered sieve into a clean, dry, sterilised jar or bottle. Leaving any of the botanicals in the oilcould cause it to go rancid.
- Store in a cool, dry place for up to one year.
How to make hot macerations (infusions): (spices, leaves, roots and berries)
- Chop the dried/ fresh herbs or spices.
- Put half the herbs/ spices into a pyrex jug, and add your chosen carrier oil.
- Put the jug into a water bath (a saucepan 1/3 - 1/2 filled with water) and simmer gently on a low heat for 2 hours, giving it a stir every 10 - 15 minutes. Do not use direct heat, as it might burn the oil.
- Strain the mixture twice to remove all botanicals, using a muslin covered sieve., into a clean, dry, sterilised jar or bottle. Leaving any of the botanicals in the oil could cause it to go rancid.
- Allow to cool and pour into clean, dry, sterilised jars or bottles. Label and date.
- Store in a cool, dry place for up to one year.
Important considerations & cautions:
Although botanicals (herbs, spices, plants) are considered safe for most people when used in cooking or in small amounts, inappropriate use of some of these botanicals could be dangerous. The content on this site shares our own personal use of botanical ingredients, is for information only, and should not be taken as medical advice. Prior to using any botanicals in recipes or remedies, you should always do your own research, and first consult with a medical professional, your GP, or a qualified herbalist.
Although botanicals (herbs, spices, plants) are considered safe for most people when used in cooking or in small amounts, inappropriate use of some of these botanicals could be dangerous. The content on this site shares our own personal use of botanical ingredients, is for information only, and should not be taken as medical advice. Prior to using any botanicals in recipes or remedies, you should always do your own research, and first consult with a medical professional, your GP, or a qualified herbalist.