Carrier Oils For Aromatherapy

How To Make Herb-Infused Oils

If you have never made an herb-infused oil, you are in for a wonderful treat! These easy herbal preparations are a wonderful way to capture the benefits of herbs for many uses, from skincare to cooking. There are so many herbs you can choose from depending on your intended use, and there are so many ways these oils can be used.

As an example of the many uses of an herb-infused oil, let’s take a look at the herb rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary can be used to create a vibrantly flavored culinary oil for use when roasting potatoes or making your favorite pasta sauce. For topical use, rosemary-infused oil can be used in a number of bath products, such as sugar scrubs or herbal shampoo. With its antimicrobial and moisturizing properties, rosemary-infused oil is a popular support for an itchy scalp and dandruff (McIntyre, 1996). It is also used to support hair growth since rosemary is an invigorating herb that stimulates blood flow on the surface of the skin (Holmes, 1997; Hoffmann, 2003). 

Herb-Infused Oils for Wellness and Beauty

Herb-infused oils can be used for bath and skincare products and other topical uses.

Herbs that make great herb-infused oils include calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf, chickweed (Stellaria media) leaf, chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower, lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) flower, and comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaf. These herb-infused oils can be used in lotion, cream, salve, insect repellent, and bath oil. Calendula is commonly used for sunburn, itchiness, rashes, inflammation, and wounds that are slow to heal (Hoffmann, 2003). Plantain is a vulnerary and encourages tissue renewal (Bruton-Seal, 2009).

Chickweed can be used to soothe minor burns and skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema (Wood, 2008). Chamomile and lavender are both calming and antifungal (McIntyre, 1996), and comfrey can be considered for minor burns, rashes, and insect bites (Grieves, 1971) but should be used with caution on open wounds due to its pyrrolizidine alkaloids. To learn more about the safe use of comfrey, see our article, The Comfrey Controversy: Can And Should One Use Comfrey Internally?

Carrier oils used that are ideal for topical use include olive (Olea europaea) oil, as it offers some resistance to oxidation and rancidity, but there are many other oils that can be used, such as almond (Prunus amygdalus), apricot (Prunus americana), coconut (Cocos nucifera), and grapeseed (Vitis vinifera). Beneficial properties and shelf life will vary for each oil. We recommend researching each carrier oil option before choosing an oil for your herb-infused oil. You can find a list of carrier oils and their properties in our post, Choosing Essential Oil Carriers. 

There are several infusion methods you can use to make these infused oils, such as warm infusion, solar infusion, stovetop infusion, and oven infusion methods, which we will describe below. Each of these methods yields fairly similar results, so feel free to experiment and see which method(s) you prefer.

Culinary Herb-Infused Oils

You can use tasty herb-infused oils for a delicious addition to salad dressings or any number of healthy, delicious meal preparations. Some herbs that make lovely culinary oils are garlic (Allium sativum) bulb, ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, cayenne pepper (Capsicum spp.) fruit, and oregano (Origanum vulgare) leaf. We suggest using dried herbs to prevent mold and bacterial growth in your infused oils and minimize the risk of botulism poisoning.

Carrier oils that are ideal for culinary infused oils are avocado (Persea americana), coconut (Cocos nucifera), grapeseed (Vitis vinifera), and olive (Olea europaea) oil, among others.

While you can certainly use any of the herb infusion methods mentioned below, the stovetop method is the most common infusion method used when making culinary herb-infused oils. If using the warm-infusion method, you can strain and use it after 1-2 weeks.

Tips For Making Herb-Infused Oils

• For best results, we recommend using high-quality dried herbs, as they will not contribute to spoilage, and you will have a longer-lasting product.
• While fresh herbs can be used in herb-infused oils for topical use and are preferred for some herbs, such as St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) aerial parts and mullein (Verbascum thapsus) flowers, care must be taken to minimize moisture in the finished product to decrease the chance of growth of mold or bacteria. This article will focus on herb-infused oils made with dried herbs.
• Culinary oils meant for internal use should be made with dried herbs to minimize the risk of botulism.
• You can use one herb to make your herb-infused oil or you can blend herbs to create a formula for your herb-infused oil. The choices are endless and completely up to you!

• Herb-infused oils can be made with either the traditional folk method in which ingredient amounts are eyeballed or the more precise ratio method where ingredient amounts are measured. Each method is included in the herb-infused oil tutorials below.
• Always use dry, sterilized jars with tight-fitting lids when making herb-infused oils using dried herbs to reduce the chance of bacteria or mold growth or your oils going rancid due to oxidation. Colored glass bottles will reduce exposure to light, which speeds up the degradation of your oils and herbal properties. Also, adding a few drops of vitamin E oil can discourage oxidation as well.
• Be sure to label jars and bottles with dates and ingredients during the infusion process and after bottling for storage.
• Now that we’ve covered some of the most important points of making herb-infused oils, let’s look at the supplies you’ll need and the various ways to make these preparations in more detail below.

• Supplies for Herb-Infused Oils

  When making herb-infused oils, you will likely need the following supplies depending upon the oil infusion method you choose to follow.

  • Carrier oil(s) of choice, such as avocado (Persea americana), coconut (Cocos nucifera), grapeseed (Vitis vinifera), or olive (Olea europaea) oil
  • Dried herb(s) of your choice such as calendula (Calendula officinalis), plantain (Plantago spp.), chickweed (Stellaria media), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), or comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
  • Natural waxed paper
  • Sterilized, dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
  • Sterilized, dry spoon
  • Sterilized, dry, stainless steel saucepan(s) or a double boiler
  • Crockpot (optional)
  • Cheesecloth or finer cloth, such as a nut milk bag, muslin, an old (but clean!) T-shirt, or unbleached coffee filter (optional)
  • Bowl with a spout
  • Labels and permanent marker
  • Dark-colored glass bottles with dropper tops or cap tops for storing finished product
  • Mortar and pestle (optional)
  • Wire strainer (optional)
  • Funnel (optional)
  • Vitamin E oil (optional).
• Reference: Herbal Academy