How To Make Infused Oil At Home | Video Tutorial

Infused oils are extracts of dried herbs, flowers, roots, barks, seeds or leaves in your preferred oils. This process is also known as oil extraction.

In this article, I will display how to make infused oil at home.

How to Make Infused Oil?

Infused oils can be prepared by three methods;

1. Cold method – In this method herbs are soaked into carrier oils for 3 to 6 months to get completely infused. This is a lengthy method and requires a lot of time and patience, but it is a very effective way to get the maximum essence out of these infused herbs.
2. Simpler or Folk method – This method of extraction is quicker than the cold method.  In this method, the dried herbs are soaked into the oil and then the airtight glass container containing the infused herbs is placed at a window sill or a place where there is no direct sunlight for 1 to 1.5 months.
3. Hot method – In this method, the infusion is kept in a double boiler for certain hours to speed up the infusion.  Using this method, infused oils can be prepared in a day’s time.

The infusion time depends on the material which you are going to infuse. e.g. Leaves and petals require less time than roots, barks or seeds.

Making an Infused oil is quite simple.

However, one thing I would like to add here before we start is that making good quality infused oil requires patience.

Ok, now let’s get started.

1.  Cold Method:

You making infused oil with this method, we will be requiring:

1. Airtight glass mason jar

2. Your choice of Dried plant materials such as herbs, flowers, roots, leaves, seeds, barks, etc.

*Make sure the plant materials you choose are completely dry as any moisture in them will cause mould in the oil.

3. Solvent oil (it can be any plant-based carrier oils like coconut oil, almond oil, safflower oil, etc.)

First of all, thoroughly clean the mason jar with soapy water. Dry it completely and spray rubbing alcohol. Let it dry out completely and then proceed further.

*It is necessary to use sterilized vessels and equipment in order to make sure the products don’t develop any moulds.

Fill ⅔rd of the glass mason jar with dried plant materials and fill the jar till its neck with solvent oil.

Close the lid and make sure it is airtight.

Label the Jar with the date and contents.

Shake the bottle so that all the herbs are soaked in the oil.

Now put this Jar in a cool, dark shelf for almost 1.5 to 2 months (The time taken depends on the type of herbs you are using as barks or seeds may take a longer time to lose their essence in the solvent oil).

Every 2-3 days shake the jar so that the oil gets properly infused by the herbs.

After 1.5 to 2 months take the mason jar out of the shelf and strain the extracted oil into a clean, well-sterilised airtight bottle. (It would be better if the bottle is tinted so that the infusion is not affected by the sunlight)

I like to strain the oil using cheesecloth (muslin cloth) as it gives a fine extract. Make sure to squeeze out as much of the precious oil as possible.

You can use a good strainer with fine holes as well.

Use a funnel to transfer the infused oil from the mason jar to the bottle.

Stir the bottle after closing the lid and store it in a cool dark place, if the bottle is transparent.

Label the bottle with date and ingredients. (This step is necessary to know the expiry date of the product)

Your infused oil is ready. You can use it for your specific purpose now.

2. Simpler or Folk method:

This method is similar to the cold method but in this, the airtight glass mason jar is placed at a place where there is constant sunlight coming. Make sure there is no direct sunlight though, as it may damage the herbs or the carrier oil.

Keep this jar for 1-1.5 month and keep shaking the jar every day.

Once you see the oil is completely infused by the herbs strain the oil in a tinted glass bottle and store it in a cool dark place.

3. Hot method:

You will be requiring:

1. Airtight heatproof glass mason jar
2. Double boiler set up
3. Your preferred dried plant materials
4. Your preferred solvent oil

Place the herbs and oil in a well-sanitized mason jar the same as I explained in the cold method.

Add water in the double boiler about 1/3 of the pot. Once the water becomes hot, place the mason jar in this hot water and let it remain in the hot water for 12 to 24 hours.

Make sure the water is not boiling. Keep the low heat throughout. (The temperature shouldn’t exceed 170 degrees.)

Keep checking the water level and refilling water in double boiler from time to time. (*As sometimes if the water level goes down it may create cracks in the glass mason jar and the water will seep into the infusion.)

Once the herbs get completely infused in the solvent oil take out the jar and let the infused oil cool down completely.

Once cooled, fill it in a well sterilized airtight tinted glass mason jar and place it in a cool dark place.

Infused oils have about 1 to 2 years of shelf life.

Rose infused oil:

 

Take Completely dried rose petals (preferably in sunlight).

Take a clean and well sterilized airtight mason jar and fill ⅔ of the jar with dried rose petals.

Pour cold-pressed coconut oil until the neck of the mason jar.

Keep some space so that when you shake the mixture it doesn’t spill.

Close the lid and make sure it is airtight. Now shake the jar well so that all the rose petals are completely submerged in the coconut oil.

Label the jar with Date and Ingredients.

Put this jar in a cool dark shelf.

Every 2-3 days take out the jar and give it a nice shake and put it back.

After 1.5 to 2 months take it out and stir this rose-infused oil and strain it.

I use a strainer and cheesecloth to strain the finest residue.

Transfer this oil into a clean and well-sterilised bottle using a funnel (so that you don’t spill the oil while transferring).
Label the bottle with date and title (Rose infused oil).

And that’s it, your rose-infused oil is ready.

Uses Of Infused Oils:

You can use these infused oils in the making of homemade face creams, lip balms, body lotions, makeup remover and face serums.

Or

You can prepare your own herbal oils for hair mixing more than 1 type of herb.

So, do give it a try to make your own infused oil.

I make all the infused oils that I use in my products myself.

If you have any query on how to make infused oil of any particular ingredient, feel free ask me in the comments.