How To Make Herbal Infused Oils

Today I am sharing how to make Herbal Infused Oil.  In the pictures below I am making Calendula Infused Coconut Oil. Calendula can be used for just about any skin irritation.  We commonly use it for diaper rashes, scrapes, burns, rashes, and cuts but it is useful for many other things. Calendula helps heal the skin quickly so it shouldn't be used on large open cuts. Here are two articles on some of the benefits of calendula: Mountain Rose Herbs Blog & Herb Wisdom.

Start with clean pint size mason jars or any small jar that will fit in your crock-pot that has a metal lid.

Dried or fresh herbs

Fill jars 1/2 to 3/4's full with herbs.

You can use olive oil or coconut oil to make infused oils.  Olive oil will not last as long as coconut oil will.  Melt your oil or just pour directly into your jars.

Fill jars with melted oil until about 1 inch of the top of the jar.

Close tightly with a clean lid

Place a small towel at the bottom of your crock-pot.  This will keep the jars from breaking while staying warm.

Place your jars ontop of the towel, making sure to not allow them to touch

Fill crock-pot with water, covering the jars but not touching the lids. The lids can rust if the water touches them.

Place the lid on and set your crock-pot to it's lowest setting.  Let oil and herbs infuse for 3 days adding water when necessary. My crock-pot has a warm setting and it works perfectly for this.  If your's only has a low setting you may have to watch it and turn it off and on during the three days and keep the lid off. 

Allow the oil to cool after 3 days and strain through a clean old t-shirt or cheesecloth.  I tried using a cheese cloth once and couldn't get it clean. : (  I have had much success with a cut up t-shirt though.

Three pint jars made about 2 1/4 cups of infused oil.

Place in a clean glass jar and label.

I don't know technically how long the oil will keep but I've had mine for about 8 months now and it's still just fine.

This oil can be used as is or made into creams or salves. I personally prefer salves over creams as I feel the herb is more concentrated and works better on wounds or rashes.

You can always mix different herbs together to get a blended infused oil to use in skin care and cooking.

For more recipes and herbal blends I'd highly recommend the book Making Babies.  The book has so much more then just pregnancy and baby stuff!

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The recipe without the pictures to make it easier to follow:

3 cups or so of melted coconut oil

2 1/4 cups or so of dried herbs (in these pictures I'm using Calendula)

crock-pot

3 pint sized mason jars

• Start with clean pint size mason jars or any small jar that will fit in your crock-pot that has a metal lid.
• Fill jars 1/2 to 3/4's full with herbs.
• You can use olive oil or coconut oil to make infused oils.  Olive oil will not last as long as coconut oil will.  Melt your oil or just pour directly into your jars.
• Fill jars with melted oil until about 1 inch of the top of the jar.
• Close tightly with a clean lid
• Place a small towel at the bottom of your crock-pot.  This will keep the jars from breaking while staying warm.
• Place your jars ontop of the towel, making sure to not allow them to touch
• Fill crock-pot with water, covering the jars but not touching the lids. The lids can rust if the water touches them.
• Place the lid on and set your crock-pot to it's lowest setting.  Let oil and herbs infuse for 3 days adding water when necessary. My crock-pot has a warm setting and it works perfectly for this.  If your's only has a low setting you may have to watch it and turn it off and on during the three days and keep the lid off.
• Allow the oil to cool after 3 days and strain through a clean old t-shirt or cheesecloth.  I tried using a cheese cloth once and couldn't get it clean. : (  I have had much success with a cut up t-shirt though.
• Three pint jars made about 2 1/4 cups of infused oil.
• Place in a clean glass jar and label.

To make into a Salve

If you want to make this oil into a salve you need:
1 cup infused oil (above)
1/4 cup of beeswax pastilles
10 drops of grapefruit seed extract

Melt beeswax into oil on low heat until all is melted and blended in.  Remove from heat. Add grapefruit seed extract (this helps preserve it).  Pour into tins, jars or cans.  I have found that I love the size and shape of old baby food jars.

Have you made infused oils before?  What are some of your favorite herbs to use day to day?  Leave a comment and let us know!

*Disclaimers:

This post contains affiliate links.  Read my full disclosure here.

I am not a doctor or medical professional, before doing any treatment always consult a health care professional.