DIY Herb-Infused Oils

Winter is in full swing and that means it is the perfect time to feed your skin with homemade infused oils. You can add them directly to a bath or use them as a base oil to create homemade salves, body balms, lotions and scrubs.

These botanical oils will nourish the body and heal dry skin, but better still you can dress them up in pretty bottles for easy holiday gifts.

Just follow these easy steps to make your own infused oils at home using garden herbs.

Choosing Your Herbs

Choose herbs with high levels of natural volatile oils such as lavender, rosemary, peppermint, chamomile, rose or even vanilla beans. Dried herbs work best. Fresh plant material is a little trickier due to the water content in the herbs. Let your fresh herbs dry for a couple of days to remove some of the moisture.

Choose a Carrier Oil

You can infuse any type of oil. The most common choices are olive, almond or grapeseed.

Choose your Method

Cold Infusion

• Fill a jar halfway with plant material
• Pour oil over the herbs covering them by an inch or more.
• Stir to release air bubbles.
• Cap with a lid and place in a sunny area.
• Shake your mixture daily.
• Your infusion will be ready in 2-3 weeks.
• Strain the oil.

Warm Infusion

This is an easy method with quick results. 

• Combine the herbs and oil in a saucepan or crock pot. 
• Heat slowly over very low heat (100°-140°) for 2 to 5 hours, then strain.

Now that you've infused your oils, you can decant them in a pretty bottle or a functional Mason jar. The scents of the garden can last all year long when you create your own garden beauty products.