Learn How to Make Essential Oils at Home

Learn How to Make Essential Oils at Home
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Essential oils are simply the oils extracted from the various parts of plants and carry a distinctive scent or “essence” of the plant. Essential oils are highly concentrated and have many uses, such as medicinal, healing, antiseptic, calming, stimulating and soothing. Learning how to make essential oils at home is a relatively easy process. To begin, you will need to decide what type of essential oils you want to make, and then choose the appropriate oil and plant material.

Types of Base Oils

When choosing a base oil, it is important to remember that although essential oils are a natural product, they are highly concentrated and may cause skin irritations or other adverse reactions. Therefore, it is important to choose a base oil that will achieve the results you wish without reducing the benefits. The following are some popular base oils that are mild and widely used:

Sweet Almond Oil

  • pale, yellow color
  • subtle aroma
  • rich in vitamin D and protein
  • cosmetic properties
  • effective moisturizer

Avocado Oil

  • edible
  • healthy type of oil
  • rich in vitamin A and trace minerals
  • effective for skin and hair care

Hazelnut Oil

  • nutty, sweet scent
  • very light
  • ideal for naturally oily skin
  • fast absorbing
  • effective massage oil

Jojoba Oil

  • distinct, pleasant scent
  • golden, yellow color
  • fast absorbing
  • anti-inflammatory properties

Olive Oil

  • heavy texture
  • light to medium green color
  • strong olive scent
  • very popular base oil
  • edible

Rose Hip Oil

  • earthy, mild aroma.
  • rich in vitamins such as E and C
  • rich in essential fatty acids
  • very effective for treating skin conditions
  • leaves a slight film of oil on the skin

Types of Plant Material

Raw plant material used for essential oils may be extracted from flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seeds, or peel. When making essential oils at home, flowers, herbs, spices and citrus peels are the most easily accessible and can make a wide variety of common oils.

Flowers are generally used for their aromatic properties. When possible, cut the flowers right before they fully open and use the petals only. Many types of flowers are used to make fragrant essential oils, including roses, jasmine, lavender, orange blossom, honeysuckle, marigold, hyancith sweet pea, heliotrope, and lily of the valley.

Almost any herb that you can grow in your garden may be used when learning how to make essential oils at home. Again, cut the herbs just before the flowers open. Chop and use the flowers and leaves, but not the woody stems. Some of the most frequently used herbs are peppermint, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and basil.

Spices and citrus peels are also easy to use to make homemade essential oils. Whole spices, crushed with a pestle or mortar, are best. Try cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin or coriander. When making citrus oil, you only want to use the peel or zest. Citrus zest is very potent, so use in moderation.

How to Make Essential Oils at Home

The equipment needed to make essential oils at home can easily be found in your kitchen. Once you have chosen your plant material and oil, they must be combined together in the correct proportions. It is important to keep in mind that the ingredients for your essential oils should be chosen based on your needs and personal tastes. To achieve best results, use twice as many flowers as herbs, and then add a small amount of spices and/or zest to compliment the main ingredients. A basic recipe would be: 1 ¼ cup oil, 8 tbs. flower petals, and then your choice of either 4 tbs. chopped herbs, 2 tbs. crushed spices and/or 2 tbs. citrus zest. Mix together the oil and plant material and then choose one of the following methods to make your essential oil.

Crock-Pot

  • Pour your mixture into your crock-pot and warm on low heat for five to eight hours.

Oven

  • Pour your mixture into an oven safe jar. Heat your oven to 150 degrees and warm for 2 ½ to 4 hours.

Sun Warmed

  • Pour your mixture into a mason jar, close the lid tightly and place in the sun for 1 to 2 weeks. Shake every 12 hours.*

Stove-Top

  • Pour your mixture into a jar, in a saucepan of cold water and slowly heat it over the stove until the water is warm, but not too hot to touch. Continue to simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove the jar and repeat this process once a day for 1 to 2 weeks.*

* To increase the potency of your oil, lay a piece of muslin over the jar and strain the oil. Squeeze out the oil, put it back into the jar and add fresh plant material. Do this as many times as necessary.

Once your essential oil has reached its desired strength, strain it with a cheesecloth, pour into a dark glass bottle and store in a cool, dark, dry spot to preserve its medicinal and aromatic properties. The shelf life of your essential oil should be 6 to 12 months.

Once you learn how to make essential oils at home you can experiment with different types of oil and plant material combinations to achieve a variety of results. It’s a fun and easy way to create your own aromatherapy and natural healing products.

References

National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy: What is Essential Oils? - https://www.naha.org/what_is_an_essential_oil.htm

Essential Oils for Healing: Therapeutic Essential Oils - https://www.essentialoilsforhealing.com/REFeoils.html

Image Courtesy of: WikiMedia Commons - Hugo

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