HERBAL OILS: INFUSED VS. ESSENTIAL

I make and use many infused herbal oils. I use little or no essential oils. Why?

Infused herbal oils use a small amount of plant material; essential oils require tons of plant material.

Infused herbal oils are safe to use internally or externally;

essential oils are poisonous internally and problematic externally.

Infused herbal oils are good for the skin;

essential oils can cause rashes, burns, and other skin reactions.

Infused oils are used full strength;

essential oils are diluted before use.

Infused herbal oils have subtle scents;

essential oils have powerful scents.

The scent of an essential oil can kill gut flora just like antibiotics do.
Breathing the oils puts them into the blood stream very quickly and can be a major disturber of intestinal health and contributor to poor immune functioning.

Massage therapists are embracing Natural Scent Therapies such as growing live aromatic plants in their treatment rooms and using pillows of dried aromatic herbs instead of essential oils. Their skin and their immune systems are thanking them for the switch.


MAKING INFUSED HERBAL OILS

To make an infused herbal oil you will need the following supplies:

• Fresh plant material
• Scissors or a knife
• A clean dry jar with a tight lid
• Some olive oil (DO NOT HEAT OIL!)
• A label and pen; a small bowl

Harvest your plant material in the heat of the day, after the sun has dried the dew. It is best to wait at least 36 hours after the last rain before harvesting plants for infused oils. Wet plant materials will make moldy oils.


Coarsely chop the roots, leaves, or flowers of your chosen plant. Fill your jar completely full of the chopped plant material.

Add olive oil until the jar is completely full. (Patience and a chopstick are useful tools at this point.)

Tightly lid the jar. Label it. Put it in a small bowl (to collect seepage and over-runs).

Your infused oil is ready to use in six weeks.

You can then strain it using cheese cloth, or leave the herbs in it. But if your going to store it for a while, please remove all the herbs so they don't rot and contaminate your oil!

Fresh Plants That can used to Make Infused Oils, always check first to see if your allergic to them, small dot of oil rubbed on your arm, and wait a day and see if anything happens.

Arnica flowers
Burdock seeds
Calendula flowers
Comfrey leaves or roots
Dandelion flowers
Plantain leaves
Poke roots
Spruce needles
St. Joan's wort flowers
Yarrow blossoms
Yellow dock roots
Sage
basil
Parsley (this reduces swelling)
Rosemary
Raspberry leaves

USING YOUR INFUSED HERBAL OILS

I use my infused herbal oils to heal and ease the pain of wounds, bruises, scrapes, sprains, burns, rashes, sore muscles, insect bites, and aching joints.

I make my infused oils into ointments, salves, and lip balms. I use my infused oils in rituals, to anoint. I use my infused oils after bathing, moisturize, sexual lubricants, nourish my scalp and hair.

I apply my infused herbal oils directly to the body. I rarely take infused herbal oils as internal medicines although it would be safe, since you would never use toxic herbs, to do so. I use my infused oils to make salves, ointments, and lip balms.