How to Make Herbal Infused Oil

Creating herbal oils is a simple and enjoyable process.   Herbal Infused Oils can then be made into salve, lip balm, cream, used for culinary purposes, or simply used as a massage oil.  
There are several ways to make herbal infused oil:  1- Solar infusion Method,  2-Heat Infusion method, 3- Alcohol Intermediary Method.  
Personally I have mostly used the simple solar infused method, but I recently made comfrey oil using the alcohol intermediary method and I must say that I am very impressed.  The oil is much more potent than any I have ever made, and it was ready within 24 hours!  But each way has it's own strengths, so read on to learn about all three methods!  First though, let's talk about choosing the herbs and the oil!   Or if you already know which herbs you want to infuse, scroll down to get directly to the instructions!   

Choosing your herbs and oil 

Calendula

St John's Wort

Narrowleaf Plantain

Broadleaf Plantain

Yarrow (flowers)

Yarrow (leaf)

comfrey leaf

comfrey in flower

Mullein in flower

rosemary

As with any herbal preparation, use high quality, sustainably sourced herbs.  I feel strongly that it is of utmost importance to practice herbalism with integrity:  in a way that is socially and environmentally conscious.  Therefore,  I prefer to grow my own and respectfully wildcraft (gather plants from the wild), but I also order herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs or Rosemary's Garden.  I am sure there are other amazing herbal supply companies, but these are the two I am most familiar with. 

There are countless herbs that can be infused in oil (too many to list) so here are the herbs I most commonly use for herbal oil infusions:

Notes:  
*To create truly potent herbal infused oils, it is necessary to know which constituents we are extracting from the oil.  Some constituents need heat to be properly extracted, while some are extracted best with room temperature oils.  Richo Cech's Making Plant Medicine is a great resource for this. 
**I don't go into the plant identification in the following descriptions, but I have included the Latin name so that you can do further research and correctly identify the plants if you don't already know them

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
This herbal oil is a staple in my home!  Calendula is an incredibly easy plant to grow, and I encourage everyone to get to know this bright and beautiful flower!  Calendula is a wonderful 'polycrest'  medicine (meaning it has a wide range of medicinal applications), and can be used both internally and externally, but for now let's focus on it's external uses.  From minor skin irritations and rashes, to deep wounds and lacerations, calendula is your go to plant.  Calendula speeds healing and prevents infection, and is particularly useful when wounds are red, swollen, and puffy.  I cannot recommend this plant enough, and encourage everyone to grow it in their garden and keep a jar of dried calendula on hand!  Plus of course, keep your medicine chest stocked with Calendula oil and salve!  

St Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
St. Johns wort can often be found along roadsides and in disturbed soils and since it is so prolific in these places I don't recommend bringing it to your garden as it can be quite invasive.  I try and and find areas without a lot of car traffic if harvesting it near the road.  Since we are talking topical applications, I'll stay on track and save other uses of St. John's for another post!  Topically, St. John's is an excellent remedy for burns, sunburns, nerve pain, and deep puncture wounds.  St John's should be fresh when made into an oil infusion, so after harvesting the top flowering parts of this plant, take it home and get some oil on it!  Infuse it in the sun, but check on it often to be sure that the plant material always stays completely submerged by the oil.  You'll be delighted by the bright red color the oil quickly turns!  After a few weeks in the sun, strain and bottle for future use!  I also like to dry  St John's for my home apothecary.  

Plantain (Plantago major  or Plantago lanceolata)
Once you get to know this plant, you will see it everywhere!  Plantain has naturalized throughout the world, and was called 'white man's footprint' by Native Americans, as it was brought by the first colonizers and quickly spread.  
Plantain is a trusted ally whom I am sure you will grow to love.  Plantain is indispensable for bee stings and  insect bites for it's ability to 'draw' the venom out.  If you or a loved one get stung or bit, immediately search the area for plantain, chew up a leaf, and stick it on the affected area for quick relief.   Once home, if it is still irritated, make an infusion of plantain, mix with clay to form a paste, and apply to the affected area.  
Plantain is also great for drawing out splinters, and promotes skin healing after minor cuts, burns, and blisters.  I always like to keep a supply of dried plantain on hand, as well as plantain infused oil to make a salve!  

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow is a complex plant that deserves much more than a paragraph for a description.  Yarrow has many uses and benefits, but topically speaking, yarrow really shines as an herb for deep wounds that are bleeding excessively.  
Experience is of course the greatest teacher, and those who have used yarrow to stop bleeding affirm this unique capability.  But for the skeptics out there, science has supported these claims through the finding of alkaloids in yarrow that speed blood clotting. 
You can find this herb growing widely throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but be sure to properly identify this plant as it could potentially be confused with wild carrot or poison hemlock.  
For a bleeding wound, grab some nearby yarrow leaf, chew it for a moment to form a pulp, then apply directly to the wound.  Yarrow not only stops bleeding but also prevents infection, so to cleanse wounds, make a yarrow leaf and flower infusion and strain well before using.  



Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Commonly known as 'knitbone,' Comfrey's genus name literally means "to bring together."  This larger than life beautiful plant promotes rapid cell regeneration, so much so that it is counter-indicated for deep puncture wounds, as it may heal the wound too quickly from the outside.  However, turn to this plant and use it topically for non-puncture wounds, bruises, broken bones, torn ligaments, sore nipples of nursing mothers, hemorrhoids, and sprained muscles. 
I highly recommend bringing comfrey to your garden and you will always have this green ally nearby!  Use the fresh leaves for poultices on strained ligaments and muscles, continuously harvest the leaves and dry them for future use, and of course make a comfrey oil infusion!  

Mullien (Verbascum thapsus)
I wanted to be sure to mention an indispensable remedy for ear aches and infections:  garlic and mullein flower oil.  Mullein is yet another one of my favorite herbs and I highly recommend saying hello and getting to know this soft yet strong plant.  Its' delicate yellow flowers combine amazingly well with garlic to make an infused oil that I always keep on hand for ear aches and infections.  The tiny yellow flowers don't all bloom at once so you'll want to visit the same plant over time to harvest enough flowers to make an oil, or find a spot with many mullein plants to harvest all at once. 

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Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Who doesn't know Rosemary?  Though commonly known for her culinary delights, rosemary is also an important medicine.  How fortunate it is that many already grow it in their gardens! 
Rosemary oil infusion can be rubbed onto the skin to bring blood flow and circulation to achy, stiff joints or rub rosemary oil into the scalp to promote circulation and better memory and concentration!
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Choosing an Oil 

Everyone has their favorite oil to use in herbal oil infusions.  I keep it simple and most often use organic olive oil since it is affordable and readily available.  Plus, one of my favorite herbalists, Rosemary Gladstar recommends it!  Other favorites oils for herbal infusions include sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil.  

Herb to Oil Ideal Ratios

Dried Herbs  1:5-1:8 
Fresh Herbs  1:2-1:4
(Weight of herb: volume of oil)

...and there is always the folk method:  fill a jar halfway with your herb of choice, and add enough oil to cover

For best results, hand chop or use a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder to grind your herb before mixing it with the oil.  This exposes more surface area of the herb to the oil which creates a more potent infusion.  You can grind the herb into smaller chunks, or all the way to powder.  Powdered herbs take more time to strain from the oil, so I prefer to grind the herbs into small bits.  But the choice is yours so find your own preference by experimenting! 

Solar Infusions

4I have heard this method called the 'folk' method . . .and so it is. . .simple, straightforward, and easy!  You can use either fresh or dried herbs for this method, but if using fresh herbs care must be taken to ensure that the oil doesn't go rancid due to moisture from the plant material.  Let the fresh herbs wilt to ensure the moisture is gone,  and always be sure the jar you are using is clean and completely dry.  It's also incredibly important to make sure the herbs always remain completely submerged in the oil.  
The process is simple:  chop or grind your herbs, place them in a jar, and fill with oil.  Place a lid on the jar, give it a good shake, and place it in a warm sunny location where you will see it often.  Over the next 4-6 weeks, shake the jar and then be sure that after the herbs settle they are still submerged.  Strain and keep in a cool, dark location.   
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Heat Infusions

Using heat to create infused oil produces a finished product in a short amount of time.  There are many variations of this method, but the general idea is simple:  heat the oil and herbs slowly and at a low temperature (120-140 Fahrenheit) to avoid burning the herbs.  You can either use a crock pot, double boiler, or yoghurt maker.   If using a double boiler, simply mix the herb and oil into the top pot and simmer the water underneath for 30 minutes to an hour.  For the crock pot method, place your chopped/ground herb of choice in a clean, dry jar, add your oil (being sure the herb is submerged completely) and place this in your crock pot.  Add water to your crock pot so that water reaches to just below the lid of the jar, and set to low.  l keep the lid off the crock pot to be sure the oil/herbs don't get too hot.  Let the herb and oil heat all day or overnight to create a strong and potent oil.  Strain and rebottle, storing in a cool and dark location.    

Alcohol Intermediary Infusions

This method creates a very potent oil that has a longer shelf life than oils made with the above methods.  This is due to the addition to a small amount of alcohol to the plant material which prevents mold and microbial growth.   The process is still pretty simple, but contains one additional step in the beginning.  Use only dried herbs for this method.    
Grind your herbs into a course powder.  For each ounce of herb, add approximately 1/2 ounce of whole grain alcohol (everclear or vodka) to the ground herbs and mix, just enough to dampen.  If using the folk measuring method, fill your jar about 1/4 full of ground herb and add just enough alcohol to slightly dampen.  Cover you jar and let it sit for 24 hours.  Next fill the jar with your oil of choice and mix well, making sure that the herbs are submerged in the oil.  Lastly, use one of the heat infusion methods above.  Strain and rebottle.    

References

Opening Our Wild Hearts to Healing Herbs Gail Faith Edwards
Materia Medica Monthly, Sajah Popham (online Program) www.evolutionaryherbalism.com
Wild Remedies Rosalee De la Foret & Emily Han
Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal Rosemary Gladstar
Making Plant Medicine Richo Cech