The spring of 2020 is one that will go down in history due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many countries required businesses to shut down and people to stay at home. One thing that I noticed on social media a lot of people turned to the garden for a distraction. Hopefully, you also turned to your garden and it is now full of blooms of many colors, varieties, and fragrances.
This Article originally appeared in the NAHA Summer Journal 2020.1 and it is re-published here according to the NAHA Writer Guidelines 2019-20 copyright statement.
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Exploring Infused Oils
With my time at home I have been studying all the benefits of the plants we grow. A few years ago, I began experimenting making infused oils. During the summer months there are many flowers and herbs that we can use fresh or dried to create beautiful infused oils. Oil is not great at extracting plant constituents on its own, it does require gentle heat or another solvent and time. Once complete these infused oils are a gentle fragrant option that we can use daily for a variety of things such as a healing liniment, a massage oil, or a hot oil hair treatment. They are also a great base for transforming into salves or other therapeutic blends.
Infused oils are gentle but complex. Compared to an essential oil which is complex but not as gentle. Both infusion and distillation extract the fat-soluble constituents from plant materials. When infusing plants into an oil though there are other substances such as flavonoids and glucosides that can be released. Having these additional constituents provide the infused oil with properties that support the body and help the oil be mild. 1
Since flavonoids and glucosides are too heavy to process through distillation essential oils tend to be more caustic having safety precautions with them. This is also why essential oils do not have a nutritional value. The distillation process does extract constituents that are different to an infused oil and do offer different therapeutic benefits. An essential oil is also more likely to smell like the actual plant where an infused oil will have a muted fragrance. 1
Creating blends
By combining an infused oil and an essential oil of the same plant material you will be accessing much of what the plant has to offer therapeutically. 1
For me and I am sure many aromatherapists one of the first infused oils we learned about was trauma oil. Trauma oil is a combination of fixed oils infused with arnica (Arnica montana), calendula (Calendula officinalis) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). This oil is supportive during situations that have pain and inflammation. St. John’s wort is the only plant that needs to be used fresh to create this blend. If you have it available, I encourage you to try making a batch on your own.
Flowers to experiment with:
Pick up your dried herbs at StarWest Botanicals
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia or var) as with essential oils it is important that you know which variety you are growing as they will have different medicinal properties. Infusing lavender is a great way to have a ready-made massage oil for calming yourself after a long day. It can also be useful for helping with minor injuries after a day of gardening. 2
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a great flower to add to your garden. It provides so much diversity from beauty to providing therapeutic properties and it is edible. To make a good infusion pick the flowers when they are just opening. They should have a good resin on the stem. This is a good infusion to use on rashes, eczema, or swollen lymph glands. 2
Garlic Flower (Allium sativum) can be a forgotten part of the garlic plant. These flowering tops can be used in food preparation and have the similar properties as the garlic bulb. Garlic has been used for supporting the system during colds, flus and boosting the immune system. This infusion is not as strongly flavored as an oil made from the garlic bulb. 2
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a noticeable weed that also has a long history of medicinal uses. Mullein can grow to 7 feet tall. The small yellow flowers can be used to create an infusion. This infusion has been used for fighting ear infections and soothing the associated pain. 2
St. John wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a beautiful red oil created from the fresh buds, flowers, and leaves. To get a good quality oil it is important to use buds just before opening. This oil is good to have in a first aid kit for burns, bruises, and other skin injuries. I have used this oil when working with animals too. 2
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is known for its emotional support helping with anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Once this plant starts to bloom, I have found harvesting daily seems to encourage more flowers. These flowers can be dried and used to create an infusion later in the fall. 3
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is a nice flower to create an infusion with to use as a perfume. Traditional Chinese medicine has used gardenia as a muscle relaxant and for treating nervous system problems. It is a relaxing fragrance and in some cultures is associated with love and marriage. 3
Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) as an essential oil is expensive. Although creating an infusion may not give you the strong fragrance you would expect from the plant it can be infused to create a nice perfume or bath oil. Jasmine is known for helping insomnia and depression, some people also find that it can help ease a headache. 3
Curry flowers (Helichrysum italicum) are more widely known by its scientific name helichrysum in the aromatherapy world. The bright yellow flowers can be used to create an infusion. As with the essential oil it can be used to relieve stress and depression. 3
Consider growing your own herbs. Start with quality seeds.
Safety Considerations
As I mentioned above infused oils are gentle and generally can be used safely. Things that you need to take into consideration would be allergies to a plant species. If you are allergic to chamomile do not consider making an infusion with that flower. Also, make sure you know the growing conditions. You do not want to use a flower that has been sprayed with pesticides.
There are so many options to create beautiful infusions. The infusions can be created with a single plant or combined with several together. Using small jars, you can try a variety of options and decide what combination you like best.
Rosemary Infused Oil Hair Treatment
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a unique plant that has been used for centuries in a variety of ways. Rosemary can help to repel a variety of bugs including mosquitoes. It is also known for helping with memory and dizziness. I began using rosemary in two ways as either a water infusion or oil infusion for a hair treatment.
Ingredients:
- 1 Pint approximately of Avocado (Persea gratissima) oil (or oil of your choice)
- 1 Pint approximately of rosemary needles/leaves and flowers wilted
If you are using the solar method you want a pint size jar most or the way full of plant material, then you will cover this with the oil. This is the reason for the approximate measurement.
Utilize the one of the methods below for infusion
Directions for use: Warm the oil so it is comfortable to the touch. Depending on the length of hair utilize approximately a quarter size drop to massage into the hair and scalp. Cover with a shower cap for 10 minutes. Rinse hair with warm water and condition as normal.
This is a review of the infusion methods we reviewed in the Spring NAHA Journal.
| How to Infuse Flowers for an Infused Oil Double Boiler Method This method works particularly well for infusing roots. Always ensure you label and date your infused oils. * Place your chopped herbs of choice into a pan. * Cover the herbs with up to two inches of your chosen carrier oil. * Place the pan inside of another pan with water, resting just above the water to allow the steam to slowly heat up the herbs and oil. * Slowly simmer the herbs and oil for 30 to 60 minutes. Check the oil frequently during the process. The oil will become herby in aroma when it is done. When the oil is ready, strain out the herbs using a stainless-steel strainer and cheese cloth. Solar Infusion Method For this method you will need a wide mouth canning jar and some sun! Place your chopped herbs of choice into the jar. Cover the herbs with your carrier oil of choice, leaving an inch over plant material. Place the jar in a warm sunny spot for two weeks. After steeping, strain herbs with a stainless-steel strainer and cheese cloth. |
- Herbowski online, Macerated (Infused) Oil vs. Essential Oil, accessed 4/20/20, https://herbowski.co.uk/blogs/blog/macerated-infused-oil-vs-essential-oil
- Gladstar, R., 2012, Medicinal Herbs A Beginner’s Guide, US: Storey Publishing
- Keville, K., 2016, Aromatherapy Garden, US: Timber Press
