While a water infusion was technically my first form of herbal medicine, next came the infused oil….which became a base for my first salve.
Even during the years of my full clinical apothecary days, I always had many infused oils going.
I am quite sure I have about 4 needing to be strained at the moment and I definitely need to get my next batch of Comfrey oil going…
Our skin is our largest organ, medicines applied move through the skin and into the bloodstream (which is why we also need to be mindful of everything we put on it).
While many people think about infused oils (and thus salves) as strictly a topical need only medicine, we can actually rely on infused oils are complete healing medicines.
We can infuse oils with nervine herbs to help calm our bodies.
We can infused warming or cooling herbs - such as Comfrey to soothe hot flushed skin or Calendula to stimulate blood flow to heal damaged skin (like a sunburn). Ginger to bring warmth deep to the body for postpartum women.
Chamomile, rather than in a tea for little ones (who may not want to drink tea), in an oil to help calm them at night.
I infuse oils to help with menstrual cramping. I infuse oils with lymphatic herbs for breast oil to help ensure healthy breast tissue with lymph flow in such a delicate area.
Goodness, how I love infused oils.
In making them, its important to know what state to have your herbs in.
I have a preference for dried herbs as I can ensure that no water in moving into the oil which can cause spoilage.
However, herbs like St Johns wort are used fresh/slightly wilted (you may recall seeing “slightly wilted” in my what herbs I’m harvesting post.) Slightly wilting them removes some of the water, leading to a lower likelihood of spoilage.
All containers you are using should be very clean and very dry, especially if you are making a large batch you want to keep for a while. Don’t forget that the amber bottle you eventually strain it into!
For making an infused oil, I typically fill my jar up 3/4 of the way with broken up herbs. The more the plant is exposed (ie smaller pieces) the more medicine we can extract. As I’ve mentioned, keep them as whole as possible until I need to use them. This has allowed me to keep herbs in suboptimal conditions (like a paper bag) and they last longer than if broken down.
I then cover with the oil of choice - true to how I practice I tend to stick to olive oil, coconut oil, and a tidbit of castor oil (for oils you want to drive deep in to the body like a muscle or lymph formula). These are readily available and fairly inexpensive. Castor oil can be pricey but it only takes a little, I store in fridge after open and be sure to get a hexane free castor oil.
Place your lid on it and label.
Sometimes I’ll put my oil to warm up in the window for a few hours and then tuck it away in the apothecary to continue steeping for the 6-8 weeks (or sometimes 6-8 months….whoops!) I do this purely on if I feel like it but have noticed that it usually on warming formulas and makes it feel like I’m capturing some of the suns warmth.
When you finally get around to straining it, use a potato ricer to really squeeze the marc. I have found that I can get several ounces more with that and its usually a richer color (so very medicinal). I use linen cloth to hold the marc as I found that it cleans easier than cotton - cotton is a hollow fiber and definitely absorbs more and linen is not hollow.
Store in your amber bottle with label. Shelf stability it based on your oil used, which is another reason why I love olive oil and coconut oil - long shelf stable life.
Reminder that the amber bottle blocks light which breaks down our medicines and speeds up the rancidity of the oil.
My favorite use of single oils - like Comfrey or Calendula - is in the bath. I will put a healthy splash of the oil in a hot bath. If I have been neglectful of my skin, this absolutely bounces it back quickly.
I recommend using your infused oils on wet/damp skin. This not only helps stretch the oil, I have found that it draws into the skins a little better and since you are usually wet after a warm shower/bath, your pores are open more, allowing the medicine to move into your body easier.
For making my Breast Love Oil - I use Burdock root, Dandelion root, Rose hips, Hibiscus, Calendula, and Violet leaves. Depending on my harvests, I will also add Red clover. I have noticed that Red clover typically increases my breast size slightly. Being an A cup, I notice this shift but someone might now. Just wanting to share.
Grow Seed,
Jacqueline