Enhance your homemade ointments, balms, lotions or creams with herbal oil infusions of dried flowers. Infusing your herbs in oil is a simple way of extracting the healing benefits of herbs so that they can be used in your massage oils, cold process soaps, herbal rubs or even as a simple moisturizer.
Both chamomile and calendula have relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties, making them good for chapped, dry or irritated skin.
Directions of Use: Enjoy this balm after bathing to moisturize dry skin and as a healing salve to soothe minor skin irritations such as rashes or sun burn.
Precaution: Do ensure that you use only dried flowers, and that the oil completely covers the plant material during the infusion period to prevent mold growth.
For best results, use oils with an expiry date of more than 1 year at time of making the infusion and balm.
PART 1: INFUSING THE HERBS IN OILS
Materials:
- 100ml of any carrier oil (we recommend extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil or sweet almond)
- 30g of dried calendula and/or chamomile flowers
- Clean, air-tight and dry glass container
- Filters or sieve
- Spoon
Instructions
- Ensure that the container is completely dry.
- Fill the dried petals into the clean container.
- Pour the carrier oil into the container and over the dried flowers.
- Stir lightly to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Cap container and label it.
- For best results, ensure that the oil is filled to the brim of the container to prevent any chance of mold growing in airy spaces in the container.
- Store your jar in a cool place (out of direct sunlight) for six to eight weeks.
- After six weeks, strain out the herbs through filter cloth, twice if you have to, then pour into a clean bottle.
- Close the bottle and keep it air-tight.
PART 2: MAKING THE BALM
Materials:
- Small air-tight container
- 30ml of herbal oil infusion (from recipe above)
- 12g refined shea butter or cocoa butter
- 10g bee wax
- 1g Vitamin E | Vitamin E can be sourced from supplement gel capsules available at your local pharmacy. It is also possible to skip using Vitamin E, but you may experience some harmless colour changes in the balm within the year.
- 20 drops of evening primrose oil
- 6 drops of essential oils (recommended chamomile, lavender and/or rosewood)
Method:
- Combine the infused oil, shea butter/cocoa butter and bee wax in a heat safe container.
- Double boil and stir the mixture with a spoon until the shea butter and bee wax are thoroughly melted.
- Let the mixture cool down to 40~45 celcius
- Add in Vitamin E and the evening primrose oil.
- Add in essential oils.
- Mix well and pour into container before it hardens.
- When it has hardened, use and enjoy.
If you think this recipe is fun, then come join our workshops where you will meet others like you and learn so much more! All our workshops are hands-on learning, not mere demonstrations, so you can be sure to bring back your own DIY handmade products at the end of the session.
Pictures and recipes belong to Soap Artisan and Natural Wellbeing. Please read our disclaimer before purchasing our products.
