Infused oils are simply carrier oils that have been permeated with herbs (that is, any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, or perfume). (1) They are suitable alternatives for certain herbs that don’t have or don’t produce enough essential oils for extraction.
However, it should be noted that the ‘feel’ of infused oils depends on the carrier oil used. Infused oils also are not as concentrated as essential oils, and they—like carrier oils—can go rancid. (2) To know how long your infused oils will last, simply follow the expiration date of the carrier oil used to make it.
To make your own ‘cold’ flower infused oil, you will need the following ingredients:
- Dried flowers (we used Calendula here, which you can purchase at our store)
- Your choice of carrier oil (we used coconut oil, which you can also purchase at our store)
- An air-tight, glass container
Instructions:
1. Ensure that the glass container is thoroughly clean.
2. Fill the glass container with dried flowers. You can fill up 3/4 way or until the container is full.
3. Fill the container with your choice of carrier oil. Try to pour in as much as you can before it overflows. This is to ensure that the flowers will be as entirely covered as possible with the carrier oil so that bacteria can be prevented from entering it.
4. Screw the lid onto the container afterwards. Make sure it’s tightly shut!
5. You can store the infused oil wherever you’d like (either exposed to sunlight or hidden away in a cool and dark cupboard) and leave it alone for 4 to 6 weeks. It is not necessary to swirl the infused oil every few days.
6. Once it’s ready, strain the flowers from the oil. Make sure that there are no petals whatsoever in the oil. Store the oil in a new and clean glass container. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.
Some crafts in which you can use infused oils:
- Soap making
- Skincare products making (such as balms and lotions)
- Other bath products (such as bath bombs and scrubs)
Also, here’s a little extra information for you about some benefits of…
Calendula Flowers
- beneficial for dry skin, cracks, eczema, scrapes, minor burns and sunburns, rashes, chapped lips, and even bug bites (3)
- helps to reduce inflammation and promotes wound healing (3)
Coconut Oil
- is high in antioxidants so it assists in repairing free radical damaged skin (4)
- also prevents further degeneration of the skin, a.k.a. skin aging (4)
Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
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References:
- Hornby, Albert Sydney, and Margaret Deuter, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Of Current English (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2015).
- “What Are Infused Oils? | Aromaweb”, Aromaweb.Com<https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/whatinfu.asp> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
- Ferment, Grow, “10 Ways To Use Calendula Infused Oil”, Grow Forage Cook Ferment <https://www.growforagecookferment.com/10-ways-to-use-calendula-infused-oil/> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
- “5 Surprising Coconut Oil Uses For Your Health”, Medical Daily<https://www.medicaldaily.com/coconut-oil-uses-5-surprising-benefits-coconut-oil-your-health-310158> [Accessed 19 December 2018]
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