I’ve been on an infusing kick lately! What is infusing you might ask? It’s when you throw dried herbs in a jar, pour in a carrier oil such as olive oil, almond oil or rosehip seed oil, heat the jar up, strain out the herbs and benefit from the “infused” oil! Simple process that yields a very customized DIY product! Go HERE to learn exactly how to infuse. Today, let’s take one of the most versatile and calming herbs and make a DIY chamomile infused oil.
Chamomile is a medicinal herb that was common in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Chamomile was common during the Middle Ages when people used it as a remedy for asthma, colic, fevers, inflammations, nausea and skin diseases and cancer.
Chamomile Benefits:
- Calms redness and irritation
- Counteracts sun damage–Levomenol is found in chamomile and is known for reducing photodamage and improving skin elasticity.
- Speeds wound healing
- Anti Aging properties
Chamomile is one of the most calming and soothing herbs. Infusing chamomile in to an oil and having that oil on hand is a helpful staple for any natural medicine cabinet. Not only can it be used as a gentle sunburn soother, rash soother or dry skin soother-it also can be used in healing balms or just simply applied to broken, damaged skin for accelerated healing.
Uses for a Chamomile Infused Oil:
- Healing/Calming/Redness Reducing Facial Oil
- Gentle Facial Cleanser
- Healing Salve
- Body Moisturizer
- Massage Oil
- Hair Oil-Tame Frizziest and replenish damaged hair
- Diaper Rash Salve
- Hormone Balm
- Muscle Soreness Balm
My chamomile infused oil was made with avocado oil. I like avocado oil because it is so insanely nourishing for dry skin.
According to Mountain Rose Herbs:
“Our unrefined organic Avocado oil is cold pressed from the soft green flesh around the pit of the avocado. Avocado oil is an emollient, highly penetrating oil. The natural content of Vitamins A and E work synergistically to improve the skin texture. The impressive nutritional profile of our Avocado oil makes it an ideal ingredient for inclusion in skin care recipes intended for dry, dehydrated and mature skin. Its notable content of unsaturated fatty and essential fatty acids also makes it ideal for inclusion in nourishing, moisturizing hair care formulations.”
You can use any carrier oil you’d like or have on hand. Almond Oil is a simple, yet beneficial oil that would work well. You could even use an organic olive oil or unrefined coconut oil! The options are endless.
I made my chamomile oil in order to make a healing vaseline! I’m also planning to use it as a body oil this summer that will help replenish the skin after being in the sun.
Find dried chamomile HERE.
Find avocado oil HERE.
DIY Chamomile Infused Oil:
- Fill a jar half way full with dried chamomile.
- Pour oil into the jar so that the chamomile is completely covered with your chosen oil.
- Fill a medium sized pot or crockpot halfway full with water. Place your jar in the water and heat the water to 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep the jar in the water for 4-8 hours.
- Once infused, use a cheesecloth or coffee filter and strainer to separate your herbs from the oil.
- Once separated, use a funnel and pour oil into a glass jar or bottle.
Basic Salve/Balm Recipe:
- 1/4 cup Chamomile Infused Oil
- 1 TBSP Beeswax
Directions:
- Fill a pot half way full with water and place a glass pyrex measuring cup in the pot.
- Add beeswax and infused oil in the glass cup and allow to thoroughly melt.
- Remove from heat and pour in to 4 ounce glass jar.
Infusing herbs is really such a rewarding practice! I hope you’ll explore the power of dried herbs and how effective and luxurious they can be when infused in to a high quality oil! It’s definitely worth your while!
I buy my herbs and carrier oils from Mountain Rose Herbs because they’re quality is the best! Go HERE to shop.
xx, Jenni
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Jennifer Phillips worked as a licensed aesthetician for over 8 years before creating the DIY skincare blog, Jenni Raincloud and her natural skin care line, J. Raincloud Organics. Jennifer has been blogging full time for 16 years and loves to gain and share knowledge on how to achieve beautiful skin the natural way.
Maybe I missed something in the recipe directions but if I leave the jar in the water does the water have to stay to temperature, or does it cool? If it needs to stay at temperature then the crockpot would be the best answer.
Author
Mary-Yes, if you do the stove top method, the stove needs to stay on the entire time.
Sorry may be a silly question but do you get the nice sent of chamomile? I am thinking of making this as a massage oil and it would be nice if the oil had a nice smell. Also does Grapeseed oil work?
Author
Kara-It’s definitely a chamomile smell but it’s not like the chamomile essential oil which I find sweet. It’s a very woodsy, herbaceous smell you ned up getting. I would want to add some lavender to it for sure.
Can chamomile infuse oil be used in face cream or body cream as an aromatic oil?
Author
Gjergj-Chamomile infused oil is great for the face and body! I highly recommend it since it’s light and gentle. I’m not exactly sure what you mean when you say aromatic oil. It doesn’t have much of a scent at all.
is there a way to use fresh camomile or must it be thoroughly dried first? Should you only use and collect the flowers, or is entire plant extraction useful?
Author
Richard-From what I’ve learned, the herb must be dried or you’ll run into bacteria issues. As far as which part of the plant I don’t know. The flowers are where most of the benefits are at but I’m betting there are benefits in the entire plant as well. Mountain Rose Herbs has a great blog connected to their website that you might be able to find some good herbal infusion information. They have an in-house herbalist I believe.
I made mine on the stove top for the very first time and used grapeseed oil. It feels amazing and I love the scent! I may not have done it as long as what I’m finding out, I heated it for 30min, and let it sit for 13hours. The color is beautiful and I find I like it very much!!!
Author
Cher-Great! I bet you have ended up with a great oil! Especially if it changed color and has a scent. Glad you liked it and thanks for sharing your results!
How long does the oil last if stored properly?
Author
Dana-To my knowledge this oil should last 6 months as long as you are using dried chamomile.
How would i make the hormone balm?? I didnt see a link
Author
Camie-I apologize! Here’s the link for the hormone balm.