How to Make Homemade Essential Oils With a Crock-Pot
Most pure essential oils are too powerful to consume internally or apply externally, so the majority of essential oils from manufacturers are oil infusions or dilutions in a carrier oil. In addition, extracting pure essential oils requires the use of a complex still to slowly draw out and collect the oils. Essential oils or essential oil infusions can be made at home and require no complicated or expensive equipment. If you already own a Crock-Pot or slow cooker, you have the perfect essential oil extractor.
Things You'll Need
- Carrier oil
- Glass jars with lid
- Crock-Pot
- Cheesecloth
- Dark glass bottles with lid
Instructions
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1
Choose a carrier oil. Common carrier oils include wheat germ, sweet almond and jojoba. If you will be using the oils for soaps, moisturizers or face masks, choose the same carrier oil as the recipe. Olive oil works well for marinades and hair masks.
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2
Fill an 8-ounce glass jar with the herbs or flowers you would like to use. Two teaspoons of dried, ground herbs is equivalent to three or four sprigs of fresh herbs. Use more than one herb or flower to make essential oil combinations.
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3
Pour the carrier oil into the jar until the oil is just below the neck of the jar. Screw the lid on tight.
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4
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for as many jars as will fit in your Crock-Pot.
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5
Place the jars in the Crock-Pot and fill the basin with water.
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6
Turn the Crock-Pot on low and allow the jars to simmer for eight hours. Monitor the water level and add more water as needed to keep the basin full. This is particularly important if the lid of the Crock-Pot will not fit over the jars.
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7
Remove the jars from the Crock-Pot and allow the herbs to cool overnight.
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8
Strain the oil through a cheesecloth and distribute the oil into one or more dark glass bottles.
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9
Store the oils for up to 12 months in a cool, dark place.
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Tips & Warnings
Fresh herbs will produce more oil than dried. The more herbs or flowers you add to your oil, the more essential oils will be in the carrier oil. Whole herbs and flowers will be easier to strain than ground.
Do not use bottles with with cork stoppers. Strong oils, like cinnamon, clove and ginger, can eat through the cork, contaminating your oil.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
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Comments
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I'm going to try this.
