How to Make Your Own Essential Oil From Spices

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By blaquetweety64
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Make Your Own Essential Oil From Spices

We spend well over a thousand dollars per year on scented oils and parfumes. So why not try and cut the cost. The key to making homemade essential oils is in the choice of plant materials.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

fresh herbs
fresh flowers
jars
oils
fresh fruits
muslin cloth

Step 1

Oils to use : Use a refine oil to attract the essential oils of the plant. Choose one that has pale color and mild scent. Olive oil, safflower oil and sesame oil all works well. Or you can use almond oil for cosmetics, safflower or canola for general purposes, and olive oil for cooking.
Step 2

Flowers to use : Choose any of the followings : roses, jasmine, pinks and carnation, violets, wallflowers, lavender, honeysuckle, hyancith, orange blossom, lily of the valley, sweet pea and heliotrope, frangipani, marigold.Cut the flowers just before they are fully open and where possible, use the petals only. You can use a single type of flower or a mixture of 2 or more flowers.
Step 3

Herbs to use: Almost any garden herb can be used to make essential oils. Cut the herbs just before the flowers open. Use the leaves and flowers, but not the woody stems.

Chop the leaves before adding into the oil. Treat the leaves of scented pelargoniums in the same way.Recommended herbs are : marjoram, peppermint, thyme, lemon verbena, lemon balm and rosemary. If you want to make essential oils for cooking, you can use basil.
Step 4

Spices to use : Cinnamon, coriander, cloves, cumin and nutmeg (grated) are best for homemade oils. Use a pestle or mortar to crush them before add them to oil.
Step 5

Citrus to use : The zest of citrus fruits can be used to make homemade essential oils. Use them sparingly in mixtures. About 2-3 strips of zest per bottle.
Step 6

Mixing the plants materials :

You can mix the plant to make oils that are used in potpourri and other scented craft items. When mixing the materials, use at least twice as many flowers as herbs and only small amounts of spices and peels.
Step 7

* The mixtures can vary, depends on your needs and personal taste. Here are a few example of plants mixture that works well:

* Rose, pinks, honeysuckle, nutmeg
* Rose, lavender, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel
* Rose, jasmine, coriander, lemon peel
* Rose, marjoram, lemon verbena, lemon peel, cinnamon
* lavender, peppermint, lemon balm, marjoram
* Violets, lily of the valley, hawthorn and cinnamon