How to Make Essential Oils Without a Still

Essential oils have been used for their fragrances as well as for medicinal and cosmetic applications for thousands of years. Multitudes of aromatic plants occur naturally all over the world, and most of them can render fragrant essential oils. Although commercially prepared preparations are readily available, they are rather costly. However, you can easily make this fragrant lemon mint essential oil, and you won't even need a still. Use the same technique and experiment with other flowers, herbs and spices to create your own unique fragrances.

Things You'll Need

• Pestle and mortar
• Clean glass quart jar with a tight-fitting lid
• 1 1/4 cups olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil, or safflower oil
• Glass mixing bowl
• Cheesecloth or muslin
• 1 cup fresh lemon verbena flower petals, divided in half
• 1/2 cup fresh peppermint leaves, divided in half
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon balm leaves, divided in half
• 1/4 cup ground nutmeg, divided in half
• 1/2 cup lemon zest, divided in half
• Dark glass bottles with tight-fitting lid or stopper

Instructions

1. Pour the olive, sesame, canola or safflower oil into the quart jar.

2. Use the pestle and mortar to crush the peppermint and lemon balm leaves. Add half of the crushed herbs and lemon verbena flower petals to the jar of oil. Add half of the nutmeg and lemon zest. Stir well to blend thoroughly.

3. Cap the jar tightly. Set it in a very bright, sunny windowsill for at least 48 hours. Gently shake the jar every 8 hours.

4. Strain the contents of the jar through cheesecloth or muslin into a glass mixing bowl. Gather the cloth into a ball to squeeze as much liquid as you can from its contents. Discard the used plant material.

5. Return the oil to the jar. Add the remaining half of the crushed peppermint leaves, crushed lemon balm leaves, flower petals, nutmeg and lemon zest. Repeat Steps 3 and 4. The final straining renders the lemon mint essential oil.

6. Pour your fragrant essential oil into dark glass bottles. Cap them tightly, and keep for 6 to 12 months in a cool, dry, dark location.

Tips & Warnings

• The best time to cut flowers for essential oils is right before they are fully open. You can experiment with other flowers, too. Pick a single flower variety, or combine two that you really love. Some of the best choices are rose, orange blossom, carnation, honeysuckle, lily of the valley, lavender and hyacinth.

References

• Essential Oils Recipes, From Simple to Complex