How to Make Flower Oil
Many flowers are as beloved for their fragrance as they are for their attractive blooms and greenery. The life of a fresh cut flower, however, is fleeting, and when the flower dies, its intoxicating scent goes with it. Fortunately, it is possible to preserve the scent of a flower in oil that can be used on the body or in cooking. With such an array of olfactory pleasures to offer, flowers lend themselves well to the crafting of fragrant oils. It is not only possible to make scented oil from flowers, but easy. Use these guidelines to make flower oil. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Fragrant flowers
- Mortar and pestle
- Jojoba oil
- Olive Oil
- Large lidded jar
- Fine strainer
- Cheesecloth
- One or more smaller, sterilized, lidded jars or bottles
Instructions
-
Making Flower Oil
-
1
Obtain the fragrant flowers of your choice. Collect as many as you desire; the more you have to work with, the more scented oil you can make. Make oil from one type of flower at a time.
-
2
Pull away the most fragrant part of the flower. Typically, the petals are the most fragrant part of the flower, as is the case with roses. In some cases, such as with gardenias, the leaves are strongly scented. Set the fragrant parts aside. Discard the rest of the flower.
-
-
3
Rinse the fragrant petals or leaves gently in cool water to remove dirt, insects and other debris.
-
4
Mash up the petals or leaves using a mortar and pestle. Leave them to sit for several hours.
-
5
Place the macerated petals or leaves in a large, glass jar. Add enough jojoba or olive oil to the jar to cover the leaves. Place a lid on the jar.
-
6
Put the jar in a cool, shady spot. Leave it there for two weeks.
-
7
Check the scent of the infusion. Add more mashed-up leaves or petals and leave the jar in place for an additional week if you want to achieve a stronger fragrance. For a weaker fragrance, make the infusion more dilute by adding extra jojoba or olive oil.
-
8
Use a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth to catch all the bits of petals and leaves as you pour the fragrant oil into smaller, sterilized jars or bottles. Screw lids on all jars and bottles and, if you wish, add an attractive ribbon and handwritten label.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Store your flower oil in a cool, dark place.
To start, make a batch of oil from one type of flower. Then experiment with combining two or more types of flowers to make a single oil.
Use pesticide- and herbicide-free flowers, especially if you plan to apply the oil to yourself or use it in cooking.
Use jojoba oil if you plan to apply this flower oil to your body. Use olive oil if you intend to use it in cooking.
