How to Make Herbal Infusion?


The day before yesterday i was telling you about amazing properties of horsetail infusion. At the same day and the day after i received some emails with two common questions “What is oil infusion” and “How it can be made”? So, here we go.

Infusing a herb in oil allows extract its active fat-soluble ingredients. Infusions can be prepared by hot or cold methods. Hot infused oils are simmered, while cold infused oils are heated naturally in the sun. I personally prefer the cold method, but the hot method does work too.

Cold method:

  1. You will need: dried herbs, dark glass jar, vegetable oil.
  2. Fill sterilized, dark glass jar with herbs.
  3. Cover the herbs completely with vegetable oil (olive, jojoba, sunflower, grape seed oil etc.).
  4. Close the jar and shake well.
  5. Place the jar in a warm, sunny place for two weeks.
  6. After two weeks squeeze as much oil through the cheesecloth and pour the infused oil into dark glass bottle and label.

Hot method:

  1. You will need: double boiler, herbs, dark glass jar, vegetable oil.
  2. Place 250 g dried (500 g fresh) of herbs and 2 cups of a vegetable oil into a double boiler.
  3. Heat the herbs very slowly for 2 – 3 hours, stirring gently every once in a while.
  4. Let the herbs cool and strain the oil through a cheesecloth.
  5. Pour oil into clean, dark, glass bottle and label.

Both types of oil can be used externally as massage oils or added to homemade skin care products, but first read important instructions on how to use oils for the skin.

P.S. My favorite Mountain Rose Herbs online store offers herbal oils which have been infused in certified organic olive oil, with either freshly gathered wild crafted herbs and flowers, or certified organic materials. They have an amazing variety of infused oils, check the list here.

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