How to Make an Herb Infused Oil – Two Ways

Learning to make an herb infused oil is a great skill to have in your toolbelt whether it’s for medicinal or culinary purposes.   

What Is An Herb Infused Oil? 

Herb infused oils are typically liquid oils that have been steeped with dried herbs to extract its qualities. While herbal infused oils can be used for both culinary and cosmetic use, it’s most common to use them in cosmetics. Herbal oils are often used in cosmetics such as salves, balms and soap making. 

How Herbs Are Infused Into Oil

There are primarily two options for infusing herbs into an oil. These options are cold infusion and warm infusion.

As you may be able to guess from their names, the cold infusion does not use any added heat; Meanwhile, the warm infusion uses a locally heated environment to infuse the beneficial properties. 

The “cold” infusion just calls to add your dried plant matter to a jar along with your oil of choice. The benefit to this is that you add the ingredients to the jar and you forget about it for 4-6 weeks. The downside is that you need to think ahead for when you will need this herbal oil because it takes 4-6 weeks to get a usable oil with all the benefits you’re looking for. 

The warm infusion requires some kind of added heat. This added heat could be a really warm room (such as a warm garage in the summer), a double boiler on the stove, or a water-bath in a slow cooker on a low or keep warm setting. 

When using the warm infusion method, it’s important to keep an eye on the temperature of the oil and the environment it’s sitting in. To ensure the heat does not degrade the beneficial properties of the herbs, it’s important to keep the temperature of your oil below 110°F. The ideal range is between 95-110°F. 

For the maximum benefits, keep the oil and herbs steeping for 8 hours. If you need to use the oil sooner, I recommend keeping the oil steeping for at least 2-4 hours. 

Using Dry vs Fresh Herbs

When it comes to the type of herb that you use in making an herbal infused oil, you’ll likely want to consider the differences in using fresh and dried herbs. 

While using fresh herbs may seem like a better option because they have the freshest quantity of the beneficial compounds that you’re looking to encapsulate into your oil, it likely is not the best option. 

Compared to dried herbs, fresh herbs have a high volume of water. When the water filled plant matter is mixed with oil, this can cause a variety of safety concerns such as mold or botulism. 

To avoid these concerns, it’s best to stick with dried herbs and flowers for oil infusions!

Selecting An Oil For Herbal Infusions

Selecting an oil to use for an herbal infusion can definitely be overwhelming! There are so many options to choose from with a wide range in price tags.

The most common options for herbal infusions are olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil and coconut oil. The oil that you choose will likely depend on what you’re making and your budget. 

Jojoba oil is the best for balms and salves that you might use on a daily basis such as a daily moisturizer. This is because of the high compatibility with skin and the absorbability into the skin. However, the cost of jojoba oil is on the higher end. 

Avocado oil and olive oil are a great multi purpose oil. They can be used for both cosmetics and culinary herb infused oils. Both oils have natural emollient properties so they’re beneficial to the skin. They just don’t absorb as easily. These two oils are also available in larger quantities for a good price. This makes using these oils a good option for bulk herbal oil infusions!

The last most common oil is coconut oil. Using this oil is a little different than the first three. Unlike olive, jojoba and avocado oil, coconut oil is usually a semi solid at room temperature but has a low melting point. So, if you’re going to use it for your infusion, it’s best to use it in a warmer climate or in the warm infusion method. 

Adding Herb Infused Oil to Salves and Balms

The addition of the herbal oil allows for the beneficial properties of the plants to be easily available in the selected cosmetic. 

Adding an infused oil into your homemade salves and balms is not only great for a gentle fragrance but also for the herbal benefits! Depending on the herbs that you choose to use, your herbal oil may have benefits such as being anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antifungal and promoting wound healing. Others may be soothing or reduce joint and muscle pain! 

Shelf Life of Herb Infused Oil

If stored correctly, home infused herbal oils will store for about 12 months or so. To store properly, make sure your oil is in a glass container with a secure, air tight lid. With the oil in a glass jar, be sure the jar stays in a dark and cool place such as a shelf in a basement or a pantry cabinet away from your stove. 

If the oil is stored in a place that has sun exposure or repeated heat exposure, the oil and medicinal benefits will likely degrade over time. Keeping the oil in a cool and dark place ensures the oil keeps all beneficial properties intact as long as possible! 

Ingredients and Tools

1 cup herb(s) of choice

1 cup oil of choice (Most common: olive, avocado, jojoba or coconut oil)

Two pint sized glass jars with tight fitting lids.

A funnel

Cheesecloth or coffee filter

Fine mesh sieve

A small slow cooker (Optional – for the warm infusion method)

Directions

The Cool Infusion Option:

Begin by adding the oil and dried herbs to a pint glass jar and securing the lid tightly.

Give the jar a quick shake and place it in a dark and dry place for 4-6 weeks. Once a week or so, give the jar a quick shake to move the oil around the herbs. 

After 4-6 weeks, you can drain off all the oil from the herbs. To drain, place a tight weave cheesecloth or coffee filter on top of a fine mesh sieve and place that over a clean dry jar. 

Strain the oil through the cheese cloth and sieve so the clean oil goes into the new jar. 

After the oil has stopped dripping, pick up the cheesecloth or coffee filter and squeeze the remaining oil from the herbs. Be sure to squeeze the cheesecloth over the sieve to prevent any plant matter from accidently falling into the jar.

When the oil is all squeezed from the herbs, you can discard the herbs and secure the air tight lid to store!

The Warm Infusion Option:

Begin by adding the oil and dried herbs to a pint glass jar. 

Fill your slow cooker with about 3 inches of water. Place your jar of oil and herbs into the waterbath in your slow cooker. Turn your slow cooker onto the lowest setting or whatever setting will maintain a 90-110 temp. This may require you to keep the lid off of your slow cooker. 

Maintain this low heat for 2-6 hours. Be careful to keep the heat low. The herbs should not be cooking, just being gently heated.

After 2-6 hours, you can drain off all the oil from the herbs. To drain, place a tight weave cheesecloth or coffee filter on top of a fine mesh sieve and place that over a clean dry jar. 

Strain the oil through the cheese cloth and sieve so the clean oil goes into the new jar. 

After the oil has stopped dripping, pick up the cheesecloth or coffee filter and squeeze the remaining oil from the herbs. Be sure to squeeze the cheesecloth over the sieve to prevent any plant matter from accidently falling into the jar.

When the oil is all squeezed from the herbs, you can discard the herbs and secure the air tight lid to store!

How to Use Herb Infused Oil

For cosmetic and personal care products, herbal infused oil can be used in soap making, salves and other moisturizer style products. 

Aside from personal care products, herbal infused oils can also be used in the kitchen or at the dinner table! Infusing dried rosemary, dried thyme or other spices is a great way to impart their delicious flavor into olive oil as a finishing oil or in avocado oil used for salad dressing!

Looking for more herbal related DIY ideas? Try this Homemade Whipped Tallow Balm  recipe or this Easy Tallow Lip Balm Recipe!

Herb Infused Oil FAQ:

What Is An Herb Infused Oil? 

Herb infused oils are typically liquid oils that have been steeped with dried herbs to extract its qualities. While herbal infused oils can be used for both culinary and cosmetic use, it’s most common to use them in cosmetics. Herbal oils are often used in cosmetics such as salves, balms and soap making. 

How Long Does It Take To Infuse Herbs Into Oil?

The length of time it takes to infuse herbs into oil depends on the method you choose, 

The “cold” infusion just calls to add your dried plant matter to a jar along with your oil of choice. This method takes 4-6 weeks to get a usable oil with all the benefits you’re looking for. 

The warm infusion requires steeping the plant matter in a warm (95-110F) environment for 2-8 hours.

Can I Use Fresh Herbs?

While you technically can use fresh herbs, it’s not always a great option. Compared to dried herbs, fresh herbs have a high volume of water. When the water filled plant matter is mixed with oil, this can cause a variety of safety concerns such as mold or botulism. 

To avoid these concerns, it’s best to stick with dried herbs and flowers for oil infusions!

What Oils Can I Use In Making Herbal Infusions?

The most common options for herbal infusions are olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil and coconut oil. The oil that you choose will likely depend on what you’re making and your budget. 

Jojoba oil is the best for balms and salves that you might use on a daily basis such as a daily moisturizer. Avocado oil and olive oil are a great multi purpose and widely available oil. They can be used for both cosmetics and culinary herb infused oils. The last most common oil is coconut oil. Is often the most cost effective and great for warm infusions.

How Do I Use Herb Infused Oil?

Herb infused oils are great to use in homemade personal care items and in the kitchen! Infusing herbs like rosemary, thyme or basil are great for salad dressings or finishing oils. Herbs such as calendula, plantain, and yarrow are great for salves, soap and other moisturizers!

What Is The Shelf Life of Herb Infused Oil?

If stored correctly, home infused herbal oils will store for about 12 months or so. 

Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.