How to make your own herbal or floral infusions

Simply soaking herbs in oil isn’t enough to infuse the oil; it needs to be heated. There are a few ways of doing this so you will likely find one that suits your needs. The following describes how to infuse oils using the stovetop, a slow cooker, and the sun! The common thread to all methods is to pack as many dried herbs as you can fit in a container, and then pour over the oil so that the herbs are completely submerged. 

Choose herbs that are completely dry (moisture and oil don’t mix). When the infusing is finished, strain the herbs from the oil with a fine sieve once, then pour the oil through a coffee filter or cheesecloth lined fine sieve. Store the infused oil with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dark place.

Some herbs that are good for infusing are:

Lavender – relaxing, antibacterial
Calendula – healing, soothing
Chamomile – calming, soothing
Comfrey – helps with pain and inflammation
Sage – pain relief, anti inflammatory
Mint – energizing, pain relieving
Rose – romance, love, adds pink color to oil
Thyme – Astringent properties

Research and further reading:

Botanical Skin Care Ingredients
Natural Skin Care Wish List
Essential Oils in Skin Care
My Obsession with Hollyhock Skin Care
Roses in your Skin Care Regimen
27 Benefits of Eucalyptus and Rosemary for Skin Care