Much loved for its delicious fragrance and texture, lavender oil can be used to soothe skin lesions or itchiness, promote sleep or simply create a pleasant massage oil. Infused oil or lavender balm are great choices for home recipes, because they are easy to make with any available amount of the plant, creating a ready-to-use product. You could choose to make a lavender essential oil instead, but you need to know that the process could be complex and only provide you with a very small amount of highly concentrated oil that will need to be diluted in another oil before use.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Make a Lavender Oil
Step 1. Cut some sprigs of fresh lavender or buy them dried
Cut the lavender stems along with the flowers, 6 '' or more settlements. In the infusion, in addition to the flowers, tender stems and leaves can be used, but the woody and thick stems, near the base, should be avoided. You can use the most fragrant buds or flowers.
You may be harvesting more lavender than you think you need. This way, if the resulting oil isn't strong enough, you can avoid waiting for a new sprig of lavender to dry
Step 2. Let the lavender dry
If you are using the fresh plant, dry it first to enhance its aroma and prevent the oil from turning rancid. Tie the twig with rubber bands or a string and leave it hanging upside down in a dry, warm area. Exposing it to outside sunlight will dry out faster, but you may be removing some of its aromatic oils. Freshly cut lavender can take two weeks to dry completely. Some dryers may only take one to three days, making it wilted and not dry. This greatly reduces the chance of losing flowers, but does not eliminate it.
Step 3. Lightly crush the lavender and place it in a jar
Crumble the lavender aside with clean hands or tap it lightly with any clean, heavy object to reveal its fragrance. If you are using sprouts, open them with a knife or your fingers. Put it in a clean vase.
Wash your hands and the jar well if they are dirty, but dry them thoroughly before bringing them into contact with the lavender. Mixing water in the oil could interfere with the infusion
Step 4. Pour the oil over the flowers
Pour any kind of unscented oil into the jar or just lightly, completely covering the lavender and leaving 1.25-2.5 cm of space at the top to allow for expansion. Sweet almond, olive or safflower oil is commonly used for this purpose, although their smell may overwhelm the scent of lavender.
Step 5. If you have time and there is sunlight, close the jar tightly and let the mixture steep in a sunny place
It will most likely take at least 48 hours to get a consistent scent and usually the oil is left out for three to six weeks. If you don't have time and there isn't enough sunlight, continue with the next step.
Step 6. If you don't have enough time or sunlight, heat the oil carefully
An alternative to the maceration seen above is to heat the oil and lavender mixture in a double kettle or in a slow cooker for two to five hours, keeping it at a constant temperature between 38 and 49 ° C. This method is only recommended if you have a cooking thermometer and a well-controlled low-temperature heat source, as too much heat could change the aroma and expiration date of the oil.
Step 7. Filter the oil
Place a piece of bush or cheesecloth on top of a bowl and pour the herb and oil mixture over it. Throw the flowers and other pieces of lavender into the compost bin or garden.
Step 8. Repeat the procedure if you want to make the oil more intense
The same oil can be poured back into the jar with some new dried lavender. As described above, you will need to leave it in a sunny location or heat it at low temperatures to create a stronger brew. This process can be repeated up to eight times if you want a more concentrated oil.
Step 9. Add a few drops of Vitamin E (optional)
Vitamin E can be added at the end of the infusion to increase the expiration date of the oil. It is recommended if you don't have a cool, dark place to store the oil or if the one you used is a little old or expires soon. Use the vitamin in the form of drops or gel capsules, which you will need to open.
Step 10. Look at the oil in a dark jar or bottle
Collect the muslin and squeeze the material to extract as much as possible into a bowl or cup with a measuring cup. Transfer everything to a bottle or jar of dark glass or opaque plastic to avoid prolonged exposure to light which would destroy the aroma. The shelf life of infused lavender oil depends on the type of oil used and its freshness, but can typically last for months if stored in a dark, dry place.
Method 2 of 2: Create a Lavender Conditioner
Step 1. Follow the instructions for making infused lavender oil first
First, you will need to make some infused lavender oil as described in the previous section or buy some at a herbalist's shop. This method uses oil to create an ointment to spread on the skin to soothe inflammation and pain.
Step 2. Scrape the beeswax using a knife or cheese grater
You might think about using an inexpensive grater instead of the one you use regularly, because the wax can be difficult to clean. Weigh the beeswax before making it into small pieces; one part of wax must be used for 88 parts of oil. Use more wax for a thicker conditioner and less for a softer ointment.
If you bought beeswax by weight, you can roughly use this volume - weight conversion: 1/8 cup corresponds to 28 g
Step 3. Heat the beeswax and oil over low heat
Place bits of wax in a pan and pour the infused lavender oil over them. Heat low heat until fused together. This may take 15 minutes or more. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or other thermal utensil, without damaging other cutlery to which the wax may stick permanently.
Step 4. Pour the mixture into glass or tin containers, making sure they are clean and dry
Seal with an airtight lid.
Step 5. Let the mixture harden in a cool place
After 10 to 15 minutes in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in a cool room or cellar, check the consistency of the conditioner or ointment. If it's still liquid and you can't get it with your fingers, you may need to re-melt it. Add more beeswax to make it thicker or more oil to make it softer.
Step 6. Clean the pot and the utensil you used to mix
Boil the hot, soapy water in the pot after draining the conditioner, then turn off the heat. Let it cool for a couple of minutes and put on rubber gloves to scrape the wax off the sides while the water is still hot enough. Put the utensil in the water only after the water has finished boiling to avoid damaging it. Scrub the utensil and pot with a hard sponge or scrub brush.
Advice
- You can mix lavender with other plants like mint and lemon / orange peel.
- Lavender essential oil, which contains only the aromas of the plant, is most commonly made with steam.
- You could put a layer of wax paper between the jar and the lid before screwing them together to prevent the rubber or other materials in the lid from changing the scent of the oil.
