Lilac Infused-Oil Recipe Plus Uses and Benefits
Learn how to make this homemade Lilac infused-oil and the many uses and benefits of the Lilac oil. This herbal infused oil can be used alone or in DIY beauty recipes to get the benefits of Lilac for natural skin care recipes.
This infused oil recipe is made with very simple ingredients, a combination of dried herbs and your choice of carrier oil. The oil is nourishing for the skin, you can use a variety of oils, including coconut oil, sunflower oil, and more. The wonderful part is that you can customize your oil for specific issues by infusing your oil with the plants of your choosing.
Infused oils are not the same thing as essential oils.
Essential oils are made by steam distilling the plant’s flowers or leaves, which results in a highly concentrated oil. This process is complex and requires a lot of plant material. Essential oils are very potent and should be diluted before use.
In contrast, infused oils, also called extract, are made by soaking plant’s flowers or leaves in a carrier oil to infuse its flavor and properties. This method is simpler and involves straining out the plant material after infusing. My many salve and lotion bar recipes involve making an infused oil.
Making your own skincare products from flowers, herbs and other medicinal plants and weeds is a fun beneficial activity. This infused oil made from violets has many benefits including anti-aging skin benefits!
This oil can be used alone to benefit your skin or used to make lilac salve or lilac lotion bars.
Lilacs are one of my favorite flowers and I love my one lone lilac shrub when it blooms every spring! It was one of the first things I planted when I moved here about 20 years ago and is still blooming strong! Not only are lilac shrubs beautiful but the scent of lilac is amazing.
Lilacs can also be used to make this wonderful sweet and tasty lilac jelly!
Benefits of Lilacs for the Skin
Lilacs can have benefits and be good for the skin. According to this article, lilacs can be good for many skin ailments including fungus and acne and also contain astringent properties, can help tighten the skin, make pores appear smaller, and tone the skin.
How to Make Lilac Infused-Oil
To make the Lilac oil recipe, the first step is to pick the the fresh Lilac flowers and separating the blossoms from the stems.
The first step to make an oil infusion is to dry the flowers or herbs. You can let the plants air dry by spreading them in a single layer on a dish towel or paper towel and let them dry for several days. The other option is to use a dehydrator set at a low setting.
I used my dehydrator to dry the fresh lilac blossoms.
The next step to make the infused oil with the dried flower or herb is by steeping the flower or herb in a carrier oil. Different kind of oils can be used including sweet almond oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, sweetgrass oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil.
Add the dried Lilacs to a glass jar to start making your infused Lilac oil. I like to use canning jars.
The amount of oil you want will depend on how much body butter or other items that you want to make. You will add about twice as much oil as your dried flowers or herbs. For example, you can add the flowers or herbs to a pint jar about halfway and then fill the jar almost to the top. If you want less, you can fill the jar about 1/4 up with herbs and then 1/2 way with oil. Also, you can make more than you plan to use for now and save the additional oil for later.
There are several options for making the infused oil:
Slow option: Just add the lid to the jar and put it away in a dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake the jar every once in a while. You can also put the jar in direct sunlight for a couple weeks to infuse the oil.
Fast double boiler method: Place the jar in a saucepan of a couple inches of hot water and heat the water on low for about 2 hours. Or add the oil and dried herbs or flowers to a double boiler pan and let it simmer but not boil for 1 to 2 hours.
Fast crockpot method: Add your dried herbs or flowers and oil to the crockpot, make sure that the oil covers the herbs. Heat the oil slowly and keep the crockpot on warm. Try to keep the temp between 120-130 F. Let it heat for several hours.
When done infusing, you can strain the dried material from the oil and either keep it in the jar or another glass container.
Enjoy!
Enjoy your homemade Lilac oil that has so many benefits and uses. It is wonderful to make your own skincare items that do not have preservatives and chemicals. Plus it saves money!
More Great Recipes and Simple Homestead Information
For more of my DIY skin care recipes, favorite recipes and canning recipes, plus posts about other homestead-type activities, such as gardening and raising chickens, go to my website at www.HawkPointHomestead.com. For updates, please follow my Facebook page at Hawk Point Hobby Homestead.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only. It should not be seen as medical or any other advice. I am not a medical expert so individual precautions should be considered.
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Lilac Infused-Oil Recipe
Learn how to make this homemade Lilac infused-oil and the many uses and benefits of the Lilac oil. This herbal infused oil can be used alone or in DIY beauty recipes to get the benefits of Lilac for natural skin care recipes.
Ingredients
- Dried Lilac Flowers
- Carrier Oil, which can include sweet almond oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil
Instructions
1. To make the Lilac infused-oil recipe, the first step is to pick the Lilac flowers and separate the blossoms from the stems.
- Slow infusion method: Just add the lid to the jar and put it away in a dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake the jar every once in a while. You can also put the jar in direct sunlight for a couple weeks to infuse the oil.
- Fast double boiler method: Place the jar in a saucepan of a couple inches of hot water and heat the water on low for about 2 hours. Or add the oil and dried herbs or flowers to a double boiler pan and let it simmer but not boil for 1 to 2 hours.
- Fast crockpot method: Add your dried herbs or flowers and oil to the crockpot, make sure that the oil covers the herbs. Heat the oil slowly and keep the crockpot on warm. Try to keep the temp between 120-130 F. Let it heat for several hours.
- When done infusing, the dried lilac can be strained out and oil kept in a glass jar.
2. The second step is to dry the flower. The drying process can include air drying by spreading them in a single layer on a dish towel or paper towel and letting them dry for several days. The other option is to use a dehydrator set at a low setting to dry.
3. The next step to make a Lilac infused-oil is to steep the dried lilac in a carrier oil over a period of time. As the dried Lilac infuses in the oil (later strained), the natural essential oils in the flowers are drawn out and into the carrier oil.
4. Add the dried Lilacs to a glass jar. I like to use a pint mason jar.
5. There are several options for making the oil infusion:
I’m so excited to have found this. One question how long in the dehydrator would you leave the lilac flowers and what temp? Thank you in advance.
Thank you! I just made some new lilac oil today! I am not good on temperatures and times, my dehydrator does not have temperature. I looked it up and it says to dry on low, like 98 to 120 degrees, but the times seem to vary. Mine took about 6 to 8 hours. The best way is to just check on them periodically. I just made some salt scrub with my lilac oil and plan to post that recipe very soon. Thanks again!