Are you looking to make herb-infused oils or want to make your herbal oils more potent? With almost 4 decades of massage practice using herbal oils, I can flaunt having spread hundreds of gallons of them on more bodies than I can count! After making oils with thousands of students, I’ve kept track of the stumbling blocks and 5 of the most frequently asked questions that keep folks from feeling confident about their oils. Let’s dig in.
Carrier oils (also called base or fixed oils) are fats pressed from seeds, nuts, or kernels. There’s no catch-all “best” carrier oil when making herb-infused oils. It really comes down to the personal preference of what feels good on your skin, what you can source, and what fits your budget and needs.
Before you start infusing, get to know your carrier oils of choice. Test it on your skin in different ways – dry, after a shower, on your feet... Notice how it absorbs, how it feels, and how your body responds. Oils have a lot of variation. Using an oil from even the same locale can vary depending on season, batch, and your skin type or current skin condition.
Tips on Choosing Carrier Oils:
Olive and almond oils are locally produced in my county. I have visited farms and processing sites and have a personal connection to the locale of my carrier oils. I encourage students to find out if there is an oil produced in their area and make a personal connection with this important ingredient. Mountain Rose Herbs also has a great selection of carrier oils. Some of my favorites include:
Question 2: Is There a Difference Between Infused Oils Made with Fresh or Dried Plants?
Yes, there’s a difference, and shelf life is the biggest one. Fresh plant oils are more prone to spoilage due to their water content.
Oils made with fresh plants are sometimes more vibrant in scent (like the iconic ruby red, fresh St. John’s wort oil). St. John’s wort oil is traditionally made with fresh plants, and some herbs like lavender, yarrow, and mugwort smell incredible when infused fresh. But those herbs are naturally drier, which helps with shelf stability.
In a nutshell, fresh plant oils should only be made with herbs that are dryer. Think of the difference between lavender and comfrey. Lavender is drying, whereas comfrey is mucilaginous. Fresh plant lavender oil rarely molds, whereas the stories I’ve heard about fresh comfrey oil molding are endless. If you are gifting or selling your oils, dried plant oil is a more reliable choice.
Creating an herbal oil blend is a personal and creative process. I work with “simpling,” which means using one herb at a time. You get to know what it smells like, how it feels, how long it lasts, and how it changes. You build a deeper understanding of each oil, which gives you confidence in your blends later on.
When I create blends, I always infuse each herb separately. Once I have my single oils made, I mix them together in the desired proportions. This gives me full control over the blend, and if something ever seems off, I can troubleshoot which oil it came from. One student had a reaction to her 5-herb oil, and there was no way to tell what she was reacting to until she made each of the oils separately. This is one important example of why simpling matters.
Get to know your oils one by one. Then, when you blend, you are doing it from a place of knowledge, not guesswork.
Most herbal oils last about a year when stored properly. Some can last up to two, but it depends on the quality and shelf-life of the carrier oil, if you made a fresh or dried plant oil, and how well it’s stored.
Dried plant oils are the most shelf-stable and typically last 2 years when stored in optimal conditions. Fresh plant oils have a much shorter shelf life -1 year or less – with the notable exception of Saint John’s wort, which can last up to 2 years, even when made fresh.
Store your oils away from heat, light, air, and moisture. Close lids tightly and avoid dipping fingers into the oil. No preservatives needed; just treat them like pantry staples. I don’t use preservatives to try and increase oil shelf life. I treat carrier oils like a food, and the fact is that they are a fat and have a limited shelf life.
If you’ve made your oil with a clean, dry jar and dried plant, the sediment is not mold and not a problem. It’s just plant material settling and doesn’t mean anything is wrong. St. John’s wort, for example, often leaves a grayish layer at the bottom of the jar. For personal use, I usually leave it in (it’s great for bath oils).
For gifting or sales, when you want a clearer oil, let it sit undisturbed for a few days, then carefully pour off the clear oil, leaving the sediment behind. Then you can strain it 2 or 3 times through tightly woven muslin. Let it drip passively on its own without squeezing, since squeezing can push fine particles through.
Herb-infused oils are the most used herbal medicine in my apothecary. They have dozens of uses and help with everything from First Aid to relaxation and pain support. I hope these troubleshooting tips help you feel more confident on your oil-making journey.
If you are all about DIY and want to dive deeper into the nuances of oil making, check out my full Herbal Oil Course! Or if you’d rather skip the DIY and go straight to using herbal oils, check out the beautifully crafted herbal oils that Mountain Rose Herbs makes in-house!
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