TL;DR: How to Make Essential Oils at Home
- The article explains how to make essential oils using plant materials and basic home methods, including extraction techniques like soaking herbs in alcohol and separating the aromatic compounds.
- It describes preparing plant matter (such as rose petals) in jars with solvent (like vodka), then shaking and soaking to draw out the plant’s essence.
- After soaking, the mixture is strained and frozen so that essential oil solids can be separated from the liquid.
- Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts used for aromatherapy, personal care, and natural remedies, and they must be diluted before use on the skin.
- The article also touches on knowing what essential oils are and offers ideas for using them in blends and daily routines.
In this article:
- How to Make Essential Oils
- What You Need to Know When Making Essential Oils
- Mood-Boosting Essential Oils
- 5 Ways to Use Essential Oils
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Learn How to Make Essential Oils Like a True Homesteader
Learning how to make essential oils at home is a rewarding way to extract fragrance and beneficial compounds from plants using simple methods. While homemade oils are not as concentrated as commercially distilled essential oils, they are useful for aromatherapy, personal care, and natural living. With fresh plant material and basic supplies, you can create your own infused oils and understand how plant essences are traditionally captured.
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How to Make Essential Oils
There are three methods to get essential oils. These are extraction, distillation, and expression. The distillation process is the most complicated. It requires specialized equipment and careful monitoring.
As for the expression method, the product is not usually classified as an essential oil. This leaves us with the extraction method. In this tutorial, we will try rose essential oil-making, so let’s get started!
What You’ll Need:
- Flowers or plant parts to extract (in this case, rose petals)
- 120-proof vodka
- Clear quart glass jar with a lid
- Small dark-colored bottle
- Porcelain-coated strainer
- Small glass bowl
- Tight-weave cheesecloth
- A spoon and a medicine dropper
Step 1: Prepare Your Choice of Plant
You can use any kind of plant, from herbs, scented flowers, to fruits. It all depends on the plant essence you want to be extracted. In this tutorial, we will be using roses. The more homegrown roses you have, the better.
You’ll need pounds and pounds of plant material to make a small amount of essence. Prepare the roses by using a dehydrator to evaporate their natural water content. The roses will be ready when they start to wilt.
Step 2: Prepare the Jar
Prepare jars and fill them with rose petals. Pour vodka into the jar until the petals are submerged. Place the jar in a dark corner of the kitchen cupboard where it can sit undisturbed at room temperature.
About three times a day, take the jar out and give it a good shake for several minutes. Repeat daily until you see the roses losing color, which could take up to a week.
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Step 3: Straining Vodka Solution
Wearing protective gloves, take out the jar and prepare to strain. Strain out the plant material from the vodka by using a porcelain-coated strainer. Be careful not to spill any amount of liquid.
Shake the roses into the cheesecloth and squeeze it out by hand to get every last bit of vodka out. By this time, the vodka will smell terrible, but don’t worry, that’s normal.
Step 4: Repeat Soaking Process
Using the same vodka, repeat the rose soaking method several more times with a new batch of rose petals. Make sure not to waste vodka when straining.
If needed, you can add a little more vodka to make sure the rose petals are submerged. The more you do this, you will be able to extract more of the essential oils.
Step 5: Storing Vodka Solution
Once you’re done with the rose soaking, strain as usual. But this time, return the vodka to the quart glass and seal it. Put it in the dark corner of the cupboard again, leaving it undisturbed for a day or two.
By this time, you will see some separation starting to occur. The vodka will separate from the essential oils and other plant matter.
Step 6: Freeze Solution
Place the jar in the freezer. This is the cool part: vodka does not freeze. So, only the essential oils and other plant materials will solidify.
Step 7: Strain Solution
Now, you will have to move fast with extra caution before the essential oil melts. You will need a piece of cheesecloth laid inside a glass bowl. Use another piece of cheesecloth secured around a clear canning jar so it dips inside the neck.
You will also need another small glass bowl and a small dark bottle, which will hold the essential oil. Have a spoon and dropper ready as well.
Step 8: Harvest Essential Oils
Remove the jar from the freezer. Skim the gunky plant material off the vodka and place it on top of the cheesecloth laid inside the bowl. Pour the vodka into the other glass jar with the loose cheesecloth.
Move quickly to pick out any frozen bits using a dropper and place them inside the small dark bottle. The frozen bits are the essential oils.
What You Need to Know When Making Essential Oils
- Essential oils are not oils that contain fatty acids. Instead, they are the concentrated plant essence.
- What is good in a plant is reflected in its essential oil, so you can use it for personal care, disinfection, or healing.
- Essential oil examples are peppermint, tea tree, and roses. They are known for their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
- Essential oils are distinct from fragrance oils. They only mimic the scents of plants and do not have the essential oil benefits.
- Essential oils are hard to find in localities, which is why they are expensive. This is a good reason why it’s good to learn the art of making essential oils from dried herbs yourself.
Mood-Boosting Essential Oils
There are many benefits of essential oils, and some essential oils are known to boost mood and increase serotonin levels in the body. Here are some mood-boosting essential oils:
- Mandarin Essential Oil
- Lime Essential Oil
- Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- Bitter Orange Essential Oil
- Bergamot Essential Oil
- Grapefruit Essential Oil
- Peppermint Essential Oil
- Spearmint Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Chamomile Essential Oil
- Tangerine Essential Oil
5 Ways to Use Essential Oils
There are different ways to use essential oils, and you can blend them as well! Here are 5 ways you can use your essential oils to boost your mood:
- Diffuser Blend: Add 2 drops of desired essential oils with the required amount of water (depending on your diffuser) and enjoy!
- Roller Blend: Add 2 drops of desired essential oils to a roller bottle and fill the rest of the bottle with jojoba oil or coconut oil. You can use this blend on your arms, legs, and chest.
- Massage Oil Blend: Blend 2 drops of desired essential oils into a 1oz bottle, then fill the rest of the bottle with almond oil then massage it onto your skin.
- Bath Salt Blend: Add 3-5 drops of desired essential oils to castile soap and add it to your bathwater.
- Room Spray Blend: Add 2 drops of desired essential oil into a 1-oz spray bottle and fill the rest with distilled water
Reminder:
Do not apply undiluted essential oils directly to your skin. Essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil before being used.
With time, you will be able to master your art of making essential oils. Who knows how you will be able to make more out of this new and amazing homesteading skill!
Did you find these ideas and tips helpful? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Frequently Asked Questions: Make Essential Oils
Can essential oils really be made at home?
Yes, essential oil, style extracts can be made at home using infusion or solvent methods. These homemade versions are less concentrated than steam-distilled oils but still capture plant aroma and properties.
What plants can be used to make essential oils?
Common plants include herbs, flowers, and citrus peels such as lavender, rosemary, mint, rose petals, and lemon zest. Fresh, aromatic plant material works best.
Are homemade essential oils the same as store-bought oils?
No. Commercial essential oils are highly concentrated and typically produced through steam distillation. Homemade oils are milder and are often better described as infused or extracted oils.
Do homemade essential oils need to be diluted?
Yes. Even homemade oils should be diluted before skin use, usually with a carrier oil, to reduce the risk of irritation or sensitivity.
How long do homemade essential oils last?
When stored in a sealed container away from heat and light, homemade essential oils or infusions can last several months. Shelf life depends on the plant used and storage conditions.
What are homemade essential oils commonly used for?
They are often used for aromatherapy, homemade beauty products, natural cleaning blends, and personal wellness routines.
