Botanical Infusions

Making herbal or floral infused oils is a fun and rewarding process.  This time of year is the best time to get picking your flowers and herbs for drying.  So once you pick them (one of my favorite flowers to pick and dry is chamomile and calendula) then lay them out on a clean surface covered with parchment and let them dry out for a few days.  Once fully dried, then place them in a clean mason jar and cover with any carrier oil of your choosing (I prefer olive oil).  Add about a teaspoon of Vitamin E to the oil and botanical mixture to help prolong the life of the oil and to bring added nourishment to the infusion. Cover the jar tightly with a lid and place in a brown paper bag.  Place the bag (with jar enclosed) in a sunny location in your home and let sit for 2-3 weeks.  Shake the bottle every couple of days.  After two to three weeks have passed, strain the infused oil with a strainer or cheesecloth to rid the oil of the botanicals themselves, then place the infused oil in a clean glass bottle and store in a cool, dark location.  The oil can be used for up to 6 months in such skincare creations as healing salves. Making herbal/floral infusions is a great way to keep the beauty of summer in your home throughout most of the year, even when its cold outside.