Extractions
Comfrey oil
An extraction is the method by which the properties of herbs are removed from the fresh or dried plant material to use in cosmetics, healing creams and other preparations. They can be oil or water based, from fresh or dried herbs . If you can make a preparation with an oil or water based extraction and boost it with a tincture made from the same plant, you will get the maximum therapeutic benefits.
Oil Extraction
Calendula harvest
Equipment
Stainless steel saucepan
Wooden, plastic or silicon spoon
Preserving thermometer
Jug
Sieve, preferably one that sits inside your jug.
Piece of muslin or an old flour bag for filtering (for a water extract, a paper coffee filter can be used)
Stainless steel saucepan
Wooden, plastic or silicon spoon
Preserving thermometer
Jug
Sieve, preferably one that sits inside your jug.
Piece of muslin or an old flour bag for filtering (for a water extract, a paper coffee filter can be used)
Method
Comfrey
Fill your pot 3/4 full with chopped herbs. There are no quantities for this as I believe in using as much as possible.
Cover the herbs with oil of your choice. I find olive oil is a good allrounder and always use it for healing extractions. Grapeseed has a very smooth feel, making it a good choice for a cosmetic oil base.
Add a tablespoon of either vinegar,vodka or ethanol to each four cups of oil used to aid the extraction process. Again, the measurements are not crucial, a 'splash' will suffice.
Heat gently until the oil reaches 55C, no hotter, or you will begin to destroy the more volatile qualities of the herbs.
Stir well, turn off heat and put lid on pot and allow to cool.
Repeat the heating process two or three times during 24 hours.
Place your cloth into the sieve over the jug and carefully and gradually pour in the cooled oil and allow to strain.
Squeeze the bag to extract the last of the liquid.
You can repeat this process a couple of times, adding fresh herbs each time to make a stronger brew.
Allow the oil to rest overnight. The sediment should have fallen to the bottom and you will be able to pour the clean oil off.
Store the oil in a glass bottle in the refrigerator until needed.
Cover the herbs with oil of your choice. I find olive oil is a good allrounder and always use it for healing extractions. Grapeseed has a very smooth feel, making it a good choice for a cosmetic oil base.
Add a tablespoon of either vinegar,vodka or ethanol to each four cups of oil used to aid the extraction process. Again, the measurements are not crucial, a 'splash' will suffice.
Heat gently until the oil reaches 55C, no hotter, or you will begin to destroy the more volatile qualities of the herbs.
Stir well, turn off heat and put lid on pot and allow to cool.
Repeat the heating process two or three times during 24 hours.
Place your cloth into the sieve over the jug and carefully and gradually pour in the cooled oil and allow to strain.
Squeeze the bag to extract the last of the liquid.
You can repeat this process a couple of times, adding fresh herbs each time to make a stronger brew.
Allow the oil to rest overnight. The sediment should have fallen to the bottom and you will be able to pour the clean oil off.
Store the oil in a glass bottle in the refrigerator until needed.
Infusion
Don't panic....its only tea....but it is improtant to make it in a pot or a lidded mug to retain all those yummy essential oils.
Herb tea can act as the water component of creams and lotions, as can juices and milk.
2 teaspoons of fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each cup of tea
Add boiling water and allow to steep for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
Herb tea can act as the water component of creams and lotions, as can juices and milk.
2 teaspoons of fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each cup of tea
Add boiling water and allow to steep for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
Decoctions
Dandelion coffee
Again, no need to panic over a fancy name, it is the process used to make an extraction of the tougher parts of the plant, usually roots or bark which should be chopped as finely as possible beforehand. Use distilled, di-ionised or rain water.
The proportions are the same as an infusion:
2 teaspoons of fresh herb part or 1 teaspoon of dried herb to each cup of water
In a saucepan bring the herbs and water to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for up to 30 minutes, depending on the strength you require and adding more water as necessary.
If you are making a decoction for a healing preparation, it may be left for several hours to steep once the heat has been turned off.
Decoctions can be stored for a day or two in the refrigerator until needed.
This is the same process by which dandelion coffee ( a great liver tonic) is made and which can be reheated several times before needing fresh root adding.
The proportions are the same as an infusion:
2 teaspoons of fresh herb part or 1 teaspoon of dried herb to each cup of water
In a saucepan bring the herbs and water to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for up to 30 minutes, depending on the strength you require and adding more water as necessary.
If you are making a decoction for a healing preparation, it may be left for several hours to steep once the heat has been turned off.
Decoctions can be stored for a day or two in the refrigerator until needed.
This is the same process by which dandelion coffee ( a great liver tonic) is made and which can be reheated several times before needing fresh root adding.
Enfleurage
The garden at the moment is heady with such intense fragrance I can only close my eyes, breathe it in deeply and hope to place it in some part of memory where I can recall at will that ethereal, heady swooning sensation.
The fences are laden with pink jasmine and honeysuckle, Mr. Lincoln is sighing his rich redness into the air and the lemon tree is laden with absurd amounts of tart blossoms. The sweet almondy purple flowers of the cherry pie have wound their way into the lemon verbena like some rich dessert recipe. Custardy elderflowers and the fresh scent of lavender remind me of afternoon tea with elderly relatives, the musky scent of the poppies of forbidden pleasures.
Spring is a busy time, there is manure and hay to spread, summer vegetables to plant, bulbs to be dug. The window sill holds a growing collection of jars and bottles, oils and essences of petals and flowers and the dryer is full of lavender, roses and calendula, all in an attempt to capture the elusive nature of fragrance.
The fences are laden with pink jasmine and honeysuckle, Mr. Lincoln is sighing his rich redness into the air and the lemon tree is laden with absurd amounts of tart blossoms. The sweet almondy purple flowers of the cherry pie have wound their way into the lemon verbena like some rich dessert recipe. Custardy elderflowers and the fresh scent of lavender remind me of afternoon tea with elderly relatives, the musky scent of the poppies of forbidden pleasures.
Spring is a busy time, there is manure and hay to spread, summer vegetables to plant, bulbs to be dug. The window sill holds a growing collection of jars and bottles, oils and essences of petals and flowers and the dryer is full of lavender, roses and calendula, all in an attempt to capture the elusive nature of fragrance.
Method
Unless you can grow acres of fragrant flowers, you won’t be able to create your own essential oils. It needs thousands of flowers to pass through the distillation process using steam or solvents to produce a very small amount of oil. There is another process that can be done at home. It is a variation on the enfleurage method of extraction. There are a few different variations of this, each using oil or fat. I have found a good cheat’s method that will give you a nicely scented oil infusion.
Fill a jar with scented petals of your choice, a mixture of flowers can be lovely.
Cover with grape seed or jojoba oil and add 2 teaspoons of vodka
Place on a sunny window sill or in a warm spot.
Each day, strain the oil and replace the flowers with fresh ones.
Check after ten days. If you would like a stronger scent, continue replacing the flowers each day.
Finally, strain the oil through a piece of muslin into a dark glass bottle and store in a cool place out of the sun or refrigerate.
Use in perfume blends, cosmetics or massage oil.
And I will make thee beds of roses...
