Rosemary oil is an infused oil that is both suitable for culinary and cosmetic purposes. It’s actually super easy to prepare at home! With it being a trendy product right now, theres’ never been a better time to learn how to make rosemary oil.
I’ve made lots of hair products before, but none of them had as few ingredients as learning how to make rosemary oil!
There are a few ways to produce rosemary oil, so we’ll take a look at two of my favorites. They’re actually a lot easier than you’d think, and you don’t need a lot of equipment either!
How To Make Rosemary Oil: Heated and Cold Extraction
Fresh or dried rosemary can be used, although I much prefer fresh rosemary for our heated extraction method. Having said that, dry is good too and can be more versatile. I’ve also found it produces an oil with a better shelf life.
Dried rosemary comes in two different sizes, basic rosemary leaf which are broken rosemary leaves, the one usually sold in the local supermarket.
The other is whole leaf which is more likely to be found in herbal shops or websites. Both are suitable for infusing into oil. So use whatever you like!
So, let’s take a look at our two methods. I’ve got a recipe card for both of them!
DIY Rosemary Oil Cold Extraction Method
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Equipment
- Mason Jar
- Measuring cup
- Cheesecloth fine strainer
Ingredients
- 1/3 pint Carrier Oil (of your choice, see written for info)
- 1 oz Rosemary (dry is best, but fresh is fine)
Video
Instructions
- Place the dried rosemary into a clean, airtight jar, a mason jar would be perfect.1 oz Rosemary
- Fill the jar with your chosen oil. The rosemary must be completely covered with oil, and at least an inch above. If the rosemary is above the oil it will be prone to mold.1/3 pint Carrier Oil
- Place the cap tightly onto the jar and give it a good shake. Then pop the jar in a warm sunny place for two to three weeks to infuse. Whilst the oil is infusing it will need to be shaken once or twice a day. Keep an eye on any rosemary stems that may float above the oil. If they look like they are starting to mold or decay remove them.
- Two or three weeks later, when the rosemary has been fully infused into the oil, it's time to strain it. You can use a fine strainer or a piece of cheesecloth to strain the rosemary out of the oil. You may need to squeeze it through the cheesecloth several times to fully strain the oil.
- If you are using this for cosmetic purposes only, We recommend adding 1% vitamin E oil to help preserve the rosemary oil. This would extend the oil's shelf life to around 6 months. Lable and store the oil in a cool dark place, and use as needed.
DIY Rosemary Oil Heated Extraction Method
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Ingredients
- 3/4 pint Carrier Oil (of your choice, see written)
- 1 oz Rosemary (dry or fresh)
Video
Instructions
- Pour your oil into your sauce pan or crock-pot (slow cooker).3/4 pint Carrier Oil
- Then, add your rosemary to the oil. The rosemary must be completely covered with oil, and be at least an inch or two above the rosemary.Â1 oz Rosemary
- Place on a low heat at around 140f ( 60c) as we do not want to be frying the rosemary just extracting its goodness. If you are using your stove or hotpot like I am, this should take between 1 to 2 hours, a crock pot will take longer than possibly around 2 to 5 hours. Do not cover or apply the lid as this will produce condensation, allowing water to enter the oil.
- Once the oil has taken on the scent of the rosemary. Turn off the heat and allow the oil to cool.
- Once the oil has cooled, it will need to be strained using cheesecloth or a fine strainer. If your rosemary herb is still attached to the stem, like ours, it is easily removed with kitchen tongs. Otherwise, you may need to squeeze it through the cheesecloth or strainer several times to fully remove the rosemary.
- Transfer into a sterile container and store in a cool dark place.
How To Use And Store Your Rosemary Oil
How To Use
Rosemary oil is very versatile! It’s now wonder people want to learn how to make rosemary oil.
I like it use it as a rosemary body oil or hot hair treatment. Add 1-2% rosemary essential oil to 99% of our rosemary infused oil is an easy way to achieve this. Having said that I would also recommend adding 0.5-1% vitamin E as an antioxidant as this will prolong the shelf life of the oils.
You can, of course, use this oil as is! You can also cheat, and add rosemary essential oil to any carrier oil for similar benefit.
For example, Hemp seed oil, Evening primrose, and Rice bran are dry oils that absorb quickly into the skin. Sunflower, olive, sweet almond, and jojoba have medium absorption, and coconut and caster oil are heavier oils that have slow absorption.
So if you want body oil, a dry to medium oil is perfect for this. However, hair oil would benefit from a slow-absorbing oil.
How To Store
It’s important to talk about packaging, storage, and shelf life here as we don’t want the oil to go rancid or moldy within a couple of days of making it.
- Firstly the jar or bottle we will be storing the oil in must be clean and dry with a tight-fitting lid.
- Always choose an oil that has a good shelf life, I’ve given a few examples below but there are many more to choose from.
- Oil made with fresh rosemary should be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Oil made with dried rosemary will last for around 6 months if stored in a cool dark place with a tight-fitting lid.
- Adding vitamin E oil at 1% will bring some fantastic antioxidant properties to the oil and will also help to stabilize its shelf life. However, this would only be beneficial for the oil you intend to use for cosmetic uses, as the oil would no longer be consumable.
- If at any point the Infused oil develops a change in color, aroma, or taste the oil should be disposed of immediately.
In-Depth Analysis For How To Make Rosemary Oil
Cold vs Hot Extraction Methods
When learning how to make rosemary oil at home, the issue of cold vs hot extraction is a big one. Your preference between these methods is likely to be just that, your preference. Neither is better than the other, as they both have advantages and disadvantages.
Cold extraction is the traditional method. Its economical and relatively green, requiring only the power of the sun to get the extraction moving. It’s also makes the best use of dried rosemary. However, it takes a lot of time. .
If time is something you value, then consider the heated extraction method instead. This method, providing you allow time for the infusion to cool fully, can be used same day! However, it’s more hands on and requires constant monitoring.
Ultimately the choice is yours. I don’t mind keeping an eye on my stove or crock-pot, so I’ll usually opt for heated extraction. But I know people who swear by cold extraction.
There’s an argument to be made that heated our carrier oil can oxidise it, destroying therapeutic benefit. But I’d argue that using a heat stable oil largely mitigates this problem. Furthermore, our main interest is in the therapeutic benefits of rosemary, not our chosen carrier oil.
Ingredient Specification and Purpose
Your choice of Oil
You can use almost any carrier oil you’d like. Learning how to make rosemary oil never seemed so simple, right? However, your choice may depend on your extraction method. Avoid heat sensitive oils if you’re planning on using heat.
That being said, my favorite oils to use are sunflower, olive and jojoba. Although if using jojoba, be sure not to eat your rosemary oil as jojoba is inedible. You can also use fractionated coconut oil, which should also not be consumed.
Dried Vs. Fresh Rosemary
As previously mentioned, dried or fresh can be used for either method. However, you will get the most out of your fresh herb by using it for the heated extraction method. Dried is fine for either, but is great for cold extraction.
The only thing to keep in mind is that fresh rosemary infusions must be kept in the fridge. Dried rosemary infusions only need to be stored in a cool dry place, like a cupboard or draw.
Final Thoughts
Rosemary oil has some great uses in both culinary and cosmetic products. Use it in hair products, soaps, body lotions, creams, and serums. Or why not try it as a salad dressing, add to sauces and soups, or use it as a simple dip with crusty bread?
Following our simple guidelines, homemade rosemary oil will definitely elevate your culinary and skincare creations!
