How to Make Your Own Essential Oils at Home

Essential oils are herbal oils of the highest purity and quality. Essential oils are created by steaming fresh plants to produce vapors. These vapors carry the oil from the fresh plant up into the air. A condenser catches the plant oil and cools it, releasing it from the vapor. The plant oil then drips back into a receptacle or collector. Specialized equipment for making essential oil is available, but can be very expensive. A common stock pot, lid, steamer, and glass bowl can be used to produce quality essential oils from fresh herbs at home.

How to Make Essential Oil at Home

Directions:

Begin by placing five ounces of plant material and one quart of water into a stock pot.
Place a steamer insert over the water and plant material. The steamer insert should rest just above the top of the water.

Place a glass bowl for collecting the essential oil on top of the steamer. The glass bowl should not be submersed in the water, or be jostled around from the water.

Place the stock pot on the stove and begin heating the water and plant at a very low setting. The lowest setting possible, while still producing steam, should be used. Using a low temperature setting prevents the plant from scorching.

When the steam begins to rise, place the lid upside down on the stock pot. The handle of the lid should be directly over the top of the glass bowl. As the essential oil collects on the lid, it will drip down into the bowl from the handle of the lid, or collector. Place a plastic bag full of ice or very cold water on top of the lid. This will cool the essential oil and facilitate its separation from the steam as it collects on the lid.

To check the progress of the essential oil distillation, carefully remove the lid using a pot holder. Ensure that the essential oil is dripping into the glass bowl, or collector.

When enough essential oil has been produced, it should be stored in the refrigerator in a dark glass bottle between uses. Cover the essential oil with a tight fitting lid and label it with the contents and date of preparation.

Because this method allows some of the steam and oil to escape from the pot, it will take more plant material to make essential oil than commercial equipment which seals in the vapors and essential oil.

Plants for Making Essential Oil at Home

Freshly harvested plant material works best for making essential oils. Some wonderful plants to use at home for making essential oils are peppermint, lavender, lemon balm, sage and rosemary.