Herbal Massage Oil

About

This recipe is very easy to make and smells wonderful in the double boiler. If you prefer to not use the stove, you can choose the other preparation method but it does take two weeks! The double boiler takes the time down to just a half hour!

Once strained, the scent of this oil is subtle but can stand on its own. I did not add any essential oils, though a few drops would certainly enhance the final product. Lavender would be a good choice for a relaxing massage. Rose would also be relaxing and would create a lovely romantic scent – perfect for Valentine’s Day or another romantic occasion. Undiluted rose oil known as rose absolute is wonderful but pricey. Diluted rose oils are less expensive.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Mix herbs.
2. Place 1 – 2 ounces of herb mixture in a one pint wide-mouthed jar and fill with apricot, almond or grapeseed oil (or a combination of these oils). Be certain the herbs are completely covered by the oil. Cover with a lid.
3. Let sit in a warm place for two weeks, shaking the mixture every day. Or you can slowly heat the mixture in a double boiler (do not overheat or you will burn the oil) and keep at a low simmer for 30 – 35 minutes.
4. Strain herbs from the oil. Use a fine sieve with a piece of cheesecloth placed in it so that no herb particles remain in the strained oil. To enhance the scent of your herbal oil, carefully add a few drops of essential oil and mix well.

Helpful Hints and Notes

1. This massage oil is specifically formulated for dry skin. However, based on the ingredient descriptions in Rosemary Gladstar’s book, I believe it can work for most skin types.
2. Comfrey leaves were not available at my local health food store so I added an extra part of rose petals. I used 1/4 cup as my “one part” measurement and found the total herb mixture was perfectly covered by my 500 ml bottle of oil. I chose cold pressed grapeseed oil because it is light and odourless. After straining the herbs I simply put the massage oil back into the empty grapeseed oil bottle.
3. Rosemary suggests refrigerating home-made massage oil to keep it fresh. You may want to bring it back to room temperature before using, or keep a small amount at room temperature if you use it several times a week.

Source

Herbs for Natural Beauty
by Rosemary Gladstar

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Above feature photo by ArtSyslik / Shutterstock.com. Not a picture of the actual final product of this recipe. Photo has been used for graphical enhancement. Colour variation may occur depending on the oil you choose.