Learn how to make infuse oils at home with this beginner-friendly way in three different methods using store bought or garden grown herbs. 

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When I posted my recipe for Golden Tallow Carrot Soap a while back, I talked about how the carrots weren't just thrown in there raw. First, I infused them in olive oil, so all the nice, golden color and nutrients could seep into the oil before I even mixed it with the tallow. If you haven't checked out that post yet, you can find the blog post here - it's worth a read before you come back to this one, since they're pretty closely related.  

A few of you asked how I actually infuse oil at home, what it means, and whether it is something you could try in your own kitchen without any special equipment. So today I want to walk you through exactly how to infuse oils at home, using three different methods depending on how much patience I have that particular week. Some weeks I have a lot of patience for a slow infused oil made the old-fashioned way. Other weeks I need an infused oil ready by dinner. 

As a busy mom, why go through the trouble of making my own infused oils, instead of just buying them online? For me, it's pretty simple - I like to know exactly what's in the stuff I put on my family's skin. That's actually why I got into herbalism in the first place. When you buy pre-infused oils, you don't always know what's in them, or how they were made. By doing it myself, I can control what herbs are used, and how they're infused. It might take a bit more time and effort, but it's worth it to me to know that I'm giving my family the best. Plus, I've found that homemade infused oils just seem to work better, smell amazing, and are far more cheaper.  

When I make infused oil at home, I have total control over what goes into it. I know exactly which plant I'm using, where it came from, and how long it's been sitting there. I trust my own kitchen way more than some label that I don't really know anything about. By making it myself, I get to be in charge from start to finish. Plus, it's way cheaper to just use the stuff I already have at home - like dried carrots or lavender - and infuse them into oil I already have, rather than buying all these specialty oils for every single recipe. And there's something really nice about having all these jars of infused oil lined up on my counter, with labels that I wrote myself, knowing exactly what's inside each one. It's just really satisfying, you know? I can see what I've made, and I know it's good. It's like having my own little collection of homemade goodies, and it feels great. 

So, let's start with the basics. When you infuse an oil, you're basically letting it sit with dried herbs, flowers, or roots, and other plant stuff, so the oil can soak up all the good things from the plants. It's kind of like making tea, but instead of using hot water, you're using oil, and it takes longer. The idea is that the oil will absorb all the beneficial compounds from the plants over time, and that's what makes it so useful. 

When you use oil to extract the good stuff from dried plants, it works like a gentle cleaner, pulling out the color, scent, and important parts of the plant. This leaves you with an oil that has taken on the characteristics of the herb, without needing to add the actual plant to your final product. I do this with carrots when making my tallow soap, and it's the same idea behind other infused oils like calendula, lavender, or comfrey that you might find in handmade skincare products. The oil absorbs all the beneficial properties of the plant, so you can use it to make all sorts of things, from soaps to lotions, without having to add the raw plant material. This way, you get all the good stuff from the plant, without any of the hassle. 

This is how I make my beautiful Tallow and Carrot Soap at home. The oil infusion creates a gorgeous golden color and the final feel is so soft. It's a great and simple way to boost your soap into a luxury soap. 

Before you start, it helps to gather everything in one place so the process feels calm instead of chaotic. None of this requires anything fancy or expensive to make an easy infused oil, which is part of why I love this as a beginner-friendly project. 

• A clean, dry glass jar with a tight fitting lid 

• Dried herbs, flowers, roots, or vegetables of your choice, fully dried with no moisture remaining 

• A carrier oil suited to your project, such as olive, jojoba, apricot kernel, or avocado oil 

• Cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer, plus a coffee filter for a final polish 

• A permanent marker or printed labels for recording the date and contents 

• Amber glass bottles or jars for storing the finished infused oil 

Once you have these gathered, you are ready to choose which of the three infusion methods fits your week best. 

The cold maceration method is where I always tell beginners to start, because it asks the least of you technically while still producing a beautifully infused oil. It simply requires a little patience and a jar you do not mind seeing on your counter for a few weeks. 

To begin, fill a clean jar about half full with your dried herbs. Cover the herbs completely with your chosen carrier oil, making sure no plant matter is left exposed above the oil line, and gently remove any air bubbles trapped along the sides of the jar. Cap the jar tightly and shake it once a day for six to eight weeks, or up to twelve weeks if you prefer a deeper, more concentrated infusion. I personally let most of my cold macerations sit for a full twelve weeks, though some, like lighter flowers, I am happy to strain around the eight week mark. Everyone develops their own preference here, and you will find yours with a little experience. 

Once your infusion time is up, strain the oil through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, squeezing out as much of the liquid gold as you can from the spent plant matter. Store the finished infused oil in amber glass, away from heat and light, and be sure to label it clearly with the herb, the oil used, and both the start and ready dates, which I will talk more about further down. 

If you do not have twelve weeks to spare, or you need an infused oil for a project happening this weekend, the accelerated warm infusion method using a double boiler is a solid next step for getting an infused oil ready in a matter of hours. This method uses gentle, controlled heat to speed along the same basic extraction that cold maceration achieves slowly. 

Start by choosing your carrier oil based on the properties you want in your finished product, whether that is a lightweight jojoba, a nourishing avocado oil, a gentle apricot kernel, or a classic olive oil. Place the oil along with your dried herbs, flowers, roots, or leaves into a heat safe container set over a double boiler. Keep the temperature gentle, ideally between forty and forty five degrees Celsius, or one hundred four to one hundred thirteen degrees Fahrenheit, checking your particular oil's heat sensitivity if you are working with a delicate carrier. Maintain that gentle warmth for one to two hours, stirring occasionally so every bit of plant matter gets even contact with the oil. 

Once the heating time is finished, turn off the heat and allow the infusion to rest for several hours so the constituents can continue extracting into the oil. I want to flag one important detail here, do not cover the container while it rests, because condensation can form on the lid or the walls of the container. Any water that finds its way into the oil can create the conditions for microbial growth or mold, since there is no preservative in a plain anhydrous oil. After resting, strain your infused oil through a fine mesh, cheesecloth, or coffee filter, then transfer it into a clean, dry, airtight container. Keep in mind that some of the more volatile plant constituents may cook off slightly during this warmer process, so your finished oil may be a touch lighter in both color and scent compared to a slow cold maceration. 

This last method is the one I personally reach for most often to infuse oil at home, and it is exactly how I infused the carrots for my Golden Tallow Carrot Soap. I love it because it is close to foolproof, it requires no water boiling on the stove, and that alone removes most of the risk of mold that can come from condensation sneaking into your jar. 

The yogurt maker I am using is the Bear machine linked here. If you purchase this exact one, it already comes with a strainer so no need to buy an additional strainer! 

To start, choose your carrier oil based on what you are making. For the carrot soap, I chose olive oil because of how well it pairs with tallow in cold process soap. Take your dried plant matter, which for me was carrots I had chopped and dried in the sun for about six hours, and fill a clean jar roughly halfway, about two ounces of dried carrot. Then fill the rest of the jar with your oil, about double the volume of the plant matter, which for me came out to around four ounces of olive oil. 

From there, place the jar into your yogurt maker and select the yogurt setting, which depending on your particular machine will run for either 12 or 24 hours. I personally let mine run for a full 24 hours, since the yogurt maker holds a steady, gentle warmth the entire time without ever scorching the oil, and there is no need to babysit it on the stove. You can leave the jar lid off while it runs, or cap it loosely if you prefer, since the low, even heat of a yogurt maker does not create the same condensation risk as a stovetop double boiler. 

Once the cycle finishes, turn off the machine and let the jar rest for several hours so the infusion can continue settling and extracting. Strain the finished infused oil through fine mesh, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter, then transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight container, ready to be used in soap, salves, or lotion just like I did with my carrot infused olive oil. 

Choosing the right carrier oil is just as important as choosing the right herb, since the base oil you pick will shape the texture, absorption, and shelf life of your finished infused oil. I tend to choose my carrier oil based on what the final infused oil needs to do, rather than reaching for whatever is closest on the shelf. 

Olive oil is a wonderful, affordable, all-purpose choice, and it is what I reached for with my carrot infusion because of how naturally it complements tallow in cold process soap. Jojoba oil, which is technically a liquid wax rather than a true oil, tends to have a longer shelf life and a lighter feel, making it a nice option for facial infusions. Apricot kernel oil absorbs quickly and feels gentle, which I appreciate for infusions destined for lotions or baby-safe products, while avocado oil brings a richer, heavier feel that I like for infusions meant for very dry skin or deeper winter care. Whichever oil you choose, make sure it is fresh to begin with, since infusing plant matter into an oil that is already past its prime will not give you a good infused oil at the end. 

Labeling might feel like a small step, but I consider it one of the most important parts of this entire process, and it is a habit I would encourage every beginner to build from day one. Without a clear label, it is far too easy to forget what is steeping in that jar on your counter, or worse, to forget when it is actually ready. 

Every jar I start gets labeled with the type and weight of the plant matter, the type and amount of oil used, the date the infusion began, and the date I expect the infused oil to be ready based on which method I used. Once your infused oil is strained and finished, store it in amber glass, away from direct heat and light, ideally in a cool, dark cabinet rather than a sunny windowsill. Proper storage protects your infused oil from oxidizing too quickly and helps preserve both the color and the benefits you worked to extract in the first place. I keep a small shelf just for finished infused oils, each one labeled with the same care I gave the fresh jar back when the infusion first began. 

Disclaimer: The information shared in this post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice. Cold process soapmaking involves working with sodium hydroxide (lye), a caustic substance that can cause serious injury if handled improperly. Always wear appropriate protective gear, work in a well-ventilated space, and thoroughly research lye safety before attempting this or any cold process soap recipe. Run all recipes through a lye calculator before beginning. This 100% tallow soap recipe is shared in good faith as a beginner-friendly tutorial — results may vary, and individual skin responses differ. If irritation occurs from use of handmade soap, discontinue use immediately. Consult a healthcare provider if needed. Proverbs 31 Crafter, LLC assumes no liability for the outcome of recipes attempted based on the content of this post. 

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