Q&A for How to Make Rosemary Oil

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  • Question
    What is best carrier oil for rosemary oil?
    Lorena Barcal
    Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
    Lorena Barcal is a Clinical Herbalist, Clean Beauty Specialist, and Writer for IslandBeauty.co, a blog dedicated to sharing the benefits of using all-natural beauty products and recipes created by herbalists. Lorena specializes in studying and developing natural alternatives for beauty products. After finishing her herbal studies, Lorena managed an herbal lab in Barcelona developing natural beauty products. As a writer for IslandBeauty.co, she shares knowledge and insights to promote the natural beauty industry.
    Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Jojoba and coconut oils are the best carrier oils to use, as they mix very well and create a great natural beauty product.
  • Question
    Does this work to put in lotions, soap, shampoo, ect.
    Community Answer
    Yes. Many people like to put a few drops of rosemary oil in their lotions, soaps, and shampoos before using them. To do so, mix a small amount of product in a small bowl with a few drops of rosemary oil.
  • Question
    What if I cannot get fresh rosemary?
    Community Answer
    It's perfectly fine to use dried rosemary instead. One large tablespoon of crumbled, dried rosemary equals about three to four sprigs of fresh rosemary.
  • Question
    Do I have to sanitize the jar?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you should sanitize the jar to minimize your chances of being exposed to dangerous bacteria.
  • Question
    Can I simmer dried rosemary on the stove instead of waiting two weeks?
    Community Answer
    Yes; you can summer it on a hot plate in the glass jar for 3 hours instead.
  • Question
    Can I use dried rosemary leaves to make the oil?
    Community Answer
    Yes! Dried rosemary is just as fragrant and flavorful as fresh rosemary. In fact, if you use dried rosemary, your oil will have a much longer shelf life.
  • Question
    Can I use grape seed oil instead?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can. Any edible oil can be used in these recipes. However, grape seed oil is flavorless. If you use olive oil, your edible oil will have a smooth, mellow rosemary taste. If you use grape seed oil, the flavor might be flat.
  • Question
    Will rosemary help me sleep?
    Community Answer
    Yes. It is best when mixed with lavender and neroli or sandalwood and clary sage.
  • Question
    Can I use canola oil instead of olive oil?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can. It is suggested on websites about carrier oils. There are many, many types of oils you can use, such as sweet almond oil and others.
  • Question
    Why do I need to boil the oil?
    Community Answer
    You should heat the oil with the fresh rosemary to 1) dehydrate the rosemary and help extract the aroma and 2) improve the product shelf life by killing bacteria and fungi that might be on the leaves. Don't overheat/boil the rosemary, or you'll burn it and ruin the aroma.
  • Question
    What kind of oil should I use with dried rosemary?
    Community Answer
    Personally, I like avocado oil. It has less of a taste than olive oil and a higher burning temperature.
  • Question
    How can I get oil from rosemary itself without mixing olive, jojoba etc., oil?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    Extracting rosemary essential oil from the actual rosemary plant requires a long process of distillation that is too involved to describe here - it's best if you use the "request an article" feature to see if this can be written sometime. Remember that while the rosemary oil described in this article is edible, you shouldn't consume any kind of essential oil.
  • Question
    Can I use this oil with an essential oil diffuser?
    Community Answer
    No, this is infused oil. Infused oils don't evaporate and can cause diffusers to malfunction.
  • Question
    Could I use jojoba oil with the dry rosemary for a skin massage?
    Community Answer
    Based on end-use, you can pick any oil for infusing dried rosemary. Rosemary-infused jojoba oil shouldn't be used for culinary purposes though, only for non-consumption uses.
  • Question
    Can I dry the rosemary outside when making rosemary oil?
    Community Answer
    It's better to leave rosemary to dry inside your home. If it gets humid or wet outside, unwanted mold might grow.
  • Question
    Can rosemary repel pests such as mosquitoes?
    Community Answer
    Rosemary can repel mosquitoes, but lemon balm and citronella are stronger. Lavender and lemon grass also work.
  • Question
    Do I take out the leaves after the oil is ready?
    Community Answer
    Yes, the instructions say to strain the oil through a metal colander or a cheesecloth, then discard the leaves.
  • Question
    How do I dry the jar after it's sanitized in hot water?
    Dom Dog
    Community Answer
    Leave it to dry on a rack or bread tray, one of those big plastic ones. Leave it indoors or outside on a sunny day. Even better, the sun is a good sanitiser for bottles. Or, you could wipe it down with a clean cloth/tea towel.
  • Question
    Can I use organic virgin coconut oil to heat with fresh rosemary to make oil-infused rosemary oil for the body?
    Community Answer
    I'd use MCT oil, because coconut oil itself is a solid at room temperature.
  • Question
    Can I dry the rosemary in the sun?
    Community Answer
    Yes; in fact, that’s probably a better method than the oven. You could also just tie the rosemary with string and hang it up somewhere to dry. Doing it this way, your rosemary should be dried in one or two weeks.
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