Making Dandelion Oil

 

If you follow me on Facebook (Berry Favorite Things) you know that I've recently tried my hand at making my own essential oil.

After reading about the endless benefits of dandelion oil, and then seeing the outrageous cost to purchase it, I decided to give it a go and make my own. My expectations weren't high. I'm not a hippie. While I've used various essential oils for many years, and am a big fan, it never even dawned on me that I could make my own. Turns out, it's relatively easy to do, and absolutely no skill is required. This is my process. Though I strongly suggest doing your research, and deciding for yourself which method works best for you.

Step 1:
The first step in making your dandelion oil is picking your dandelions. Since I live in an apartment, and they spray for weeds, this wasn't an option at my home. So I put out a request to friends and family (asked who had a yard full, and didn't spray or have outdoor pets) and was bombarded with helpful and generous offers to de-weed people's lawns.

 

My friend Holly lived close, and had plenty, and a willing child to assist in the picking. (Thanks, Hailey!) When you are picking your dandelions, you should know that each part of the plant (flower, stems, leaves and root) each have their own unique benefits. I wanted more of the flowers, but I did toss in several stems as well. Once you pick them, I strongly suggest laying them out somewhere to dry for a day or two. The flowers hold a great deal of moisture, which can ruin a good oil. (This also allows a chance for all the tiny bugs living in them to escape. Lol)

Step 2:
Once your dandelions have dried out some, you should place them in a glass jar. Now, here's the curious part. In order to make oil, you'll need to add oil. Sounds weird, right? I know, but trust me on this. You'll need to select a carrier oil. (If you aren't familiar with carrier oils, do some research into them, and choose one that works best for you.) I opted for Almond oil, because I am a big fan of it, it's reasonably priced, very light in fragrance, and one I always have around. If you have a nut allergy, you'll want to use a different carrier oil. (Olive, Jojoba, Avocado, Grape Seed, Sunflower, etc.)

Pour your carrier oil over your dandelions, until they are well covered. Now here is where you'll have wanted to do your research. Some things I read suggest sealing your jar tightly, and others said to cover with a breathable material. I opted for the latter. (I used a coffee filter, but you could also use cheesecloth or something similar.) There are also multiple schools of thought on the best process for making the oil. Some called for heating the oil on the stove for several hours, while others suggested sitting the jar in the sun for several days to weeks. Again, I chose the latter here. Oil making has been going on since well before the invention of the stove, so I figured natural sunlight was my better option. This also allowed for less chance of over heating and ruining my oil. (I called this the idiot proof method.) I set my jar in the window that received the most light for a little over 2 weeks. On days when it was extra sunny, I set the jar outside directly in the sunlight for several hours as well. After multiple days, you'll start to notice your oil is taking on a pretty yellow color. This golden color will grow richer the longer the flowers are in the oil. I did check it a few times along this process for smell, just to be sure it hadn't gone rancid. (This can happen if there is too much heat, moisture, etc.)

Step 3:
This is the final step. Once you are satisfied that your flowers & oil have been soaking for long enough, you will need to strain your oil to remove all the flowers and floaters. Once again, I opted to use coffee filters for this. I placed a filter over a clean and dry jar, and poured the oil over it a little at a time. If you prefer, you could do the straining in multiple steps, and strain over a mesh screen to remove the larger debris, then follow up with a cheesecloth or filtered strain to remove anything left. Honestly, time wise, it would work out to be about the same either way.

This is my finished oil. It looks oddly like a jar of urine, but I assure you, it is indeed dandelion oil. It has a very light fragrance, not unpleasant, but not necessarily one that I would wear as a perfume either. You can use this as is, or mix it with other oils and products for a variety of benefits. I plan to make balms and salves with mine, incorporating other essential oils with it as well.

This was my first batch of balm. I used a blend of natural beeswax, coconut oil, dandelion oil, and a citrus oil blend. While I still need to work out my measurements to achieve the proper texture, I am very pleased with the results. My next batch will be a softer salve mixture with eucalyptus, lavender, etc. for a relaxing and soothing muscle rub.
All in all, I am pleasantly surprised by the ease of this process, and will definitely be making more of my own essential oils in the future. I would love to attempt some herbal oils (sage, rosemary, thyme, etc.) using fresh garden herbs, so if you have some in your garden that you can spare, please let me know. :)