How to make chamomile oil at home

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Chamomile is often praised for its health benefits, as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile oil can safely be used on skin for treating eczema, bruises, and even rheumatic pain. Before you run to the shop, have a look at this DIY to make your own chamomile oil.

Chamomile has a high percentage of blue azulene and bisabolol, so the oil that can be extracted from this plant has anti-inflammatory properties.

For this chamomile oil, I used sweet almond oil as a carrier oil, because its scent is very neutral and it is kind to all skin types. I use this sweet almond oil carrier from the Soapery. Other oils you can use are jojoba, olive, wheat germ and grape seed oil. Even sunflower oil can be used.

You can buy dried chamomile at health-food stores, but what I prefer is to harvest and dry it myself. Make sure the flowers are properly dried.


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Chamomile: How to Recognise it, Health Benefits and Uses


Make your own Chamomile Oil

How to make chamomile oil at home

Ingredients

  • A small sterile jar, approx. 100 ml
  • A carrier oil of your choice (I used sweet almond oil)
  • Dried chamomile flowers, enough to fill the jar you’re using
  • A cheese cloth

Directions

  1. Fill the jar with the dried chamomile flowers and top it up with the carrier oil.
  2. Make sure the flowers are fully covered by the oil.
  3. Screw the lid on tightly.
  4. Now place the jar somewhere where it will get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.
  5. Every day, gently shake the bottle. In about a month, you will be able to filter the oil
  6. First I sieve the oil into another sterile jar and make sure to press all the oil out of the chamomile residue.
  7. Then I use a cheese cloth to get rid of all the smaller bits that are left after sieving.
  8. Put your own chamomile oil in a sterile jar of your choosing. You can now use it directly from the jar!

  • How to make chamomile oil at home
  • How to make chamomile oil at home

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Making your own DIY chamomile body oil isn’t only easy, it’s also a lot more affordable than store-bought. You only need 4 ingredients!

How to make chamomile oil at home

Wintertime is an especially tough time for our skin. The cold, as well as the dry air from the heating put it to the test. Cracked, flaky and itchy skin can often be the result. This is not only annoying, it can be quite uncomfortable too! To give our skin some extra nourishment during this particularly difficult season, I want to share a recipe for an infused body oil that you can easily make at home and that will calm your irritated skin.

Chamomile

Chamomile is known for having soothing qualities and is a great herb to use right before bedtime. It works wonders for battling a cold, when brewed into a tea, but is also a great addition in skincare. Chamomile can help with eczema and mild inflammatory skin conditions, which makes it the perfect herb for a nourishing body oil. It can also help relive menstrual cramps when the oil is massaged onto the lower abdomen.

How to make chamomile oil at home

What oils to use for infusing

I used almond oil for my DIY chamomile oil but you can use whatever high quality oil you’d like such as jojoba oil, avocado oil, olive oil,… I do not recommend virgin coconut oil for infusing. The type of oil will also mildly affect the shelf life of your infused oil. Nut oils tend to have a shorter shelf life than olive oil for example. However, the shelf life of your infused oil also depends on other factors and there is always the possibility of it going rancid or growing mold, no matter the type of oil you use.

Cold infusion vs warm infusion

There are two different ways you can infuse your oil and both have their benefits. The cold method – and by that, I mean room temperature – is a slower extraction and is great for more sensitive types of herbs. Warm infusion on the other hand, is great for extracting minerals and enzymes from more dense materials, such as roots or sturdier herbs, like rosemary. The cold method takes about 4-6 weeks, depending on your preferred intensity, versus the warm method only a few hours.

How to make chamomile oil at home

How long can I store my DIY infused chamomile oil

Your DIY oil will last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. The vitamin E oil helps to prolong the time before the carrier oil goes rancid. Do check your DIY body oil before each use and give it a smell test to ensure it hasn’t gone rancid or has any mold growth. If your stored oil exhibits any change in color, scent or clarity it should be discarded.

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Making your own DIY chamomile body oil isn’t only easy, it’s also a lot more affordable than store-bought. You only need 4 ingredients!


  • vodka or other high proof alcohol for sterilizing
  • 20 g dried chamomile flowers (2/3 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
  • 250 ml almond oil (1 cup and 2 teaspoons)
  • 1x 400 ml airtight glass jar (13.5 oz)


  1. Wipe your glass jar and any utensils that you are using with vodka to sterilize them.
  2. Place your chamomile flowers into your glass jar and add the vitamin E oil as well as the almond oil. Make sure the chamomile flowers are all covered with oil and you are leaving a bit of a rim (the mixture will expand as it infuses).
  3. Stir with the handle of a spoon (make sure to sterilize it before) to remove any air bubbles and ensure all buds are submerged in the oil.
  4. Close and store in a dark dry place, e.g. a cupboard. Make sure to gently shake your infused oil daily in the first week and then every once in a while and let it infuse for a total of 4-6 weeks. 
  5. After it has infused, strain out the chamomile with a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve and store the oil in a fresh clean glass jar.

Notes

Check your DIY body oil before each use for any mold growth and give it a smell test to ensure it hasn’t gone rancid.

Keywords: DIY chamomile body oil, DIY chamomile oil, how to make chamomile oil, chamomile infused oil, DIY chamomile infused oil

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, but these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.

How is chamomile oil prepared?

Chamomile oil is an essential oil extracted from the chamomile flower. Chamomile essential oil is extracted from the blossom (flowers) of the plant. To extract oil from the plants, most manufacturers use steam distillation. The flowers are placed in a still where hot steam is then applied.

How do you extract chamomile essential oil?

Chamomile essential oil is extracted via steam distillation of the inflorescences (flowers). In this study, distillation time (DT) was found to be a crucial determinant of yield and composition of chamomile essential oil, but not of the antioxidant capacity.

Can you put chamomile oil directly to skin?

You can add 1 or 2 drops of chamomile oil to a body lotion or moisturizer, and apply to your skin. On a compress. Make a hot compress by soaking a towel or cloth in warm water, adding 1 to 2 of drops of diluted chamomile oil, and then applying to your achy area, like your back or stomach.

How do you make chamomile oil from dried flowers?

Fill the jar with the dried chamomile flowers and top it up with the carrier oil..
Make sure the flowers are fully covered by the oil..
Screw the lid on tightly..
Now place the jar somewhere where it will get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily..
Every day, gently shake the bottle..