Can I Make Lavender-Infused Oil at Home?

Lavender-infused oil is a practical oil to have on hand as it has a variety of uses; to moisturise the skin, to repel insects, for cleaning, to ease anxiety, or aid with sleeping. If you have an abundance of lavender growing in your garden, why not turn the flowers into an all-purpose sweet-smelling oil?

Why lavender?

Lavender has been widely used across a multitude of cultures for a (very, very) long time. Its healing and soothing properties are harnessed in creams, balms, salves, sprays, and oils. Lavender is safe to apply on most skin types and on hair! Which is a bonus considering some herbs and their oils need diluting before they can be applied.

What is lavender-infused oil?

As a broad term, lavender oil simply refers to an oil that has been made using the purple flowers of the lavender plant. When done right, the user can reap the beautiful benefits of the herb.

Whilst sourcing pure lavender essential oil from the plant is reserved to those with a steam distillation set-up, a different kind of lavender oil can be crafted by anyone at home. This is a lavender-infused oil. Still full of lavender's incredible calming properties.

How do I make lavender-infused oil with my flowers?

Thankfully, it isn't quite as tricky and hard-going as putting hundreds and thousands of lavender plants through steam distillation, like we do here over summer. Making lavender-infused oil with your own flowers harvested from the garden purely involves drying out said flowers* and letting them steep in a carrier oil for a time.

The most popular carrier oils to use for blending are almond, jojoba, and extra virgin olive oil. We love almond oil as it's mild and moisturising, as well as anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory. But olive oil is popularly used for the job.

You may also take creative control and add any other type of herbal ingredients you want to the concoction. Doing some research will help you find the right pairing for your needs. For example, rosemary and lavender are a match made in heaven. Rosemary's anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties with lavender's soothing properties create a blend that might help skin issues such as acne, eczema or your general scrapes and stings. An oil using both of these herbs may also reduce swelling and pain in sensitive areas such as knee or elbow joints. Or, you could add petals from roses, chamomile, calendula or even jasmine to the lavender oil for more of a sweet, floral fragrance. There are so many combinations you could try and test to acquire the perfect blend.

After placing the lavender into a glass jar with your carrier oil and any other ingredients, leave it to sit and infuse for a few weeks in a warm spot. You'll need to give it a shake every now and then to mix the contents.

When your oil is ready, you can strain out the unwanted stems and flowers so you have a smooth mixture. It's best to store the end product in a dark glass and keep in a cool, dry place. And vois-là! You have your very own lavender-infused oil handmade with love.

*Ensure you dry the flowers enough so that they don't contain any moisture that will affect the oil's longevity. If this is your first time drying herbs and flowers, please look at instructions for doing it properly.

Do I need a specific variant of lavender for the oil?

The good news is that it doesn't matter what variety of lavender you have grown in your wonderful garden. You should use whatever you have to make your own lavender-infused oil to use topically. Our favourite types are Angustifolia ("True Lavender") and Intermedia (Lavadin).

Alternatively, how do I make lavender oil using essential oil?

If you're not a keen gardener but would still like to experiment with lavender oil at home, you can! You may want to purchase a bottle of 100% pure lavender essential oil and then proceed to mix it with other ingredients such as a carrier oil and other essential oils. This way, the blend won't need batches of fresh flowers on hand or the time to dry out the flowers before letting it sit and infuse, and it might even smell a bit sweeter and potent this way. Be sure to follow the essential oil bottles' guidelines on the amounts of oil to add, as some are stronger than others.

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So, there we have it... it is possible to make a lavender-infused oil at home for multi-purpose use. Crafting an oil blend like this can be a rewarding process. However, if you're not quite the experimental type, your local lavender farm will be happy to supply you with a range of oils suited to your needs!

Please note that the lavender-infused oil is not to be ingested, and this is a basic article only. It is not a full guide. You should always do your own research.

To learn more about growing and using lavender, please take a look at this farm story: Answering Your Questions About Lavender.