Skip to main content

INFUSIONS

 Herbal infusions have been used for centuries in natural healing. Soaking

seeds, flowers, leaves, roots, or bark in liquid is a time-honored and very

easy method of transferring the beneficial properties and gorgeous scent

(or flavor) of the plant material into a usable medium. You can infuse

plant material into alcohol, water, or oil, depending on the type of plant

you wish to infuse and the desired application of the finished product.

While some infusions in this chapter—like the Old-Fashioned Rosewater

and the Layered Lavender Flower Water—will be made with water, the

majority will be made with oil. We recommend using jojoba oil for the oil

infusions, as it works well in all skincare recipes, can withstand sustained

heat if required, and has a comparatively long shelf life of two years or

more. If you’d like, you can substitute another carrier oil (base oil) for the

jojoba, but this will lessen the infusion’s shelf life to that of the carrier oil

you choose.

All of the infusions in this chapter can be safely used on the skin in a

variety of preparations without being diluted like essential oils and are

incorporated as ingredients into various recipes throughout the book. The

infused oil will have both the properties of its carrier oil and the properties

of the plants that were used in the infusion. Use these gorgeous infusions

daily in your skincare regimen for face and body and have fun creatively

incorporating them into the fabulous spa products you make from this

book. Your artisan infusions will also make beautiful handmade gifts for

family and friends.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Green Tea Eye Cream

The active ingredients in this revitalizing under-eye cream help alleviate dark circles and puffy eyes while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A little of this silky Green Tea Eye Cream will melt right into your skin for lovely results. YIELDS: ⁄ ounce 3 teaspoons Green Tea–Infused Oil 2 vitamin E capsules 2 drops carrot seed essential oil What you will need: boiling water, glass measuring cup, shallow bowl, chopstick, rubber spatula, jar with lid to hold ⁄ ounce of cream 1. To Make: Create a mini double boiler by pouring boiling water in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Put the Green Tea–Infused Oil into a glass measuring cup and place the cup into the bowl of boiling water to melt. Stir it a little to help it along. Once the oil has melted, remove the cup from the hot water and wipe dry. Pierce the vitamin E capsules and squeeze the liquid out into the melted oil, discarding the gel caps. Add the carrot seed essential oil and stir the ingredients together with a c...

Glowing Goddess Face and Body Mask

 Cleopatra’s favorite beauty treatment was bathing in milk, honey, and roses. This enchanting combination will nourish, moisturize, exfoliate, and invigorate your skin to a gorgeous glow. Use this decadent whole body mask for soft milk-and-honey skin that radiates with a gorgeous goddess glow. YIELDS: 1–2 full body masks Petals of 2 roses ⁄ cup honey ⁄ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream) 1 cup almond meal What you will need: blender, rubber spatula, mixing bowl, measuring cups, fork 1. To Make: Place the rose petals, honey, and cream into the blender and mix on low until you have a uniform blend. Place the creamed roses in the mixing bowl, using the rubber spatula to remove as much as possible from the blender. Add the almond meal and stir with a fork until you have a uniform consistency. Add more cream or almond meal, a little at a time as necessary to achieve a spreadable paste. 2. To Store: This is best used fresh. Plan to prepare this recipe just before your spa treatment. Store...

Balancing Facial Moisturizer

This Balancing Facial Moisturizer is an ultra-light, ultra-nourishing astringent facial oil that will benefit people of all skin types, but especially those who have oily, acne-prone, or combination skin. The hazelnut oil, with deeply penetrating astringent properties, is highly beneficial for acne and helps to tone and tighten the skin. Grapeseed oil is ultra-light yet packed with nutrients and antioxidants that give skin a regenerative boost and a healthy glow. Both hazelnut and grapeseed oils are extremely high in vitamin E, which helps condition, repair, and protect your skin from premature aging due to exposure to UV rays and environmental pollutants. These luxurious botanical oils are complemented with an astringent, antibacterial, and reparative essential oil blend. YIELDS: 1 ounce 1 teaspoon Green Tea–Infused Oil 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil 1 vitamin E capsule 4 drops tea tree essential oil 2 drops lemon essential oil 4 drops lavender essential oil 2 drops rosemary essential oil ...