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.