How To Make Dandelion Oil
This dandelion oil nourishes, hydrates, and supports skin healing. It can be used as a face moisturizer, chapped-lip balm, baby bottom balm, owie salve, burn salve, bug bite balm, and more
Servings 1 cup
Calories
Equipment
- Slow cooker with "warm" setting
- Turkey baster (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly picked dandelion blossoms
- 1 cup carrier oil (I use a 50/50 blend of jojoba oil and olive oil, but you could also use another oil such as avocado, apricot kernel, tamanu or fractionated coconut oil)
Instructions
- On a dry, sunny day, pick 2 cups of dandelion blossoms from an area that has not been sprayed with pesticides. Just gather the flower head - leave the stem and roots behind unless you're planning to use them in salads or dandelion root tea.
- Lay dandelion blossoms on a clean towel for 12-24 hours to dry out. They may still have a little moisture after the drying period, which is why we'll be using low heat to evaporate out any remaining water.
- Once the dandelion blossoms have dried, place them in a 12 ounce clean jar and cover with a carrier oil. I used a 50/50 blend of jojoba oil and olive oil to make this year's batch, but you could also use another oil such as avocado, apricot kernel, tamanu, or fractionated coconut oil. Make sure the blossoms are fully covered.
- Cover the jar with a piece of cloth (like cheesecloth or a cut-up t-shirt) or a coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.
- Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of your slow cooker and place your jars inside. Add enough water to cover about half the jar and set to the lowest setting (warm) for 12-24 hours, leaving the top uncovered. If you leave it on for 24 hours, you may want to check the water level about halfway through and replenish if needed.
- After the 12-24 hour period, you can allow the blossoms to continue to infuse at room temperature for up to a week, or you can strain the oil and use it right away. When you're ready, strain the oil through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve and let the oil sit for several hours. If there is any water in the oil (from the dandelion blossoms) it will collect in the bottom of the jar.
- If you have a turkey baster, use it to siphon the infused oil off the top, leaving the water behind. If you don't have a turkey baster, carefully pour the oil off the top. Your dandelion oil is now ready to be used or made into a healing salve.
- Store in a cool area for up to 12 months. (I store mine in the fridge.)
