I am at it again! Using up that Rosemary that keeps on surviving and going and going! This time I decided to make Rosemary Essential Oil because I have been reading about how wonderful it is to treat respiratory conditions and with us in the swing of flu season I thought it might be nice to have on hand.
Plus I just *LOVE* the smell of Rosemary! This is a completely simple craft that anyone can do. All you need is Rosemary, Mason Jars, and bottles to hold oil. I found 1 ounce glass bottles with droppers at the Container Store for $2.99 each.
Rosemary oil is one of the most popular essential oils. It has become important to us due to its various health benefits including its ability to stimulate hair growth, boost mental activity, relieve respiratory problems and reduce pain.
In “The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy,” Valerie Ann Worwood writes that the benefits of rosemary include relieving muscle soreness and pain. It also helps treat respiratory conditions, such as the common cold, sinusitis and flu. It also stimulates the central nervous system, thereby affecting the brain and promoting mental clarity, says Patricia Davis in her book, “Aromatherapy, An A to Z.”
How to use your Rosemary Oil:
- Add two to three drops of rosemary essential oil to your bath water.
- Add to your body moisturizer.
- Add to shampoo.
- Use as an oil for massage (Think Valentines day)
- For flavoring food (breads and pizza dough) I found an amazing recipe for Rosemary Olive Oil Bread from the Prudent Homemaker
Directions:
- Cut enough fresh rosemary to fill your Mason jar.Wash the rosemary in water, and allow to completely dry
- Pack the clean Mason jar with the clean rosemary.
- Fill the jar with olive oil, until the rosemary is completely covered. Secure the lid on the jar.
- Place the jar in a sunny window for about a month (with the Holidays mine sat a little longer)
- Strain the infused oil into a clean jar. Throw away the pieces of rosemary plant that have been separated from the oil during the straining.
- Fill 1 ounce bottles with eye dropper
- Print custom labels to place on your bottle and give that personal touch. I found these two different labels on My Own Labels
- Keep Rosemary Oil for yourself, or give to a friend. Place in a basket of goodies that you give your sweetie this Valentines, with a free coupon for a massage. I found these cute DIY love coupons you can print off at home from Sarah Hearts.
- I also found these adorable matchstick coupon books you can buy on line from Rachel Wiles, she gives you the complete instructions on how to make your own.
If you keep bottles tightly closed and out of direct light your oil should last up to 6 months.
FUN FACT:
The Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the ‘Rose of Mary’
Precaution:
Rosemary oil should not be used during pregnancy and is unsuitable for people with epilepsy or high blood pressure.
About Amy Stafford
You can usually find me in my garden, the kitchen, at the gym or spending time with my family. I love sharing recipes, gardening tips and stories of my backyard chickens and beekeeping.
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Hi, I am Amy, and I am a confessed Food Lover, Garden Addict and Photo Junkie!
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Hey Emma, I have not heard of ravensara oil, but I love the smell of eucalyptus. I hope you try the oil, let me know if you do and how it turns out!!xo amy
This is fabulous! I’ve made rosemary infused olive oil for cooking, but it didn’t occur to me that this was essentially (ha) the same thing. Another awesome rosemary use? Simple syrup. I’ve been making rosemary-lavendar simple syrup that is seriously amazing. Add it to fizzy water (or to fizzy water and vodka), and life is good. Thanks for the post – I am definitely going to be doing this!
Hey Ms. Christie, Hope you and your space chicks are doing well
Rosemary-Lavendar with fizzy water and vodka- genius. I will definitely give it a try! xo Amy
nice article and great way to make an “infused oil”. but, in the interest of fact and not perpetuating false inf0, this is not how you make an essential oil.
this is an infused oil, which is great for cooking, making salad dressing, bread dips, etc.
essential oils are extracted via steam or water distillation processes where the oil of the herb or other aromatic botanical is extracted and then infused into carrier oils, which can be olive oil or any other vegetable oil of choice. (Essential oils will evaporate.)
It takes tons of the herb to get the precious oil and is why essential oils are rather expensive.
fyi you can see a steam distillation of rosemary – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-Gv4xeOAg
anyway, just thought you’d like to know. I’m enjoying your website and what you’re doing! God bless!
What you are making is not an essential oil. You are infusing olive oil with rosemary. Essential oils are the pure oils from the plants, they are not mixed with any other oils. When you do that, they are no longer essential oils.
A lot of people get this confused.
Hey Amy. i want to ask something. Is the Rosemary essential oil helps to cellulite problems? I red it recently. Thank you for your time.
Argiro,
Yes, I have heard that it is good for cellulite. Though it is not scientifically proven, many people say that they have great results using oils. Let me know if you use it and see any results.
Amy
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