Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Use Infused Oils
The benefits of Infused Oils are the way they are able to retain the positive properties of both the infused plant and herbal matter as well as those of the carrier oil.
The power and potency of infused oils can be used for everything from natural skincare, stronger and healthier hair and general body moisturisers.
There are many reasons why the popularity of infused oils is continuing to grow. It can be the simple shift to a more natural way of life or a way to reduce the use of harmful chemicals.
Reasons to go Infused
There are a number of reasons to choose an infused oil – here are the top 5 in no particular order:
- Easy to use
- A wider variety
- A more gentle oil for skin types
- You can create your very own
- A more cost-effective choice
Just be sure that you are choosing a quality oil. Your skin and body are too important to take a chance with just any concoction.
The difference between Essential Oils and Infused Oils
Not many people know the difference between Essential Oils and Infused Oils.
The terms essential oils and infused oils are in fact very different. Both oils are made using different types of extraction.
Essential oils are taken from the compounds found within plants. These oils can found in the seeds, flowers, bark, stems and roots of plants. There are various methods of extracting these oils but most are time-consuming and require expensive equipment. This is why they come with a high price tag.
Essential oils are of a higher concentration than the milder infused oils. That is the key reason that you should almost never apply them directly to your skin. Infused oils are not as potent and are gentle enough to be used directly on bare skin.
Infused Oils
An infused oil is comprised of a carrier oil that has been specially infused with one or a number of herbs. The benefit to using an infused oil as opposed to a plain carrier oil (for example, olive or grapeseed oil) is that the infused oil will contain all the properties of the carrier oil and the herbs that were infused into that oil. That’s a definite Win/Win situation.
One of the best reasons to choose an infused oil is that you can create them yourself at home.
Your very own infused oil
An infused oil is a basic vegetable oil that has been infused with the flavours of a different plant. It’s usually done by steeping the leaves, flowers, stems, roots, or other parts of a plant in the oil either with heat or over a long period of time.
Doing this is simple.
- First off, you’ll need a good quality “carrier oil” (olive oil, safflower, grapeseed or coconut oil are all good options).
- Choose your favourite dried herbs, spices, or flowers. You can choose something with therapeutic qualities such as St John’s Wort or dried Marigold flowers (Calendula plant).
- Have a clean, transparent, airtight glass container ready.
- Chop up your plant or herb matter as finely as possible.
- Mix your chopped plant and herbs into your carrier oil in the airtight jar.
- Place the jar in a sunny position for 2 to 3 weeks.
Adding a few drops of either Vitamin E oil or wheat germ oil to your infusion can help prevent any bacteria from growing in your oil. You can even speed up the process by infusing your oil in a slow cooker over a low heat overnight.
Enthused about Infused Oils
Another advantage of infused oils over essential oils can be the cost in time and money.
Some plants have a limited amount of essential oil in them. It’s often rare or almost impossible to find an essential oil for that plant species commercially. That’s where infusing the herb into a carrier oil can be a great way to use the herb for something like aromatherapy purposes.
A further advantage is that infused oils can be more diverse in their range than essential oil varieties.
The benefits and simple beauty of being able to infuse oils with herbs cannot be overestimated.
It’s in the medicinal capacity where common types of infused oils such as calendula oil can really prove to be beneficial.
Having the ability to use infused oils in the creation of a number of beauty products including soaps and moisturisers is another of their strong points. They can also be added to your homemade skincare creams and lotions to create luxurious overnight treatments.
Depending on the ingredients used to create the infused oil, they can also be used as a soothing massage oil or for aromatherapy uses.
The benefits of infused oils are many and varied. There are more than 5 reasons to make use of quality infused oils in your life.
The Best of Infused Oils
Not everyone has the luxury of time to create their own infused oils.
Fortunately, you can find a quality range of infused oils that you can rely on for their purity and performance. There is no need to accept anything but the very best.
For more on the top line of infused and essential oils to help your skin reach its best –
just head to N-Essential.com.au.