DIY Rosemary Essential Oil: Extraction & Benefits

Rosemary essential oil is proclaimed to have a multitude of health benefits, according to organicfacts.net. As an ingredient in shampoos and other hair care products, rosemary is said to improve the growth rate and strength of hair. Rosemary essential oil is also used as a disinfecting mouthwash, and a spray of rosemary essential oil and water can remove bad smells from the air. In aromatherapy, rosemary essential oils are said to provide a mental energy boost and increase concentration.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh rosemary
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• 2 glass jars with lids
• Olive oil
• Muslin, cheese cloth or filter paper

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Instructions

• 1

  Chop the rosemary. Use only the leaves. Discard the stems. You will need at least 18 tablespoons of chopped rosemary after it has dried, so chop a large quantity of rosemary to take shrinkage into account.

• 2

  Spread the rosemary out on the cutting board, and let it dry overnight.

• 3

  Place 6 Tbsp. dried, chopped rosemary in a glass jar. Cover the rosemary with 1 ¼ cups olive oil. Set the jar on a sunny windowsill for 48 hours. Give it a good shake every 12 hours.

• 4

  Place 6 Tbsp. rosemary in the empty jar and cover the mouth with muslin. Pour the contents of the first jar into the second. Pour slowly so the oil can filter into the second jar, while the rosemary pieces are caught by the muslin. Squeeze as much oil as you can from the rosemary caught in the muslin.

• 5

  Cover the second jar tightly and place on the sunny windowsill for 48 hours, shaking every 12 hours. You should change the rosemary as explained in the last step at least one more time, for a total of at least three soaking periods.

• 6

  Strain the oil a final time, and store in a cool, dark place.