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Do you love making your own skincare? Do you want to add a sweet vanilla scent to your cleansing oils, lotions, creams or body scrubs? In that case, this DIY vanilla-infused oil recipe is perfect for you! In this blog post, you’ll learn about vanilla’s main skin benefits and how you can prepare infused vanilla oil from the comfort of your home.
Table of Contents
- Vanilla Skin Benefits
- Best Oils To Use For Infusing Vanilla
- Vanilla Infused Oil Uses In Skincare
- How to Make Vanilla Infused Oil
- DIY Vanilla Infused Oil Recipe
- FAQs
- References
Vanilla Skin Benefits
Commonly extracted from the pods of Vanilla planifolia, vanilla (1) is a spice cultivated worldwide for its flavour and rich sweet aroma, which comes mainly from vanillin, a phenolic compound found in vanilla beans. And it is vanillin that has been researched for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, wound healing, cosmeceutical and many other bioactive properties (2). So what good does that do for your skin?
Although the research is limited, there are several skin benefits to be had from applying vanilla topically. It may:
- Help combat free radical damage. Vanillin is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce free radical damage caused by UVB radiation (3).
- Reduce psoriatic skin inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties (4).
- Reduce skin infections due to vanillin’s anti-bacterial effect.
- Wound healing. The topical application of chitosan-vanillin hydrogel may effectively treat chronic wounds (5).
- Aid healthy-looking skin. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, vanilla may help reduce signs of ageing by protecting skin cells from free radical damage.
Best Oils To Use For Infusing Vanilla
To extract the therapeutic properties of vanilla into the oil, you will need a good quality cold-pressed carrier oil. Sunflower oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba rice bran and peach kernel oil are great picks. These oils are wildly accessible, affordable and stable.
Vanilla Infused Oil Uses In Skincare
Naturally emollient, vanilla-infused oil adds a beautiful scent to formulations. You can use it on its own or blend it with other ingredients to create a wide range of products.
For your face: Vanilla-infused oil can work beautifully in facial skincare products. Adding it to your facial oil, mask, serums and face cream will transform your favourite skincare recipes into a sweet treat that nourishes your skin and may help to combat signs of ageing.
For your body: Warm and calming scent of vanilla can help calm your mind and spirit. Add it into:
- massage oils and massage into your neck, feet, and chest to relieve feelings of anxiety but also to soothe burns and wounds
- hot evening bath to improve your sleep
- body scrubs, lotions, and creams to add sweet, creamy and indulgent vanilla fragrance
How to Make Vanilla Infused Oil
Infusing vanilla in the oil is one of the easiest ways to make vanilla oil. You can use one of the methods below.
Sun infusion: Before you begin making your own infused oil using sun infusion, you will need to be prepared for the whole process to take anywhere between three to six weeks.
This traditional method requires placing the vanilla into a glass jar (with a tight-fitting lid) and covering it with the oil. Please leave the jar in a sunny location for three to six weeks. Sun gently heats the oil to release vanilla’s aroma and bioactive compounds into the oil. The oil’s aroma will turn rich with a deep sweet scent of vanilla.
Heat infusion: If you are in a hurry, you can infuse vanilla in a double boiler (bain-marie). To prepare:
- Place the jar filled with vanilla and oil into a pan filled with water and warm it on low heat for a couple of hours.
- Once the oil has cooled down, strain out the vanilla.
- Do not overheat the oil to avoid degrading it.
Did you know you can grow vanilla beans at home? To learn how to visit Happy DIY Home. I found their detailed step-by-step guide most inspiring.
DIY Vanilla Infused Oil Recipe
Nourishing vanilla-infused oil is a soothing emollient ideal for use in facial skin care. Easy to prepare, this recipe follows the traditional sun-infusion method that takes about six weeks and produces a rich, sweet aroma of vanilla you are after.
Ingredients
1g vitamin E
100g peach kernel oil
Directions
- Cut the vanilla bean pod using a paring knife right in the middle. Take the backside of the blade and run it down the length of each split pod to collect the seeds.
- Place seeds and vanilla pod into an airtight glass jar. Mix 100g of peach kernel oil with 1g of vitamin E and pour into the pot.
- Now place the jar into a warm sunny location, preferably for six weeks, stirring the mixture daily. It will encourage the vanilla to release its nurturing properties. The longer, the better.
- After six weeks, strain the oil and pour it into a sterilised glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Store the labelled and dated jar in a dark and cool place to avoid accelerated oxidation. You can expect the oil to keep anywhere between 6-12 months.
Skin Patch Test
- Always do a skin patch test first if you intend to incorporate vanilla oil into your skincare regimen. Although vanilla usually is well-tolerated by most, some people may be allergic or sensitive to it.
FAQs
What skin types would benefit most from vanilla-infused oil?
Fine-textured peach kernel oil infused with warming vanilla would suit normal, dry, and ageing skin types. It’s easily absorbent and light enough for normal skin yet rich enough to work on dry or mature skin.
How often can I use vanilla-infused oil?
You can use vanilla-infused oil daily. Peach kernel oil and vanilla are both usually well tolerated by the skin. As with all ingredients, patch test first to rule out any adverse skin reaction.
References
- Vanilla
- Vanillin: a review on the therapeutic prospects of a popular flavouring molecule
- Vanillin protects human keratinocyte stem cells against ultraviolet B irradiation.
- Vanillin Intake Reduces Psoriatic Skin Inflammation in Mice
- Chitosan Membrane Modified With a New Zinc(II)-Vanillin Complex Improves Skin Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats
