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Soothing DIY Chamomile Infused Oil Recipe

Chamomile Infused Oil

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Making your own infused oil is a wonderful way to add a little extra care to your skin. It’s quick, simple and easy to do, plus you get control over the ingredients that go into it! Infused chamomile oil is also an excellent alternative to store-bought oils. It’s cheaper, less processed and often contains a higher percentage of beneficial compounds. And to top it off, the smell of chamomile is very calming, and it tends to work as a soothing agent for troubled skin.

Table of Contents

Why is Chamomile Infused Oil Good for Skin?

Calming and comforting, infused chamomile oil is a wonderfully soothing emollient helpful in treating dry, red and irritated skin. Strongly associated with anti-inflammatory properties, chamomile has been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and redness, calm sensitive skin, and heal wounds. Chamomile is also wonderfully gentle and light on the skin, making it an excellent choice for all skin types.

Main Types of Chamomile

There are two main types of chamomile used in skincare products, German (Matricaria Recutita) and Roman (Anthemis Nobilis). However, it is the German chamomile used most commonly due to higher levels of bisabolol and chamazulene, two compounds known for their calming and anti-inflammatory properties (1).

Skin Benefits

Chamomile Infused Oil

Soothing, antioxidant and anti-inflamatory, chamomile is a key ingredient in numerous skin care products formulated to soothe sensitive skin in addition to helping reduce redness and inflammation and reduce the signs of ageing. Abundant in phenolic compounds and organic acids that showed antioxidant activity in studies (2), chamomile is also a popular ingredient in anti-ageing products. Applying chamomile on the skin may help reduce signs of ageing by protecting skin cells from free radical damage.

How to Make Chamomile Infused Oil

Soaking chamomile in the oil is the easiest way to make an infused oil, and use can do so by using one of the methods below. 

Sun infusion. It is a traditional method that requires you to pack the chamomile into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover it with the oil, and leave it in the sunny location for about three weeks. Sun gently heats the oil to release chamomile’s aroma and properties into the oil. 

Heat infusion If you hurry, you can infuse chamomile in a double boiler (bain-marie). This technique involves placing the jar of chamomile and oil into a pan filled with water and warmed in low heat for about an hour or so. Take care not to overheat the oil. You don’t want to risk degrading the oil. When the oil has cooled, strain out the chamomile.

Chamomile Infused Oil Uses

Now that you’ve made the oil, you’ll need to know how to use it. Naturally emollient, chamomile-infused oil is very versatile. You can use it as a stand-alone aid for dry, sensitive or inflamed skin. Or combine it with other ingredients.

For your face: Chamomile-infused oil makes an excellent addition to facial skincare recipes. Adding it to your cleansing oil, facial oil, mask, and cream will transform your favourite skincare recipes into soothing, calming, and anti-redness formulations. 

For your body: Tired of the same old moisturiser recipe? Give it a makeover with chamomile-infused oil. It adds a delightful, light scent and texture to your formulation. In addition to that, you can include the oil in softening lotion bars, nourishing hand cream, gentle calming lotion or body butter, massage oil or body scrubs. 

What You’ll Need

First thing first, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll use fresh or dried chamomile flowers. If you choose to use fresh chamomile, be aware they contain a lot of water that can cause oil to spoil and encourage microbial growth. You can avoid it by replacing fresh flowers regularly.

Secondly, decide on the oil you’d like to use. Cold-pressed oils are a great choice. You can use sunflower oil, jojoba or sweet almond oil, for example. These are stable oils that are not prone to spoilage, have hardly any scent, and are affordable. For this oil recipe, I chose sunflower oil. Consider adding vitamin E into your oil. Naturally antioxidant, it will prevent oil from going rancid.

Lastly, you’d need a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. 

Soothing DIY Chamomile Infused Oil
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Soothing DIY Chamomile Infused Oil

Recipe by KayCourse: Infused Oils, RecipesDifficulty: Beginner

Calming and comforting, chamomile infused in sunflower oil is a wonderfully soothing emollient that can help reduce inflammation, and redness, and calm sensitive skin. Gentle and light on the skin, it is an excellent choice for all skin types. In this recipe, I’m using the traditional, sun-infusion method.

Ingredients

Directions

  • Fill a glass jar with 20g of dried chamomile flowers.
  • Pour in 300g of sunflower oil and 3g of vitamin E.
  • Place the jar in a warm sunny location, and leave it for three weeks. Stir the mixture gently daily, encouraging the chamomile to release its nurturing properties.
  • After three weeks, strain the mixture and pour it into a sterilised glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  • Store the labelled and dated jar of macerated oil in a dark and cool place to avoid accelerated oxidation. The oil should keep anywhere between 6-12 months.

Notes

  • If you intend to incorporate chamomile-infused oil into your skincare regimen, always do a skin patch test first. Although chamomile is natural and safe to use on the skin, some people may be allergic or sensitive to it.

Conclusion

Making chamomile-infused oil is super easy! It’s great for many skincare recipes, whether you like your recipe plain, soft and gentle, or you want it to be more heavy-duty. Happy formulating.

FAQs

What skin types benefit most from chamomile infused in sunflower oil?

Chamomile oil infused with sunflower oil is suitable for all skin types. Highly absorbent, it’s light enough for oily skin yet rich enough to work on dry or mature skin. It’s also safe for sensitive skin that suffers from redness and irritations.

How often can I use chamomile-infused oil?

You can use chamomile-infused oil daily; however, even though chamomile is natural and safe to use on the skin, some people can be allergic or sensitive to it. If you intend to experiment with it, always do a skin patch test first before incorporating chamomile into your skincare regime.

References

  1. α-(-)-bisabolol reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production and ameliorates skin inflammation
  2. Nutrients, phytochemicals and bioactivity of wild Roman chamomile: A comparison between the herb and its preparations

Are you looking for more ways to incorporate chamomile into your skincare? Check out the recipes below!

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