Essential oils

[dave45]

The guy that sold me my water purifier/distiller told me that some of his customers has used it to create essential oils from plants... can anyone tell me the method or point me to a good how-to guide?

[Big Al]

The guy that sold me my water purifier/distiller told me that some of his customers has used it to create essential oils from plants... can anyone tell me the method or point me to a good how-to guide?

found this one but not tried it myselfhttp://www.wikihow.com/Make-Essential-Oils

A friend used to distill his home brew into a sort of vodka with a pressure cooker and copper heating tube but then he went blind.......

[Green Aura]

I don't know how your distiller works but the basic principle is fairly simple.

You pass pressurised steam through tightly packed, partially dried herbs, flowers, twigs etc. Then the steam is cooled - traditionally through a cooling coil and the distillate is collected in a jar or flask. The essential oil usually floats - a few of the base note oils (usually made from resins) may sink. Then you just have to separate the two liquids.

I imagine you'll only get a tiny amount of oil, depending how large your distiller is. And if you have a go don't through away the water - it's called hydrolat (in the US they call it hydrosol) and contains some fabulous healing properties in its own right.

[Big Al]

I don't know how your distiller works but the basic principle is fairly simple.

You pass pressurised steam through tightly packed, partially dried herbs, flowers, twigs etc. Then the steam is cooled - traditionally through a cooling coil and the distillate is collected in a jar or flask. The essential oil usually floats - a few of the base note oils (usually made from resins) may sink. Then you just have to separate the two liquids.

I imagine you'll only get a tiny amount of oil, depending how large your distiller is. And if you have a go don't through away the water - it's called hydrolat (in the US they call it hydrosol) and contains some fabulous healing properties in its own right.

Your knowledge is quite impressive GA

[Green Aura]

I'm an aromatherapist BA - had to write long essays on such matters

I can even tell you the chemical components of many EOs and find it quite exciting.

[dave45]

Thanks both - seems that the herbs have to be out of the water then? why not in it? and if they are tightly packed, won't that mean that the stuff on the inside doesn't get the same attention as the stuff on the outside?

some experimentation required I guess. how about nettle oil? or mint oil, or lemon balm oil?

It makes sense that the oils would separate out from the water afterwards.

Mine has a 4 litre capacity (google "MH943") . vodka is easy, but I find I prefer beer and wine. You'd be shocked it what is in tap water after a distillation session. Distilling 4 litres of bright clear tap water leaves a heck of a lot of brown sludge! I tend to use it only in winter as an auxiliary heater!

[Big Al]

I'm an aromatherapist BA - had to write long essays on such matters

I can even tell you the chemical components of many EOs and find it quite exciting.

I know that a lot of people demand candles scented with EO's and don't like to be told that they are wasting their money as the EO's are burnt away by the candle flame.

The knowledge bit was in general and not only for the EO post.

[Green Aura]

The best way to make both nettle oil and lemon balm oil is to macerate them. Just put the plant material in some good quality oil and stand it in sunlight for a few days to a couple of weeks. These are my oils - Calendula, heather, nettle chamomile on the window in my shop.



Melissa (lemon balm) only gives off an incredibly weeny amount of EO, so the professionals put the same water through load after load of plant material - which is why 10ml of Melissa essential oil (full strength not diluted as a lot is) will set you back about £70!

[Green Aura]

And thanks Al!

[dave45]

Wow - lemon balm grows like a weed in my garden.... may be worth a try then !

[cocobelle]

This sounds very interesting. I've always been interested in essential oils and aromatherapy I stopped visiting my gp a long time ago and always look into a herbal remedy for any illness. Thanks for the info on this.