New member and need some advice

[Guest guest]

Hi

 

My name is Tracy Tappin and I live in BC Canada with my husband,

three kids, goats, chickens, dogs, cats and parrots. I make goats

milk products like soaps, lotions, cremes etc and have a small

company. I kinda fell into the world of herbs thru my goats milk

products business and I am finding there is alot of differing advice,

procedures etc on the net and was hoping this list could help clear

some of those things up. One of the questions I have is about

oil/herb infusions. I was always under the impression that as long

as the herbs were dry they could sit in the oil without worry of

going bad. Then I read something the other night saying different?

Do you need to strain a heated infusion immediately afterwards or can

the herbs sit i the oil till the oil is needed? Also what is the

best method to infuse oils to get the maximum benefit from the

herbs. I have seen anywhere from 2-12 hours of heating and some say

to crumble or powder the herbs for best results etc etc. Any advice

would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Tracy and Derrick Tappin (BC Canada)

Offering CL free, CAE tested LaMancha and Alpine Dairy Goats

 

Quality, Affordable Goats Milk Products. Soaps, Lotions and More!

http://www.geocities.com/goats_milk_products/index.html

 

Join the Canada Goats list at canadagoats and/or

goat_milk_skincare to learn of the benefits of using

goat milk for skincare!

 

Aviary Website coming soon!

 

" Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to

the garage makes you a car "

[Guest guest]

Dear Tracy,

Welcome to this group. It is a wonderful place to learn and all

opinions, within reason and our list Mom's approval, are tolerated.

You ask about infusions and there are as many ways to do infusions

as there are different essential oils. My business is mostly built on aged

herbal infused oils and tinctures and extracts along with my essential oils.

Many people on this list make herbal infusions in different ways. Most of

these ways include very short term infusion methods that range anywhere from

one day to one month, sometimes a little longer. I find that these short

term infusions need to be used in amounts larger than one ounce to produce

the results that I need so I make long term infusions that have set for a

minimum of one year or longer so that I can used these infusions by the drop

rather than by the ounce. I make infusions with both dried herb and fresh

herb. I do not remove the herb from my infusions because I feel that once

you remove your herb from your infusion you are starting your shelf life of

anywhere from 18 months to 5 years or longer depending upon the base carrier

oil that you work with. I have some infusions with the herb in them going

back to 1992. I pour what I need off of the infusion, recap it and store it

in a cool, dark place. I very rarely have problems with mold or fungus

because I have found that usually happens between 2 and 3 weeks after the

herb has been infused and there has been some moisture left in the top of

the jar. I prefer to use fresh herbs because of their high oil content and

dried herb if I can't grow or find the herb that I am looking for. You will

find many varied opinions on how to do your infusions here and that is good.

The aged infused herbal oils that I make do have a scent which is light at

first and then gets stronger as the herbs infuse in the oil contrary to what

some people assume because they are referring to very short term infused

oils. Oak Moss infused oil is one of the more fragrant infused oils that you

can make because from two to three years of being infused you have a

wonderful fragrance that will soften and round off any harsh notes in a

perfume or a formula. I got interested in aged infusions from some of the

old perfumery books that referred to infusions of . . . and in order to see

what they were talking about I had to make them. Oak Moss was my main

objective. If you would like more information, please email me privately

(sos79).

Thanks and good luck in your search. I'm sure that you will find the

best method for you to use here. My method is not for everyone because of

the time period that the infusions have to set. One day I hope to see both

long-term infusions as I make and short-term infusions being sold on the

same store shelf in order to give people greater opportunities creating

their own formulas and perfumes. Infusions are an area in aromatherapy that

is only now beginning to be really looked into but until people can make a

living from it and are educated about infusions it will stay as a side field

waiting to be " re-discovered " by the next generation. I have mellowed in my

view of how infusions can be made over the past few years but I still

believe that aging them is the best way to get their greatest potential to

help us.

Take care and have a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Rhavda Emison

Scents of Success (http://www.scentsofsucces.com)

Texas Grown- USA Made Rose Oil Products

Rose, Helichrysum, Oak Moss, Melissa, & Other Aromatherapy Products

>

>

>Hi

>

>My name is Tracy Tappin and I live in BC Canada with my husband,

>three kids, goats, chickens, dogs, cats and parrots. I make goats

>milk products like soaps, lotions, cremes etc and have a small

>company. I kinda fell into the world of herbs thru my goats milk

>products business and I am finding there is alot of differing advice,

>procedures etc on the net and was hoping this list could help clear

>some of those things up. One of the questions I have is about

>oil/herb infusions. I was always under the impression that as long

>as the herbs were dry they could sit in the oil without worry of

>going bad. Then I read something the other night saying different?

>Do you need to strain a heated infusion immediately afterwards or can

>the herbs sit i the oil till the oil is needed? Also what is the

>best method to infuse oils to get the maximum benefit from the

>herbs. I have seen anywhere from 2-12 hours of heating and some say

>to crumble or powder the herbs for best results etc etc. Any advice

>would be appreciated. Thanks

>

>Tracy and Derrick Tappin (BC Canada)

>Offering CL free, CAE tested LaMancha and Alpine Dairy Goats

>