# Homemade Essential Oils - Take two



## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

So after my disastrous go at the oil and jar method I gave up for awhile. 
While searching around on Stills, I came across this video..

Im about to give it a go with some fresh herbs. 
Any suggestions on how much water vs fresh herbs?


[ame]http://youtu.be/2F34cySojqU[/ame]


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

I watched the video, what she has made is probably more concentrated but not pure oil. As you can see it took alot of energy, far less expensive buying it in the first place. To make any quanity it takes about a ton of material to get 8 oz to a pint of oil. I'm drawing on info that was logged in my brain 40 years ago so I could be off abit. I find it a miracle it's still being done at any price half affordable.


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

We just don't have credit cards or keep money in a bank account, so it's hard ordering oils.. 

I think I turned the heat up too high at one point. There was a scent (the main reason I want the oil for), but it disappeared. 

I did get a neat byproduct. It boils the color out of the flower itself. I thought about using it to color the soap, but I don't know if it would stain the skin, so I'm a little apprehensive. 
The scented liquid was clear, What was in the bottom was dyed


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Give it a whirl. I doubt it would stain skin. The bigger question would be if the color holds up through the saponification? (Big word, I don't know what it means regardless of where I'm at on the sobriety scale) process. Pretty cool what you done so far.


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

Since its just water, should I add it as the lye water?

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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Yep, unless someone else has got a different idea. I'm guessing it will turn brown though. No biggie, that's generally what happens to a milk based soap. Pass it off as that!


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

The liquid you're getting is called a hydrosol. If you make a lot of it, you may see a few drops of oil floating on the surface. That's the actual essential oil, and there will be very little of it. 

Hydrosols make nice skin toners, and can be used for the liquid portion of lotions, etc. I've never used them as the liquid in soap, but the conventional wisdom says that the scent won't survive the lye.

If you do try it, please share the results.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

What she is getting is a tea.
Hydrosols are totally clear as the parts of the petals that cause color do not transfer in the steam.
I took the leap and bought a still to make hydrosols.
They are so beyond completely awesome. I have no words to describe.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

bowdonkey said:


> Yep, unless someone else has got a different idea. I'm guessing it will turn brown though. No biggie, that's generally what happens to a milk based soap. Pass it off as that!


Freeze it and use it in the lye solution (only after weighing and melting all oils.)

Pass it off as a milk soap? Really, bowdonkey? There are many fragrance and essential oils that will turn the soap brown. As a soapmaker that uses only 100% Real, Raw Milk in my soaps, I resent your remark. The only time I have a brown soap is when the EO or FO changes the color. gre:


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

The red stuff molded after a few days of sitting on the counter so idk about putting it in the soap?

And the clear water lost its scent. I've been having trouble out of that herb. Its like it has the pineapple scent when you rub your fingers between it, but when you bdry or boil it, it has a green scent

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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

With a lot of the herbs you have to really time it well to get the scent without the underlying 'green'.
It will seem a waste, but you need to take it off the heat and stop the process the minute you smell the green.
The volatile oils come off first and then the plant material begins to break down and give you the herby scent.


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

oh okay, so you think i am over 'cooking' it?
hmm... I may give it another go


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I am not sure how well the stove top method works, but yes.
Try it for a shorter time to only get the fragrance.
And be wary of what you use to catch the hydrosol.
If you are using aluminum, then you will get aluminum in your steam.
Same for placing a brick etc.. under the catch bowl.
And store the end result in a closed container.
I don't think you will get very much of the essential oil using the stove top, but you may get a few drops.
I know that even using my still, the amount of essential oil is very low, even in high oil plants.


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm using an aluminum pot with an aluminum steamer with a glass lid and glass catcher


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

'Nista, I've been looking at stills, care to share which one you have and a review?


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

http://www.pelletlab.com/distillation_equipment
I got one like this.
I did have to buy a different condeser unit for distilling some herbs and blossoms as the Graham condenser wasn't getting it.
I do have to wrap the condenser tube, both the vertical and horizontal parts, to get a good distillation.
All in all I am happy with it after I learned it's quirks and fiddled with it for quite a while.


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