While lemongrass essential oil is easily accessible through on-line websites and whole food stores, it can be educational, fun and rewarding to make your own oil at home. It is not nearly as difficult as one may think and can quickly become a great hobby. Lemongrass is easily grown in home herb gardens, which makes the process incredibly affordable as well.
It is important to know that what you make at home will not have the same potency as what you can buy. This is because the essential oil that you purchase has been made through a steam distilling process, which can not be imitated at home without the same complicated and expensive machinery. While there are home steam distillers, it is often advised against, as without proper training, a high quality oil will not be produced. By using the following methods, you will have a great substitute that still possesses the same chemical compounds that give lemongrass oil its amazing healing and medical properties.
How To make your own lemongrass oil:
1) Break up fresh lemongrass stalks and fill the canning jars halfway. Breaking the stalks allows the natural oils to be released from the plant and strengthens the tincture.
2) Fill the jar with half alcohol and cold water. Vodka or brandy are the most common alcohols for making tinctures, but gin is used as well. You can not use alcohol for whatever reason. In this case, a half-and-half solution of white apple cider vinegar and water is a suitable substitute to make the tincture safe for people who may have adverse reactions to alcohol.
3) Cover the lid and gently shake the herbs and alcohol solution. Allow the herbs to settle and look to see that all the plant material is covered by a liquid, even a tiny bit peeking out from the coil mould during the tincturing process. Add more liquid if needed.
4) Place the medicine in a cool or dark room and wait for three days. Then, pour the solution into a blender and blend the plant material to allow more excellent absorption between the plant material and the liquid. Basically, lemongrass is such a woody plant, so you can put the blended liquid back into the jar.
5) Strain the liquid from the plant material and place a colander over a pot. Dump the tincture in and make a bundle with the plant material. Squeeze as much liquid as you can get from the lemongrass.
6) Pour the tincture into a clean glass jar until it is ready to use. Tinctures are commonly taken directly from the tongue, but adding the medicine to a cup of warm tea or water may be more effective.
7) Pour 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the top pan of a double boiler. Do not cover the pot.
8) Crush half a stalk of lemongrass, chop it if necessary, and place it in the oil. Do not let any water get into the oil or it will ruin the infusion. Don’t wash the lemongrass before you put it in the pot. If it is still wet from the market, let it dry before placing it in the oil.
9) Heat the double boiler until the water on the bottom begins to steam. Turn it down to a gentle simmer. Infuse the lemongrass in the oil for at least an hour, but the longer the better. Be sure to check on the water in the bottom pan to make sure it hasn’t all evaporated.
10) Cool the oil down and strain the herbs through a mesh strainer. Use the oil as your treatment bestie!
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