Choosing The Right Oils

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Hello and welcome to another episode of Herbs N Weeds. Today is all about choosing good essential oils. In the the show I give a step-by step DIY basic way of distilling oils at home that I will try soon. The two brands of commercially produced oils I prefer currently is Healing Solutions and Plant Therapy, both available on Amazon through these affiliate links. Avoid oil blends unless they are blends of multiple herbs, but I still prefer single 100% essential oils.

Here is the steps that ChatGPT gave for distilling at home.

Tools:

• Large pot with a lid (preferably stainless steel or glass)
• Steamer basket or mesh colander (to suspend plant material above water)
• Heat-safe bowl (to collect oil inside the pot)
• Ice (for condensing steam)
• Tubing (if using a more advanced condenser setup)
• Optional: glass distillation apparatus (for more serious setups)

Materials:

• Fresh or dried plant material
• Distilled water
• Glass containers for collecting and storing the oil
• Dark amber bottles (for storing the finished oil to protect from light)

🔬 Step-by-Step Steam Distillation (Basic DIY Setup):

1. Prepare the Plant Material

• Harvest in the morning (for most plants, this is when oil content is highest).
• Chop or crush to expose oil glands but don’t over-pulverize.
• Use about 2–4 cups of material depending on the potency of the plant.

2. Set Up the Distillation Pot

• Fill the pot with a few inches of water (don’t submerge plant material).
• Place the steamer basket over the water and add the plant material.
• Place the heat-safe bowl on top of the plant material if it fits (to collect oil-water condensation).

3. Invert the Lid and Add Ice

• Turn the pot lid upside-down so it forms a concave shape.
• Place ice on top of the inverted lid – this helps condense the steam back into liquid that drips into your collection bowl.

4. Heat and Monitor

• Bring the water to a gentle boil. Steam rises through the plant material, carrying oil vapors.
• As the steam hits the cold lid, it condenses and drips down into the bowl.
• This collected liquid is a mix of hydrosol (floral water) and essential oil.

5. Separate the Oil

• Once distillation is done (1–2 hours), remove the bowl.
• Let it cool — the oil will float on top of the hydrosol.
• Use a pipette, dropper, or oil separator funnel to skim off the oil.

6. Store Your Essential Oil

• Pour into a dark glass bottle with a tight lid.
• Label with the date and plant name.
• Store in a cool, dark place.

🌱 Tips for Success:

• Use fresh plant material when possible — they contain more oil.
• Distill slowly and steadily. Don’t overheat or burn the material.
• Clean your setup well between batches to avoid cross-contamination.