Luxury Lilac Body Oil
Ahhh lilac season, what a wonderful time to be alive! Anyone else out there who loves lilacs as much as i do? Growing up on the Finnish countryside, the smell of lilacs just brings all the good childhood memories flooding back. So what could be more indulging than making your own homemade lilac body oil to really embrace the arrival of summer!
Besides its heavenly, floraly, ultra feminine scent capable of evaporating all your stress and worries, lilacs possess some pretty impressive health benefits. Lilac is a powerful vermifuge, aka parasite-stunner, which means they help your body kill and get rid of intestinal worms, and they are potent anti-fungals and antibacterials as well. Lilacs have a calming effect on the mind, and can help reduce anxiety, panic attacks, and stress. If you are an avid meditator or spiritual healer, lilacs may help you widen your sense of perception of the spirit world, as they are said to have possible psychic effects. Super cool ancient wisdom, right?! Not sure of the extent of truth in it, so you’re just going to have to try it out and see for yourself. I know i will!
In skincare lilacs have astringent properties, which helps tighten and tone the skin and reduce premature aging, fine lines, sagging skin, and a dull complexion. The perfect pick-me-up to promote healthy and glowing skin after the dark winter months. Lilacs are also used in many aftersun products as they have a potent soothing effect. Incredibly handy to have in your cabinet after those long summer days spent in the sun, sand, and water when your skin is all red and crisp. This body oil requires a little bit of patience as it has to sit on your windowsill for a couple of weeks, infusing all that amazingness from the flowers. But oh man, once it’s done, the wait will be SO worth it!
REQUIRED:
1 L glass mason jar with lid
2-3 cups freshly picked lilac flowers
800 ml carrier oil of your choice (sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil are all excellent choices).
INSTRUCTIONS:
After you have picked your flowers, shake out any dirt or critters that might cover them. Avoid rinsing them under water as this may lead to mold in the oil. Let them air dry for 24h.
Make sure you mason jar is clean and sterilized before use (soak in boiling water for 5 minutes on your stovetop) to prevent mold and rancidity.
Fill your mason jar halfway with lilac flowers, roughly 2 cups worth, maybe a little bit more. Pour your oil of choice over the flowers to fill the rest of the jar. Make sure all the flowers are completely covered by gently turning the jar up side down a few times and getting rid of any air bubbles.
Place your jar on a sunny window sill to infuse for 2-4 weeks (depending on how intense of an oil you want). Remember to label your jar with a name and date!
Once your oil is ready, strain out the flowers, and pour your oil into a bottle. The darker the bottle is, the longer your oil will preserve. You can usually get amber boston bottles from your local health food stores, which are perfect for homemade body and facial oils. Or just order one from amazon.
That is it. Happy oil making, friends! I would love to hear from you if you do decide to give this a try at home. Or if you have made something similar before, what did you make and how did it turn out? Leave a comment in the comment section below to share your experience.❤︎
