How to Make Chickweed Oil

Well-known herbalist Juliette de Bairacli Levy once proclaimed, "Chickweed is one of the supreme healers of the modern world." Indeed, holistic healers often recommend chickweed-infused oil to treat mild or severe skin problems such as eczema, dermatitis, irritation and chapping. "The Green Witch Herbal" also mentions Stellaria media (chickweed) in connection with helping arthritic patients and for digestion problems. The herb can be used either internally or externally. By infusing an edible base like olive oil with chickweed, you can use some of the resulting oil externally, while the rest can be splashed onto salads and stir fries.

Things You'll Need

• Chickweed
• Olive or jojoba oil
• Double-boiler or glass jars for steeping
• Metal sieve or cheesecloth
• Glass jars or bottles for storage

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Purchase a carrier oil, also known as a base oil. Many herbalists prefer olive oil because of its stability; the last thing you need is a moldy, rancid liquid! On the other hand, jojoba oil has its fans too. Both oils provide plenty of nourishment and healing properties for the skin, even without the addition of botanicals.

• 2

  Harvest several handfuls of the chickweed. The stems, leaves and flowers of this low-growing plant all contain plenty of its healing properties. Give the plant a "haircut" by cutting back all but 2 or 3 inches from the plant so that it can self-sow again for future harvests.

• 3

  Wash the chickweed under gently flowing water to remove bugs and dirt, and dry thoroughly.

• 4

  For quickly made oil, use a double boiler. Put as much of the chickweed as will fit into the top pot and pour 16 oz. of the base oil over the chickweed. Cover the pot and heat on a low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Let cool.

• 5

  Alternatively, put the chickweed into two wide-mouth jars, and pour the olive oil over them. Cover, set the jars in the sun and let the mixture steep for several weeks.

• 6

  Remove the chickweed-oil mixture from the jars or pot and strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve or double layer of cheesecloth.

• 7

  Pour the oil into a glass bottle or jar and cover tightly. Store the containers in a dark, cool place.