Your Cool Home is supported by its readers. Please assume all links are affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of our links, we make a small commission from Amazon. Thank you!
You can make essential oil from lavender by harvesting fresh lavender buds at the right time and using steam distillation or a carrier oil method to extract those fragrant oils.
The process is simpler than most people think, and it’s something you can absolutely do at home with the right tools and a little patience.
Whether you want lavender essential oil for relaxation, skin care, or natural cleaning products, making it yourself gives you full control over quality and purity.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to make essential oil from lavender, from picking the flowers to storing the finished oil safely.
Let’s get into it.
Why You Should Make Essential Oil From Lavender
Making essential oil from lavender is worth the effort, and here’s why:
1. You Control the Purity
When you make essential oil from lavender at home, you know exactly what goes into it.
Store-bought lavender essential oil can be diluted with cheap carrier oils or synthetic fragrances, and you’d never know the difference.
But when you make it yourself, there are no hidden additives, no fillers, and no mystery ingredients.
That means every drop of essential oil from lavender that you produce is as pure as it gets.
2. It’s Cost-Effective
If you already grow lavender in your garden, making essential oil from lavender costs you almost nothing.
A small bottle of high-quality lavender essential oil can run you $15 to $30 at the store.
But a batch of homemade essential oil from lavender made from your own plants saves you money while giving you a generous supply.
3. The Aroma Is Fresher
Essential oil made from lavender that you’ve just harvested smells noticeably fresher than anything sitting on a shelf for months.
The floral, calming scent is more vibrant, and that’s because the oils haven’t degraded through long storage or shipping.
How Do You Make Essential Oil From Lavender?
There are two main ways to make essential oil from lavender, and each one suits different situations:
1. Steam Distillation Method
Steam distillation is the traditional and most effective way to make essential oil from lavender.
You’ll need a distillation kit, which includes a pot, a condenser, and a collecting vessel.
Start by filling the pot with fresh or dried lavender buds, then add water and bring it to a simmer.
As steam passes through the lavender, it pulls the essential oils out of the plant material.
That steam then travels into the condenser, where it cools back into liquid form.
The essential oil from lavender floats on top of the water, and you simply separate it using a pipette or separator.
This method gives you the purest essential oil from lavender you can possibly make at home.
2. Carrier Oil Infusion Method
If you don’t have a distillation kit, you can still make essential oil from lavender using a carrier oil infusion.
This method doesn’t produce true essential oil, but it does create a lavender-infused oil that works beautifully for massage, skincare, and bath products.
Fill a clean jar with dried lavender buds, then pour in a carrier oil like jojoba, sweet almond, or fractionated coconut oil.
Seal the jar and let it sit in a warm, sunny spot for about four to six weeks.
Shake it every few days to help the oils blend, then strain the plant material out when you’re done.
The result is a fragrant oil made from lavender that captures much of the plant’s therapeutic goodness.
Tips For Making Essential Oil From Lavender
To get the best results when you make essential oil from lavender, keep these tips in mind:
1. Harvest at the Right Time
The best time to harvest lavender for making essential oil is in the morning, right after the dew dries.
This is when the oil content in the buds is at its peak.
Pick the buds when they’re fully open but before they start to fade, since older flowers produce less oil.
2. Use Dried Buds for Infusion
If you’re using the carrier oil method to make essential oil from lavender, always use dried buds.
Fresh buds contain moisture, which can cause mold to grow inside your infusion jar.
Drying the lavender first eliminates that risk and gives you a cleaner final product.
3. Store It Properly
Once you’ve made essential oil from lavender, store it in a dark glass bottle with a tight-fitting cap.
Keep it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat.
When stored correctly, the essential oil from lavender you make at home can last up to a year, sometimes longer.
So, How Do You Make Essential Oil From Lavender?
You make essential oil from lavender by harvesting fresh buds and using steam distillation or a carrier oil infusion to extract the plant’s natural oils.
Both methods work well, and the one you choose depends on your tools and what you plan to use the oil for.
With a little patience and the right technique, you can create your own essential oil from lavender that’s pure, fragrant, and incredibly satisfying to use.
Hope this post has made the process of how to make essential oil from lavender clear and easy to follow.