Herbal Extractions for Skincare: A Guide

Okay, so you want to start incorporating natural herbs into your skincare products? Hell yeah. When I first started thinking about incorporating some herbs into my products, I didn’t realize the rabbit hole I was about to go down, I was honestly overwhelmed. There are SO many different extraction methods, each with their own fancy names and specific uses. Infusions, tinctures, decoctions, macerations, they were just SOO many. 😂😂

But here's the thing: most of these methods are actually pretty simple once you break them down. It's basically just "put herb in some form of liquid, wait, strain, use." It’s that easy. The trick is knowing WHICH method works best for WHAT you're trying to make.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the herbal extraction techniques I actually use in my own formulations, nothing overly-complicated, just practical methods that work and would save you a lot of stress.

1. Oil Infusions

This is where most people start (including me), and honestly, it's still my go-to method simply because it quick and easy. Oil infusions have been around for literally centuries, the ancient Egyptians were very well known for creating oil infusions they would use for perfumes and medicines, they would steep herbs in oil to extract their properties, and we're basically doing the same thing till today. The concept is dead simple: put herbs  in oil, wait, strain out herbs, use the infused oil. Even though it is dead simple, there is always that one question: to crush or not to crush? Crushing here simply means whether or not to break up the herbs before adding them to the oil.

The crushing debate:

Some soapers swear by crushing their herbs first. The theory is that crushing breaks down the cell walls, which lets the oil absorb more of the good compounds. You get a more potent infusion, richer color, and stronger herbal properties.

Others (including me, most of the time) just toss whole dried herbs straight into the oil. It's easier, less messy, and honestly? I haven't noticed a massive difference in the final soap. The infusion still works perfectly fine.

My approach:

• Delicate herbs (chamomile, calendula, lavender): I leave them whole. They're already fairly fragile and will release their compounds without crushing.
• Tougher herbs (rosemary, thyme, dried roots): Sometimes I'll give them a light crush with a mortar and pestle or just crumble them between my fingers. Not powder, just broken up a bit.
  
• Powdered herbs (moringa, neem powder): I avoid these for oil infusions because they're a PAIN to strain out. You end up with gritty oil, and nobody wants gritty soap.
  

Honestly, just try both methods and see what works for you. The biggest factor in a good infusion isn't whether you crush the herbs, it's simply giving them enough TIME to infuse with the oil whether crushed or whole.

How to Make an Oil Infusion

What you need:

• Clean jar with a tight lid
• Your chosen herbs (dried, some people use fresh herbs, that has never worked for me, so I stick to what I know)
• Carrier oil (olive oil, jojoba, sweet almond, whatever you're using in your recipe)
  

The process:

1. Fill your jar about halfway with dried herbs
2. Pour your carrier oil over them until they're completely submerged (at least an inch of oil above the herbs)
3. Seal the jar tightly
4. Store in a cool, dark place (I use my pantry)
5. Wait 4-6 weeks, shaking the jar gently every few days
6. Strain out the herbs through cheesecloth or a fine strainer
7. Store your infused oil in a dark bottle
   

Best used for: Soap making, body butters, salves, balms, massage oils—basically anything where you're using oil as a base ingredient.

Why I love this method: It doesn't mess with the oil's saponification properties, so it works perfectly in cold process soap. The herbs add their beneficial compounds (vitamins, antioxidants) without screwing up your lye calculations.

Pro tip: Keep that jar sealed as much as possible. Every time you open it to "check on it" or smell it (we all do this, don't lie 😂), you're introducing oxygen and potential contaminants. Just shake it every few days and leave it alone otherwise.

Quick Oil Infusion (The Impatient Method):

So you’re impatient like me, well congratulations, we are friends. Now since you don't want to wait 6 weeks you can speed this up using gentle heat:

1. Put your herbs and oil in a double boiler or slow cooker on the lowest setting
2. Let it warm gently for 4-6 hours (NOT boiling, just warm)
3. Strain and use
   

The catch: Heat can destroy some of the more delicate compounds in your herbs. The slow, cold method preserves more of the good stuff, but the quick method still works if you're in a rush.

In this video, I showcase my finished herbal infusion made with chamomile, ginseng, moringa, and neem oil.

2. Water Infusions: Basically Herbal Tea for Your Products

A water infusion is literally just... making tea. Strong tea. That's it.

You steep herbs in hot water, strain them out, and use the infused water in your formulations. It extracts water-soluble compounds that oil infusions miss, so you're getting different beneficial properties.

How to Make a Water Infusion:

1. Boil water (like you're making tea, because you are)
2. Pour hot water over your herbs (about 1-2 tablespoons herbs per cup of water)
3. Cover and let steep (longer = stronger)
4. Strain out the herbs
5. Let it cool completely before using
   

Best used for: Lightweight lotions, hydrating gels, facial mists, hair rinses, anything where you want a water-based herbal extract without the heaviness of oil.

Important note: Water infusions have ZERO preservatives naturally. They'll go bad. Fast. So either:

• Use them immediately in a preserved formulation
• Keep them refrigerated and use within a week
• Freeze them in ice cube trays for later use
  

My experience: I make this calendula, grains of salem, rosemary and ginseng water infusion for my charcoal and tea tree facial soap. Normally I make only small batches, but this time I wanted to give some out to my friends to use and ended up making a bigger batch the night before and forgetting it on the kitchen counter instead of putting it in the fridge. 😂😂😂

3. Tinctures

Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts made with high-proof alcohol (ethanol). The alcohol pulls out both water-soluble AND oil-soluble compounds, giving you a super potent extract. Plus, the alcohol acts as a natural preservative.

How to Make a Tincture:

Fill a clean jar with your dried herbs

Pour high-proof alcohol (at least 80 proof/40% ABV) over the herbs until they're completely covered

Seal tightly and store for about a week, shaking daily

Strain out the herbs and top up with ethanol to about 60% of your required volume.

Best used for: Facial sprays, toners, targeted spot treatments, adding a few drops to serums for extra oomph.

NOT recommended for: Soap making. The alcohol will mostly evaporate during saponification, and you're left with... not much benefit. Plus it's a waste of good tincture.

My take: Please remember that, with tinctures you are using undenatured ethanol and it's very very strong, when adding your tincture to products, especially toners, use in moderation.

4. Herbal Extracts: The Customize-Everything Option

"Herbal extracts" is kind of a catch-all term for concentrated preparations where you can choose your solvent based on what you're trying to extract and what you're making.

Types of Solvents:

Glycerin extracts: Gentle, moisturizing, perfect for sensitive skin. Glycerin pulls out different compounds than water or alcohol, and it adds humectant properties (attracts moisture to skin). Do note that this type of extraction requires heating.

How to make a glycerin extract:

1. Fill a bowl you can heat with your herb of choice
2. Add some water I usually use a 2:1 ratio, which is 2 parts water and 1 part herb, basically you want the water to cover the herbs, and leave it on low heat for 1hr and 30 mins, checking on it occasionally to make sure all the water hasn’t dried out, if the water levels are too low, top it up.
3. After the time is up,  strain it, you would get the concentrates extract then you dilute, 20% water and the remaining 80% glycerin.
4. Seal, store and use
   

Best for: Serums, lightweight lotions, products for sensitive or reactive skin (like mine, because eczema is fun 😂).

My experience: I haven't experimented much with glycerin extracts yet, but it's on my list. What I know is that for lip products if you are comfortable with a heavy tacky feeling on your lips from the glycerin, then you are good to go, if not avoid them.

5. Decoctions

Decoctions are for when you're working with tougher plant materials like roots, bark, and woody stems, that need more aggressive extraction than just steeping in hot water. The funny thing is for decoctions, I actually advise that you crush, pound, pummel, buldorize the plant material 😂.

How to Make a Decoction:

1. Put your tough plant materials in a pot with water (about 1-2 tablespoons per cup of water)
2. Bring to a gentle simmer (NOT a rolling boil)
3. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes with the lid on
4. Strain out the plant material
5. Let cool completely
   

Best used for: Herbal baths, Hair products.

Important for soap makers: Decoctions have high water content. If you're using them in soap, you need to account for that water in your lye calculation. 

6. Macerations:

Maceration is basically like an oil infusion, but fancier. You crush the herbs into tiny little bits first to break down their cell walls, which helps the oil absorb more compounds. Then you let it sit at room temperature for several weeks.

How to Macerate:

1. Lightly crush your dried herbs (mortar and pestle, or just squish them in a bag)
2. Put crushed herbs in a jar
3. Cover completely with carrier oil
4. Seal and store at room temperature
5. Shake occasionally for 4-6 weeks
6. Strain and use
   

Best for (apparently, I still believe oil infusions and macerations are basically the same): When you want a richer, more complex oil infusion. Great for balms, salves, body butters, facial oils.

My honest opinion: I haven't noticed a HUGE difference between maceration and regular cold infusion, but I also haven't done extensive side-by-side comparison and or testing. If you have the time and want to experiment, go for it.

7. Hydrosols

Hydrosols (also called floral waters or hydrolats) are the water that's left over from steam distillation when making essential oils. They contain water-soluble compounds plus tiny amounts of essential oil, making them lightly aromatic and gentle.

The catch: You can't really MAKE hydrosols at home unless you have a still. You have to buy them.

How to Use Hydrosols:

• Direct application as a facial toner or mist
• As the water phase in lotions and creams
• In hair rinses
• To dilute other extracts
  

Best for: Daily hydration, adding subtle fragrance, lightweight facial products, anyone who finds essential oils too strong.

Important: Even though hydrosols are a byproduct of distillation, they still need preservatives if you're incorporating them into products. They're mostly water, so bacteria and mold love them.

Hydrosols in action

Choosing the Right Method: My Cheat Sheet

Here's how I decide which extraction method to use:

Extraction Method	Best For	Key Considerations
Oil Infusions	Soaps, Creams, Balms, massage oils	Retains vitamins and antioxidants; ideal for products that require oil-based ingredients.
Water Infusions	Lotions, gels, hair rinses	Provides a light, water-based extract; perfect for refreshing, lightweight formulations.
Tinctures	Toners, Sprays, Targeted Serums	Highly potent; best used diluted due to the alcohol content.
Herbal Extracts (Glycerin-Based)	serums, sensitive skin care products.	Versatile and gentle; solvent choice can be tailored to the product’s needs.
Decoctions	bath soaks	Offers a robust extract; requires careful balancing of water content.
Macerations	Balms, Salves, Creams, facial oils	Preserves delicate compounds; adds a nuanced botanical layer.
Hydrosols	Facial Mists, Toners, Emulsions, light lotions	Light and aromatic; ideal for daily hydration and natural fragrance.

Final Thoughts

By understanding the benefits and limitations of each method, you can confidently integrate natural herbs into your products to create skincare that truly nurtures and revitalizes. Hopefully you enjoy experimenting with each method and not limit yourself to only one.