The Benefits of Herb Infused Oils

I’m a big fan of herb infused oils. They are a lot of fun to make and even more decadent to apply. In fact, they have completely ruined me for body lotion in most cases. In my opinion, few self-care actions compare to having a hot shower or bath and then working from my toes to my head, massaging, deeply inhaling the scent, feeling and checking in with each part of my body. The softness and suppleness that is absorbed through the skin remains palpable through the following day. I would say the only potential downside is that some people might be concerned about oil stains on clothing or bed linens. I personally haven’t had too much of a problem with this, though it can be a real effect to consider. I find that when applying the oil to freshly bathed skin that it tends to absorb better, particularly at night as we rest, giving the body a chance to more fully retain the nutrients applied.

Herbal oils used topically can also assist with not only physical but energetic support. For those of us inclined to regard the unseen, less than material aspects of our lived reality, topical use of herbal oils can also help bridge the physical and energetic and even spiritual realms. Herb infused oils have been used for millennia for a whole host of purposes, not solely to do with massage and moisturization. 

Physical touch can enhance energy, stimulate life force or vital force energies, move stagnant energy, and create alignment with the physical and energetic bodies. If we use herb infused oils with intention it can be a sacred, ritualized experience, that can be grounding, cleansing, and even healing. Combining action with intent can even amplify the herbs’ energetic influence.

Some of my favorite herbalists remark about herb infused oils: 

“Oils are excellent for treating sprains, strains, muscular tension, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal issues” (Meier, 2021, pg. 212). 

“Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic practice of self-oil massage, is an amazing way you can incorporate herbal-infused oils into your daily regimen. Since your lymphatic system and nervous system lay beneath your skin, massaging your skin daily with infused oils cleanses your lymph, stimulates your immune system, and supports a feeling of calm and relaxation through nourishing your nervous system.” (Sajah Popham)

“Your oiling routines help you stay in touch with your body and attune to your true north, our only real source for guidance during these times.” (Kami McBride)

“Our relationship with plants as food, medicine, and cultural allies continues to shape and evolve through time but will always be at the center of human survival and adaptation to life on Earth. We cannot live here without them. The medicines and foods we make using plant ingredients have served as both health care and tools of the magical and divinatory arts” (Fazio, 2024, pg. 226-227). 

I have written elsewhere about the healing properties of the herbal oils used in the magnesium lotion recipe. You can refer to that here. 

Another special blend that I use in addition to the infusions in the magnesium lotion, is an infusion of Dandelion, Calendula, and Lavender. I was first gifted a bottle of dandelion infused oil from a friend as I embarked on the long, long road to healing after a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. She gifted it to me saying that it was good for breasts. And, I gladly accepted, using that oil to stimulate healing and in an attempt to regain feeling in my breasts. Dandelion has been close to my heart in a new way ever since. It's cheerful disposition and early spring eagerness makes this plant a favorite, both for its fortitude, simple beauty, as well as its status of being misunderstood. All parts of this ally invite us to explore how it might resonate with our bodies and environments: roots, leaves, flowers -- this friend seems to offer opportunities for reciprocity in many ways.

“Dandelion gives you strength as you step into the dark night of the soul only to find light at the end of the tunnel… The plant spirit is excellent in working with sudden trauma, loss, or shock. It immediately works to help bring understanding of the situation to one’s heart and eases the integration and acceptance process” (Aversano, 2025, pg. 159-160). 

Calendula has been a surprise ally for me. I’m young in my experimenting and formulating years, really just beginning my journey of working with plants in earnest. I was so impressed with my friend’s dandelion oil that I wanted to give it a try to make my own. I also wanted to add some additional herbs to it to further experiment. Calendula was a flower that I was reading about as a staple for skin conditions, itching, redness, and generally a great addition to many topical herbal applications. This was my understanding at the time. So, I went to a local apothecary and was told that calendula flowers were not available due to some climate conditions that made for a poor harvest the previous year. This was the same year that I was about to begin tending to my own garden space as a first time gardener. I didn’t really understand, other than I would be better off growing my own. I did. And, I’m in love. 

“As one of our greatest wound healers, the radiant yellow flowers of calendula are a required presence in any herb garden… Down through the ages, calendula was revered as a wound healer both internally and externally… While many authors have reflected on this plant as ‘herbal sunshine’, its use in working with trauma and deep wounds from past experiences cannot be underestimated.” For breasts: "Excellent topically.” For lymphatic system: “This is where calendula really shines – moving stagnant lymph material.” (Maier, 2021, ppg. 237-238). 

“It brings playful childlike energy to all who touch it. It heals the inner child on a deep level. It brings jubilation and joy to one’s life” (Aversano, 2025, pg. 147). 

I feel that little needs to be said about lavender, but volumes could be written. I love the way Spanish Lavender looks like can-can dancing ladies with their fancy hats and poofy skirts. I love the way English Lavender has its teeny tiny little blooms that you can see open as the warmth of the day rises and the bees start to come around. And, the way French Lavender casually, abundantly lines this one particular street I walk my dog down in our neighborhood – you can see their knotty roots, and they are never watered except for the rain, yet never cease to survive and thrive. I’m not sure I’ve met anyone that does not like the scent of lavender, not to say that there aren’t those of you who feel that way. It enchants me, always.

“Call on the spirit of the plant when you are healing from a broken heart. It brings happiness when there is misery… Lavender brings light and life to your heart… It is nourishing for one’s energy field and brings in with it a higher vibration of spiritual energy” (Aversano, 2025, pg. 172). 

The olfactory sense is a funny thing. Mine can be completely unreliable, mainly due to years of medical and chemical interventions. Although I do believe that these things can be healed over time. In any case, to me, this oil smells like freshly baked cookies. Or, maybe that’s just my brain's way of saying, “yummy”! 

The combining of these three allies has become one of my most fond creations – it imbues the moments I get to commune with them, with an uplifting, tonifying, and somewhat transcendent experience, as I nourish my body, mind and spirit. 

If you are interested in trying it for yourself, you can find it here...