Oily macerate is a simple mixture made from plants or parts of plants and one or more vegetable oils. It is used to relieve skin disorders or pain that may be joint or muscular. The properties of an oily macerate will depend on those of the plant chosen to make it.
The preparation of this preparation can take a long time but remains relatively easy. The first step in making this mixture is drying the plants and choosing the vegetable oil. Then comes the maceration of these two elements strictly speaking.
There are three types of oily macerations which will last more or less long: cold maceration which will take several weeks, gentle heat maceration requiring several hours and finally hot maceration which only needs a few hours! You can then store this mixture, ensuring that it remains in good condition to benefit from all its benefits.
Dry the Plants
To make an oily macerate, it is preferable to use dry plants or parts of plants rather than fresh because they are, as their name suggests, dehydrated ! The absence of water in their composition prevents the development of bacteria within the macerate and thus the fermentation of the oil.
The plants to choose for making an oily macerate must be able to be used through the skin . This is the case with oily macerates of Meadowsweet, Nettle or, less known, Burdock which relieve joint pain.
Once your plants have been picked, you will need to sort the parts to keep . Then comes the time of pruning which consists of getting rid of elements that can parasitize your plants such as branches or dead leaves.
In order to promote the drying and aeration of the plants in the best conditions, they must be spread in thin layers on a support, without compacting them. It is possible to use accessories intended for this purpose such as frames, racks or drying cabinets. However, if you do not have this equipment, a clean cloth will do the trick!
It is necessary to keep the plants in a cool , dry , dark and ventilated place . For drying fragile parts of plants such as flowers or leaves, it is possible to turn them over or stir them from time to time to allow them to be well ventilated. Concerning the roots, it is preferable to cut them into slices for faster drying.
To know when plants or parts of plants become dry, nothing could be simpler: it's when they start to crack .
After drying, the appearance of the plants remains relatively the same. The latter must above all not become brownish or even blackish , a sign of poor drying or drying disrupted by humidity. If this is the case, unfortunately the harvest will have to be thrown away because the quality, properties and taste of the plants will be altered.
Once the drying stages are completed, the plants can be stored in glass jars, paper bags, etc. Well protected in a cool, dry place away from light, dry plants have a shelf life. shelf life of at least 1 year and which can go up to 2 or even 3 years.
Choosing the Right Maceration Oil
To make an oily macerate, it is possible to use any vegetable oil or mixture of vegetable oils ! However, in the majority of works, it is olive oil that is favored... The reason is quite simple: it has good stability at room temperature and a low oxidative potential.
The oxidation of vegetable oils is defined by the degradation of the fatty acids they contain, altering their quality. It will depend on several factors: contact with oxygen in the air , exposure to light and UV rays , interactions with a metal container or even the presence of heat . Thus certain vegetable oils will be more stable than others and more or less oxidizable. Depending on your choice of oil, it will have different ease of use and shelf life.
Rose vegetable oil is easily oxidized and its shelf life is relatively short. Conversely, coconut and jojoba vegetable oils are much less oxidizable and are stable at room temperature, which tends to make them solid.
Olive, Sunflower, Sweet Almond, Argan or Hazelnut vegetable oils are poorly oxidisable and relatively stable at room temperature without being likely to solidify. These are the oils to be preferred for making an oily macerate.
For a successful oily macerate, it is important to favor quality vegetable oils by turning to organic oils with the first cold pressing and virgin , that is to say without treatment before or after pressing.
Maceration Techniques
To make an oily macerate, it is necessary to have a jar and fill it with dry plants, avoiding packing them. Then, pour the vegetable oil over the plants so as to cover them completely .
For the first method, which is cold maceration , simply let the preparation macerate for at least 21 days, or 3 weeks, stirring from time to time. It is possible to place the jar in the sun to use its heat to promote the extraction of the active ingredients from the plants in the oil. On the other hand, UV rays can promote the oxidation of vegetable oil or alter the active components of plants. To avoid this problem, simply choose a jar with amber glass or use a cloth to cover it.
If you have little time to spare (at least not several weeks) or wish to make a macerate with the rigid parts of the plant such as the roots, then hot maceration or gentle heat maceration are an ideal alternative. In this case, you must place the jar in a bain-marie and let the preparation cook over low heat for at least 2 hours or in a yogurt maker, letting it heat for 8 to 12 hours.
Once the maceration is complete, then comes the filtration step using a coffee filter or gauze to remove the plants. To extract the last active ingredients from the plants, press them gently. Put the preparation in a suitable container such as a jar or bottle. Label the oily macerate indicating its plant name and date of manufacture. It's ready !
Conservation of Oily Macerate
An oily maceration should be stored away from light , in a cool, dry place . The estimated shelf life is 12 to 18 months . This duration may vary depending on storage conditions and the vegetable oil used. To know if it is rancid, you must pay attention to changes in odor: trust your nose!
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