Recipe
Patchouli-infused oil
- Herb:
- Patchouli Pogostemon cablin
- Method:
- Herbal oil
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 15 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Crumble dried patchouli leaves and fill a clean dry jar one-third full.
- Cover with jojoba or almond oil so the leaves are submerged, and close.
- Leave 3 weeks in a warm dark place, shaking every day.
- Strain through a cloth, squeeze well and decant into a dark bottle; use as a body oil after showering.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 30 g of dried leaves per 250 ml of oil
- Solvent:
- jojoba or almond oil, 3 weeks of maceration in warmth and darkness
- Shelf life:
- 6 months in a dark bottle
- Target compounds:
- sesquiterpenes (patchoulol, alpha-bulnesene) pass into fat; the scent is weaker than that of essential oil, but without the risk of irritation
Notes
A body and massage oil with a quiet earthy scent; a gentler alternative to the essential oil, which irritates undiluted. Patch-test on a small area of skin before first use.
Why it works
Patchouli's scent is carried by heavy sesquiterpenes — patchoulol, alpha-bulnesene and alpha-guaiene — which are lipophilic and pass into a carrier oil on maceration, though at a far lower concentration than in the distilled essential oil. The review by van Beek & Joulain 2018 describes over 140 oil constituents and its maturing; pharmacological data (antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory) are laboratory-based, so the oil is a cosmetic, not a medicine.
Literature
- van Beek TA, Joulain D (2018): The essential oil of patchouli, Pogostemon cablin: A review. Flavour and Fragrance Journal 33(1):6–51 — Comprehensive review of composition (over 140 substances), history and essential oil production.
Related
Patchouli — Herb card
Herbal oil — Processing method detail