There are many benefits to including vanilla oil in your hair and beauty treatments. Vanilla oil is versatile and can be used in many ways for household purposes.
The orchids of the genus vanilla are used to produce vanilla flavouring. The vine consists of long, dark brown stringy pods from which vanilla beans are extracted.
Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron due to the amount of labour involved in producing it.
Despite this, it’s highly valued for use in cooking, baking, aromatherapy and perfume manufacturing because of its amazing flavour.
This article will be looking into the benefits of vanilla oil, how to use vanilla oil for hair and body and how to DIY vanilla oil. A later article will go into vanilla oil blends.
What is Vanilla Oil?
Vanilla originated from Mexico but is also widely produced in Madagascar and Indonesia. Like jasmine oil, the oil from vanilla isn’t really an oil but an absolute.
The usual process for extracting essential oil is via steam distillation or mechanical pressing; both of these processes will not work with vanilla beans.
The most common and best forms of vanilla “oil” available on the market is vanilla extract or vanilla absolute.
Vanilla extract is made by soaking chopped beans in alcohol for several months to extract the flavor while vanilla absolute is made by solvent extraction via various methods.
The best method is with alcohol or carbon dioxide extraction. Organic vanilla can also be stepped in a carrier oil for several weeks to produce an excellent aromatic oil.
You can make this oil yourself at home. I have shared a recipe for DIY vanilla oil below. You can print the recipe card at the end and have it on hand when you’re ready to make vanilla absolute.
What Are the Benefits of Vanilla Oil?
1. Vanilla Oil Contains Antioxidant Properties
Vanilla oil contains excellent antioxidant properties, which is useful for treating aging skin, healing damaged skin, and smoothing out wrinkles.
2. Vanilla Oil Contains Anti-inflammatory Properties
Pure vanilla extract has anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce stress on the body and assist internal functions to work more effectively.
Vanilla oil can help lower blood pressure by providing a relaxing effect on the body and senses. With relaxed senses, you’re able to sleep better.
3. Vanilla Oil Relieves PMS Symptoms
Vanilla oil can help relieve the symptoms of PMS. Over 75% of women around the world experience PMS with symptoms.
Some of these symptoms include fatigue, bloating, breakouts and painful cramps. Vanilla oil has a sedative effect on the body and helps the body relax.
7 Ways to Use Vanilla Oil for Hair & Body
1. Diffuse Vanilla Oil
Add a few drops of vanilla oil to a diffuser or humidifier in the living room or bedroom. I will share some vanilla oil blends in a later article.
2. Relieve PMS Symptoms With Vanilla Oil
To relieve PMS symptoms, massage a few drops of vanilla oil onto your stomach and chest, and try to relax your body.
3. Bath With Vanilla Oil
Add a few drops of vanilla oil to a bath taken before bed. Immerse yourself in it to relax senses and get a better night’s sleep.
4. Use Vanilla Oil as a Hair Spray
For the hair, add a few drops of vanilla oil to your favorite deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, or refreshing hair spray.
5. Body and Face Cream
For the skin, add a few drops of vanilla oil to your body butter or facial cream. When using in a facial cream, add 1 – 2 drops to start with to see how your skin will react.
Make sure the vanilla oil you use for this recipe is the type suitable for use on the face.
6. Face Wash
Add a few drops of vanilla oil to your daily face wash. Best used in the morning.
7. Perfume Spray
Mix 5 – 10 drops of vanilla oil with distilled water and pour it into a spray bottle. Shake and use to refresh sheets and carpets.
InnoGear Diffuser
VicTsing Essential Oil Diffuser
How to DIY Vanilla Oil
Ingredients
- Carrier oil like grapeseed oil, apricot oil, jojoba oil, or sweet almond oil
- A few pieces of vanilla beans. Madagascar vanilla beans are best
- A piece of cheesecloth
- 8 oz jar like this one
Spice Bay Foods Madagascar Vanilla Beans
Directions
- Fill up the jar with your carrier oil of choice.
- Split open the vanilla beans carefully and scrape out the seeds.
- Pour the seeds into the carrier oil then close the jar and let sit for up to 4 weeks.
- Afterward, filter through the cheesecloth and discard the beans. You can also leave the beans in the oil as long as they’re immersed completely and keep the container tightly sealed at all times. Use it as you like.
Best Vanilla Oil
It costs around $100 to produce an ounce of vanilla absolute or CO2 extracted vanilla. Authentic vanilla extract or vanilla absolute is not cheap.
Be wary of any bargain offers for this product. There are a few brands recommended below:-
Miracle Botanicals CO2 Extracted Vanilla Essential Oil
Aveda Vanilla Absolute
How To Make Vanilla Oil
This DIY vanilla oil is all-natural and simple to put together. You can use it for various household purposes as recommended in the article. You only need a little at a time so expect a bottle to last for a while.
Instructions
- Clean and sterilize the mason jar then open up and fill up with the grapeseed oil but leave a little space on top. About 2 oz worth of space.
- Split open the vanilla pods and carefully scrape the beans out into the mason jar.
- Close the jar and shake thoroughly. Let the jar sit for up to 4 weeks.
- After 4 weeks, filter through the cheesecloth and discard the beans.
- Pour the oil into the bottle and your vanilla oil is ready.
- You can also leave the beans in the oil as long as they’re immersed completely and keep the container tightly sealed at all times.
Notes
- You can also use jojoba oil apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil, or sweet almond oil for this recipe. Always use a neutral smelling oil so the fragrance of the vanilla beans can come through beautifully.
- As long as you keep the mason jar and bottle tightly sealed, expect the vanilla oil to last for quite some time.
- If you don't have a cheesecloth, you can use a small colander like this one.
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