This year, I decided to try my hand at using a few new items from my garden and stock my shelves with intention. I am going to share a few of them with you over my fall posts. I follow a 3-step diet – as opposed to the 100 mile diet – which means I grow and eat 80% of what I eat and it only take three steps for me to get my food! I also grow the raw ingredients to make medicine for some of my ongoing issues – this includes pain relief and anti-inflammatory remedies.
That said, I also have a desire to eventually grow the ingredients for my skin care or at least most of what I would need to create my own products. I already use CBD oil diluted in grape seed oil as a moisturizer on my face and neck morning and night, and I take some internally. I started using it to treat my headaches and chronic neck pain, and then I realized that it worked great as a moisturizer for my face, and now my skin feels really good!!!
Since one of the products I love to use is made from something I grow (no I do not grow grapes and squeeze their seeds for oil). I decided this year to love up my rose bushes and collect the rose hips, then dry and squeeze the seeds and infuse them in CBD oil to make a moisturizer for my face. Many of you may know that roses have many benefits and that their oil is an expensive product – rose essential oil can cost around $50 for 1 ml! But not everyone knows that rose hips are very high in Vitamin C and that it is an excellent antioxidant for the skin. Incidentally, rose hip oil is also the best oil to use to reduce the appearance of scars.So here I was, following a 3-step diet but still buying rose oil to put on my skin when I could make my own right out of my garden! And all I need to buy is the carrier oil and voila!!! Soon I will be using a moisturizer infused with something else I grow. No packaging and all organic! It does take patience as all good things do because it is a bit finicky to squish out the seeds, but it is pretty rewarding when you think about the end result. And no you dont have to use CBD oil, I just do!!! You can use one of your favourite carrier oils such as jojoba, sweet almond, avocado oil or just grape seed oil on its own!
I personally like grape seed oil because it is very light, does not plug the pores and is also absorbed quickly into our skin. Remember the saying that, “You are what you eat”? Well you’re also what you put on your skin since it is the largest organ in our body, how about that eh!!! This is why I practice and learn as much as I can about what I can do for my health. I love the 3-step diet and do my best to bring it into all aspects of my life. Today rose-hip CBD oil, next week? Stay tuned for more of “from my garden to my shelves” series…
Rose-hip Seed Oil:
- 1/3 cup cleaned rose hip seeds (you can use more or less, this is just what I ended up with!)
- 1/3 cup grape seed oil (or any other carrier oil of your choice)
- mortar and pestle
- glass jar (for infusing)
- dark jar or bottle (for final storage)
- 6 weeks of patience
Squeeze the seeds from the rose hips and clean them. Crush them gently in a mortar and pestle to release the yumminess inside. Fill the bottom of a mason jar and add the equal amount of the carrier oil of your choice making sure to cover the seeds fully as any exposed bits will create moisture in the jar and therefore mould. Close the jar tightly and store in a dark dry place, such as a closet shelf or cupboard for six weeks. Strain seeds from the oil using a cheese cloth or a mesh strainer. Store in a dark amber jar or bottle and use up within the year for freshest results. Rose-hip oil tends to go rancid when not refrigerated, so I suggest filling a small bottle for your night and day use and keeping the rest in the fridge and refilling your smaller bottle as needed. I think you will be happy with the results of how your skin looks and feels. Happy oiling!
dried rose hips
removing seeds from husks
rose hip seeds ready to be crushed
soaking in carrier oil in dark cupboard for 6 weeks
