Making Rose Hip Infused Oil
Gather the rose hips. You need one cup (127 g) of fresh or dried rose hips. Buy them at a local health food store, farmer's market, or online. They can be gathered from rose plants in your area. Look for firm rose hips that are bright orange or red in color. Wear leather gloves to protect the hands from thorns and when plucking the rose hips from the plant. Always check to see if the rose hips have been sprayed with any chemicals before using them. Be sure to remove any leaves, stems, or thorns.
Combine the rose hips with the oil. Place the rose hips in a small slow cooker between 1 to 2 quarts (0.9 to 1.9 liters) in size. Pour 2 cups (475 ml) of your favorite oil over the rose hips. For example, use almond, olive, or jojoba oils. Use organic oils since they are not as heavily processed as conventionally produced oils.
Heat the oil on low for eight hours. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to low. Let the rose hips infuse with the oil for eight hours. The oil will smell fragrant and be orange in color once it is fully infused. The oil should never get hotter than 100 °F (38 °C). If the slow cooker has a warm setting, use that instead of low.
Strain the oil and discard the solids. Turn off the slow cooker and set a strainer over a bowl. Line the strainer with cheesecloth and carefully pour the oil through it. This separates the oil from the rose hip solids which can now be thrown away.
Store the rose hip oil. Pour the oil into a clean dark glass jar. Screw on a tight fitting lid and place the oil in the refrigerator. The oil will store for six to eight months. Rose hip oil is sensitive to light so it is important to keep it in a dark jar.
Making Rose Hip Macerated Oil
Gather the rose hips. Buy 1 cup (127 g) of fresh or dried rose hips from a local health food store, farmer's market, online, or gather them from rose plants in your area. Choose firm rose hips that are bright orange or red in color. Protect the hands with leather gloves when picking the rose hips. Avoid rose hips from plants that have been sprayed with chemicals.
Dry the rose hips. If you purchased or gathered fresh rose hips, wash and dry them completely. Take a sharp paring knife and cut off both ends of each rose hip. Lay out a sheet of newspaper and spread the trimmed rose hips in a single layer. Leave the rose hips to dry for one week. Some people scoop out the hair and seeds inside the rose hips as they can cause irritation. This is not necessary, as the rose hips in oil will be strained out through the cheesecloth.
Combine the dried rose hips with the oil. Get a glass jar with a 3 cups (946 ml) capacity. Place the dried rose hips in the jar and pour 2 cups (473 ml) of almond, olive, or jojoba oil over them. Screw the lid of the jar shut. Use a dark jar so that the oil is not exposed to light.
Allow the rose hips to macerate in the oil for three weeks. Place the jar of rose hip oil in the refrigerator. Over time, the rose hips will flavor the oil and turn it a golden, orange color. This will take about three weeks.
Strain the rose hips from the oil. Lay a piece of cheesecloth in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the rose hip oil through the cheesecloth to separate the rose hips from the oil. Discard the rose hips.
Store the rose hip oil in the refrigerator. Transfer the rose hip oil to a dark glass jar. Secure the top with a tight fitting lid and store the rose hip oil in the refrigerator. The rose hip oil needs to be used within six months. Make sure the storage jar is dark. Rose hip oil is sensitive to light and the nutrients break down if it is exposed to light.
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