How to Make Infusions for Beauty Products From Your Garden Plants

Mistletoe dried leaves

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The Easy Stuff

Some of the botanicals you grew can be used fresh, such as aloe vera, cucumber, or watermelon. These can be used directly into your beauty products. For example, you can simply scoop out aloe vera gel from the leaves, place it in a glass jar, and use it as a hair conditioner in the shower. Cucumbers can be pureed in the blender and used as a face mask.

 

Drying

Many flowers, leaves, and herbs can be used when they are dried. This is very common, especially with roots. You should dry your leaves, roots, and flowers before using them to make infusions.

You can dry your botanicals in several ways: using very low heat in your oven for several hours (this will vary depending on the thickness of your botanical), drying them on screens outside in the sun, or using electric dehydrators. Flower petals and very thin leaves will take less time but thicker leaves and roots, also some whole flowers, will take longer. Don’t be surprised if some items take a few days. Be patient! Once they are fully dry, you can use a coffee grinder or blender to break down dried roots into a powder and sift it through a fine mesh sleeve to remove larger particles. When dried plants are stored in airtight, glass containers, they can last for years.

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