How to make essential oil using steam distillation
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- Опубликовано: 27 янв 2014
- Watch as Laura explains the process of how to use steam distillation to make essential oil. In this video she uses juniper for the demonstration.
Video Shot using Canon T4i with Videomic Pro in 1080p 24fps
Editing completed using Adobe Premier 
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As a chemist this is actually a pretty nice setup. One tip of advice is that the cold water should come from the bottom of the condenser flask and exit out from the top. The condenser water doesn't have to be flowing so fast (wasting water), it just has to be a slow trickle to allow incoming water to cool in the ice bath.
I was going to leave the same comment. I wanted to learn how to do this for my chem class in order to make soap and lotion. all in all a great educational video.
Can I use dehydrated herb or flower instead of fresh ones?
I have my condenser almost on the horizontal but at a steep enough angle to eliminate the little trap in the inlet. My spiral condenser I have on the vertical. I noticed the angle of the spiral is almost the same as the straight one. I find with this setup the hydrosol spends more time condensing allowing for a more productive separation.
You can save your hydrosol and the next time you distil Juniper again, use that hydrosol as part of your distilled water in your boiler. Any oil left in the hydrosol will be redistilled and collected. Thanks for the video.
Wow.. thanks for that. I was just wondering if there was a use for the hydrosol and was going to ask.
Could you also use the hydrosol for a linen spray?
yeah, i like to put it in a spray bottle, but as always, when using liquids around cloth, make sure you dont get the linen too wet or it might mold.
i used hyrosol to spray on sofa and carpets. and sometimes i used it for oil diffuser.
May we distilled dry rose and what it the combination means water and rose quantity...
Thanks
Great video. What I would recommend is switching the inlet and outlet of the water through the condenser. My professor would always have us put water from the bottom and drain out the top.
Richard Monell Great idea we will update with the next distillation. We are going to be highlighting cedar oil in the next video.
Agreed. You will also be able to reduce the flow that way and save on the 45 minutes of waste water down the drain.
Richard Monell Definitely need to reverse the flow in the condenser. Additionally, I use a small water pump and connect the condenser tubes to that. I then put the pump in the the ice bath and have it pump the ice water directly through the condenser. Because I put the condenser outlet into the same sink as the pump I just keep re-using the same water and don't need to leave the tap on.
+Richard Monell another reason to switch them is that the hot water is pushed up so there is an efficient exchange of heat.
The way it is now you will have the hottest water touching the coldest vapors so you are not able to cool it completely.
When switching them around you will have the water that is the coldest entering the bottom cooling the almost cool vapors and heating slowly as it is pushed up by the current. this way the water is always slightly cooler then the air you are trying to cool down making it more efficient and reducing the amount of water needed. You should not be alarmed when the outflow water is pretty hot (or even nearly boiling when using big setups) just make sure that the bottom is cold.
+Anthony Bauer totally agree
This is the best how-to demonstration of the subject on the entire internet.
Organic chemist here... You actually DO want to have more than a trickle through your condensing column, you shouldn't be able to see any bubbles or motion if you get the speed/pressure correct. A great way to make your extraction more efficient is to do vacuum distillation... I you and most folks obviously dont have access to a vacuum but if you were able to hook up a vacuum generator to your already running water that would work... An actual vacuum pump would work best, just make sure you use a trap to ensure you don't have any of your oils go into the vacuum pump. Another great technique is to use dry ice and methanol or dry ice and isopropyl alcohol for your ice bath.... A great piece of equipment to get your hands on is a rotary evaporator. For simple DIY apps you can also use rock salt and ice, this will lower the freezing point and ensure more efficient condensation, its cheaper and safer. If you have any other questions that are chemistry related that could help you in your processing of essential oils feel free to write.
Hi Aaron, I want to get into making essential oils in the most economical way. Could you advise what equipment I would need and perhaps direct me to a place or all in one product such as this video that has this. Thank you.
Um... don't use a vacuum on this system, the boiling flask is a flat bottom and will very likely implode. Sorrt Thomas, you missed a big safety issue with your post....
can i use rotavap to get essential oil?
i would recommend to hook up the condenser the right way first, before even thinking about vacuum distillation.
Hi Aaron, I am in India
and I will plan to do the perfume business. Initially Planned to do the process of extract the perfumes from plant and flower. Can you send the suitable equipment with an extraction video for my understanding purpose?
Forgive my ignorance, but as someone from the South, it's refreshing to hear someone be articulate with a Southern accent
v you're very ignorant
Please make more distillation videos if you get free. Your one is the best I have seen yet.
To save water, try just putting a fish tank pump (or similar) into a sink full of ice water and put your drain tube into the same sink. That way you can just cycle your water and you will only use one sinks worth! Also, you need to reverse your hoses :).
This might sound like a stupid question, but I bought a set up like this from EBay and it doesn't have any directions (it came from China), but, I am trying to figure out how to use the hoses with a fish tank pump. Do you attach the pump to the end of the hose, or do you just leave the end of the hose along with the pump in the water, and somehow the water automatically goes into the hose? If you use a fish pump, do you still attach the hose to the faucet? How does this work? Thanks!
Thanks so much! I really want to make my own essential oil and this is a great video, but all I could focus on was the water waste. Your solution is simple and super good advice. Thanks :)
Thank you for this! I was highly concerned with the amount of water being wasted.
@@Whiffly thanks for your feedback on the water pump dood
I came to say the same thing: FOR CLARITY, water MUST ENTER IN THE LOWER HOSE CONNECTOR and must outs in the UPPER SIDE AT THE CONDENSATION STAGE, for better COOLING efficiency IN THE HEAT TRANSFER...
This is the best video I've seen yet describing how to distill essential oils. Nicely done. Thank you!
Thank you so much for covering the entire process so thoroughly. I have watched so many videos in the last two days and this is the first one worth saving to go back to later.
6 years ago I watched your video and it inspired me to get a distiller..it took me till now to buy my distiller but I am on my way.
Suggestions: 1. Replenish the boiler with the collected hydrosol instead of fresh distilled water. 2. Wrap the biomass reservoir and connecting tube on the top with alumina foil to conserve energy. 3. Reverse the in/out cooling water direction (as many have suggested).
Love it. Thanks for being brave enough to take us on your first ride. It made the comments that much more helpful.
I am doing Aromatherapy 101 and this video helped me a lot! Thank you and I would love to get one of these! To be able to distill your own oils as an aromatherapist has to be a blast. I have a eucalyptus tree in my yard as well as hundreds in my neighbourhood. If I can find out what species they are, I could make my own eucalyptus oil which would be amazing. :) Thanks for a fantastic video.
Loved it! I'm getting into my own aromatherapy business so this was extremely helpful. Great job.
Excellent job! You made a seemingly daunting experience doable. I would love to see a video on the setup. Thank you and your husband for the time and care you have taken to share and teach.
Absolutely brilliant, a geek-girl's dream - I must have one! Thank you for doing this thoroughly, while I appreciate you're just learning, you did a great job. It's somewhat annoying when people claim they're teaching us to make essential oil & all they're doing is sticking plants in a jar with olive oil to make lightly scented olive oil - it's not the same thing. Also, according to the old How It's Made series (there's one on making lavender essential oil on YT), the biomass isn't actually supposed to cook, the steam supposedly forces open the oil glands on the plant to release the oil. I guess if you keep on heating though, it will cook. Thanks again.
I loved your video. Very professional. I think I'll ask my husband for this for Christmas this year (2014). I love essential oils but hate the cost and really don't want to get the ones from China as you never know exactly what's in them. You did an amazing job explaining everything clearly. Thank you for the time you put into making such a wonderful video. Don't let the bad comments get you down. There are just haters out there who don't appreciate what an amazing job you did. Would love to get more tips and hints from you about the types of herbs you can use to make essential oils and if dry herbs can also be used. Again, amazing job. Thank you.
AlisaBeth Nash
The into music and dramatic shots almost made me feel like I was watching an emotional soap opera about chemistry equipment :""D
I watched a few demonstrations and yours was fantastic! I really learned a great deal and appreciate how you don't cover up any little mistakes just identify them and correct so we learn from them as well. Sweet voice!! Thanks so much!
cold water must enter from BOTTOM, not top, so that it floods the condenser.
I confirm, the cold water should go in on the bottom and out at the top
I second that, cold water goes in the BOTTOM of the condenser, not the top.
Yes, the cooling jacket will fill completely when the water enters through the bottom.
Also there is no reason to waste water by running it from the tapp. You will have colder water if you just recirculate the icewater itself with a small submersible fountain/pond pump.
@@alexanderx33 yeah that was my first concern. Running tap water that long. I pay for water where I live lol. Cost me a fortune. Great video tho!
would love a step by step putting it together. This is really helpful for beginners. Thank you!
My wife and I happened to come upon a partial distillation set up. Came here to look for videos and found this one. Informative and well done. We can't wait to start distilling. Good video.
Informative, and just pleasant to watch. Laura seems like such a delightful lady, and so genuine.
Reverse your condensor hoses.
You want to completely fill the condensor with ice water for maximum cool down.
From boddem to top
The water needs to enter from the bottom to the top, so it can fill the entire condenser tube. If it enter from the top, it doenst fill the tube. It just runs through. It wont properly cool it and will use a lot more water.
deleted my comment after finding this. Agree with him 100%.
Dropp the Base | Clash of Clans v
Awesomesauce! One of my housemates and I decided to start making essential oils from our herb garden since our herbs grow very abundantly. You made this look very simple and you made clear that it takes a while. Thank you for sharing this!
I've been bottling hydrosol without knowing how to get the oils I wanted. Thank you SO MUCH for the detailed explanation. Amazing!🥰
Great Video! I'm inspired to get my own distiller and give it a try!!
Thank you for sharing! You looked Great doing it! Very Professional.. :)
I was inspired to begin doing my own..... So much Gratitude for this video!~
SO helpful! You're instructions and descriptions were crystal clear and your excitement about the process had me really excited! Thank you!! I am a beginner and am eager to start my new journey with distillation, your video was truly inspiring.
This was a very good demonstration Laura. I didn't hear where you purchased your distiller. I am so excited to do this. I've wanted to make my own oils for years. Thanks for your help.
I Truly Enjoyed your video! The whole thing was Great!
Switch hoses from condenser , so the outer shell will be filed with water and you gonna have better condensation .Good luck!
This was so great. I'm at the very beginning of this journey and this was super encouraging. Thank you!
Great video Laura! I am just starting to distill and in fact did my first distillation of grosso lavender last night. It was successful! I made my own condenser using copper tubing and used a siphon system with ice water. I got about 10 ml of oil and about a quart of hydrosol out of about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of lavender flowers. Now I just need to separate the oil from the hydrosol and I'll be set. Thanks again for all the tips in your video, they helped a lot!
You have your hoses backwards, water should go in from the bottom to the top.
Came here just to say that :)
Yeah, I agree, Liebig condenser works like a brewery plate chiller in that the water flows in the opposite direction of the beer, and in this case the vapor. So the hottest part of the water meets the hottest part of the vapor at the top and then gradually cools down to distillate at the bottom where the coolest meets the coolest...I’ve hooked a counter flow chiller up backwards on my home brew set up and the coolest I got the wort was 95F when it should of come out (at full chilling capacity) at the same temp as the tap water (55F)...does it mater for this still...probably not... chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/13911/water-flow-in-condenser
The other issue I see from hooking it up backwards is the condenser is only using the bottom part of the jacket...it should pack all the way full if you fill it from the bottom up...then there would be not air gaps...your water usage would be a small slow trickle...
Jonathan Guidry Exactly!
asmcriminaL i was gonna say the same thing.
Jonathan Guidry Precisely: the coolant flow of a Liebig Condenser should always be in the direction from the water jackets input at the drip tip end to the water jackets output at the steam input end at the top. otherwise you could very well crack the Liebig condenser from the thermal differential shock gradient along the inner tube that low in the piece.
Now I understand why essential oil is so darn much😅, thanks for sharing this.
This was nice to see a person do this for their first try. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing! This was very informative! It's now easy to understand why some essential oils are expensive. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into this process.
It strikes me that you would get better cooling effect and better yield to run the coolant counter current. putting the cold water in the bottom on your set up in the video and removing it at the top. That way you do two things. You fill the space between the inner and outer tube on you condenser with liquid giving better contact between your coolant and you distillate and you also keep the maximum temperature gradient between your condensing distillate and your cooling fluid at the outlet. A typical laboratory or industrial condenser would likely be run counter current to maximize the efficiency and yield.
Chemistry lab 101. in at the bottom. out at the top
Great video Laura, really professional and you make it look doable, practical, like anyone could do it if they want. How much did your set-up cost, and how hard was it to clean out the leftover biomass?
Oohhhhh, I want one!!
any reply?
VibrationsfromMirror sets are 200 on eBay, thinking about buying one myself
i want to know too..how she clean out the biomass
Fairish Fiew p
This video is AMAZING!!! Great video quality, wonderful explanations, and nice equipment! Thanks for making this video!
Dear Laura, thanks so much for sharing this video. I like your style, clear, humble and to the point, no fuss. I want to buy that machine now !!!
after you are done, try spinning the hydrosol...for 30 mins or so, the remaining oil will float to the top...
Salting the solution should help
Has anybody done frangipani/plumeria?
@@AmirSidhartaMSTR I was just wondering the same thing !
I enjoyed the video and learning about the process. It just appeared to be a lot of effort for a small yield.
+Margo Glicksman That's why real essential oils are quite expensive because of the amount (of mass) to yeild (product ie. Oil) and its lengthy process.... the entire process is expensive. Even the plant matter itself is costly. I paid $20 for about 3 oz. of dried roses. That's when I realized this is a hobby I couldn't afford.
+Holly Nofront Thanks so much for jogging my brain
Lol!... I had one of those why didn't I think of that moments, after reading your comment. I suffer from brain fog sometimes. :D
so excited to find this video, what a great husband to buy that for you! hope your still using it and receiving all the benefits of homemade natural EO!!
good music for this alchemic episode. Laura definitely fits in the exiting role of alchemist. The light and provisions are magic. Thank you.
Great Work! What did you do with the left over Hydrosol?
that what i want to know are they a use for it
The cold water should be going in the BOTTOM of the distillation column and out the TOP, not the other way round as it is here.
You did an amazing job explaining the process. Thank you. My new business partner and I will thank you when we collect our first million distilling our own homegrown variety.
This is the first detailed vedio. Well filmed and well explained. Thanks.
This puts into perspective, I paid 70$ for 500ml of the Juniper Berry essential oil.
What 500ml thats a LOT ;)
Then calculate their electricity costs.. those hot plates must be 2000watts
Thank god for mass production
it's all about the pleasure of doing it yourself!
If you do it yourself, your sure to get the real deal. Not some synthetic oil if you purchase.. great video! I'm learning..
hmmmm I wounder I you could distill the hydrosol or put it through again
Well done! You explained so thoroughly and made it look so easy. Can't wait to see you make a different type of oil.
You’re an amazing teacher ! Thank you so much for this video! I just received my kit and I’m waiting on my pump.
you should get a very small water pump ( like one found in a table top water fountain) and recirculate the water in your sink. you wont be wasting nearly as much water and your condenser will work much better having a much colder water supply, Hope this helps, Happy Distilling
also pump your water up rather than down, so that your condenser fills up with water rather than having a "waterfall"
how did you clean the bio mass out after you were done?
old corkscrew on the end of a dowel. Then rinse with distilled water. If there are strains then wash with tiny batches of nail-polish remover.
Very pleasing presentation! Thank you for the time and effort you put into this!
Thank you for showing how it is done. I am very new at all this Essential Oil processing.
THE COOLING WATER WAS RUNNING THE OPPOSITE WAY ROUND!!! IT SHOULD GO IN FROM THE BOTTOM SIDE AND DRAIN OUT FROM THE TOP SIDE. FIRST THIS ALLOWS THE WARMER WATER TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HOTTER STEM ON TOP FIRST. SECOND, IT ALLOWS THE COOLING TUBE TO REMAIN FULL AT ALL TIMES TO PROVIDE BETTER COOLING
Why are you yelling? we're right here.
NotLandyn 😂
Very nicely presented. Thank you for sharing.
Laura, Thank you for your great instruction on the Heart Magic Still. I have one, and I highly recommend. Huge interest from us 300,000+ viewers. It is a joy to watch you learn and teach. You did a great correction to remind everyone to start with distilled water in the separator funnel. This is very important to beginners as we are dealing with very small volumes of oil ( and 40x greater volumes of hydrosol). --> make sure you have clean, good quality containers at hand before you start. My added tip is to chop and compress as much biomass as possible for max yield. Use a bamboo or other wood to compress into the flask (NOT metal--> breaks glass, sadly). And one more tip: write down everything, mass, volume, temperature, calculate density, record time and yield every 15 mins or so. Soon you will be an expert. Great job , Laura!
Oh yeah, -> switch your hoses->cool water needs to go in from bottom and out the top. Kind regards.
Thank you, my wife and I have many Patchouli plants and were wondering how to extract the oil, your video has answered many questions
For small batches its perfect, you can double the biomass flask
+Wesley Mullins Thanks for sharing your experience. How much reverse osmosis water is used in this entire process?
Looks about the same size as my 2 liter
Is it hard to get the used biomass out? Seems like a small opening...
Tweezers!
why did they take my money and send me nothing they don't answer the phone Now Im fighting for a refund from an email assess that no longer exists
awesome video, i really enjoyed it. i was just wondering exactly where exactly you found the distiller? i've searched for it online EVERYWHERE but i cant find it. is there a model type? could you post a link to where to buy it fro? thanks a bunch!
Watched this and loved it and got my hopes up for a whole youtube channel full of these videos :( Thanks for making this though I'd love to do this at home :D
My appreciation for essential oil has just exponentially gone up...will not complain about the price when buying essential oils of a reputable brand. Thank you for your video!
Chester W. Wong we are going to do a video on dried herbs coming up. We think the yield will be less because they are dehydrated.
Hello. Thank you for this video. One little comment. I haven't checked the manual but, aren't you using the condenser the wrong way around? I mean, have the water in at the bottom and out at the top. Because I assure you it is much better to use it upflow so it stays flooded (more contact) and operates a counter current (more efficient) heat exchange.
Anna Nasse you're right, I use mine cooling from bottom to top.
Wesley Mullins Wondering if you ever made that video on dried herbs? I love what you guys did here and would love to see more. Also, how has this worked out economically? I too got the kit from heart magic and am wondering after looking at the prices of herbs online if I can ever create essential oils at a decent price because of how much it takes. Would love to hear someone who has experience in it. I realize that whatever I make is known to not be cut with anything crazy (which I have read many EO companies are known to do) so thats a plus... just wondering if there is a cost effective way too produce that you have found? THANKS!!!! This video is really great and I appreciate you taking the time to make it!
Billy Zwiener Hi Billy, take a look at San Francisco Herb Company. They have great prices.
Billy Zwiener Hi. You can achieve essentially (pun intended :-) ) the same result with a stainless steel pot, equipped with a perforated basket sitting atop the boiling water, said pot equipped with a stainless (not copper!) condenser. You collect both oil and hydrosol in a tall (-ish) glass container, carefully decant the hydrosol away and you are left with the essential oil.
these kits sre costly is there a dummies guide to doing this in your home, without needing a chemistry kit? Truth be told people have been extracting oil from plants long before these kits existed. I want to extract from frankincense resin? Any simple suggestions?
Simply? Don't! It's not safe.
Not safe? Not safe for whom? It's good to know there are concerned people like you out there. Your expert opinion on matters like this are vital to the safety of everyone on this planet! /s
You're right, I am not an expert on public safety. I do, however, study chemistry. Heating volatile compounds in a sealed system can result in the still exploding. In a space such as the kitchen this can be dangerous. A safe, (and supposedly historically accurate) alternative to steam distillation would be adding the resin to an oil or making a tincture. These methods have the additional benefit of preserving the boswellic acid found in the resin, but not the essential oil.
simple suggestion would be a solvent extraction. Usually isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol or ethanol (grain alcohol) work well for many resins. As simple as making tea (DO NOT use a flame if heating or drying flammable solvents!) and then letting it evaporate in a dish.
+Emma Eccles thanks for the heads up
Thanks for a great video, thinking of changing my copper alembic to a glass distiller so this was really helpful and very well explained
Beautifully done and I so enjoyed watching the process. It makes me want to start doing this as a side hobby now since I buy so many hydrosols and EO's already. :)
She has a oil distillery her husband has a moonshine distillery
Sadly this would make a rather poor alcohol still.
***** thats why i said he has his own please learn the elgelishes
is that a bong😂
+SpruceTreee yep..it look like a bong
Not a bong but might be able to make a great vape pin oil wit some wild herbs lol
After seeing this, I feel very confident that I will get the hang of extracting the oil from the plants I'm going to make oil with. I would like to thank everyone involved in the making of this video, because I have watched a few trying to learn a good way with explanations in the process as it's happening, that was exactly what I needed to see. I don't intend to make litres of oil just enough for my wife, to make her happy with a nice smell in the house, and the oils can be used medicinal as well.
congratulations on a great video Laura! everyone's told you about reversing the water flow through your condenser. You did an excellent job on the explanation! My girlfriend and I are going to do it soon. Thanks for the video.
i come here to learn how to make essential oil.
and now i want to learn how to have a beautiful wife. damn.
she is beautiful and classy
Same
😭😭😭
Lovely Video. Nicely Edited. I love the musical intro, and your accent.
What an inspiring, lovely and helpful instructional video! Thank you!
This was sooo good. Def one of the best how to videos on EO distillation. Thank you.
Thank you for the great video!!I am very interested in making my own lavender oil.This taught me a lot!Thanks again!
Awesome. Background music and the wife’s voice made the presentation amazing and inspiring
Very well done. I am an herbalist and your presentation was great!!!!!!
Great video... great honesty on first shot... great enthusiasm, and great comments in the comment section to help you and all.... thank you very much for posting and maintaining this... your Husband is a lucky man.. and you certainly sound like a happy and lucky wife.... wish you the best.
Thank you so much for the knowledge, for your appearance, for the pleasure of the lecture together with a demonstration. 👍
Thanks Laura! Great video production and precise information!
My curiosity sastisfied with EdOfTheNorth's education about the hydrosol.
This is so neat! Always wondered more about this! Thanks for explaining it!
This video is beautifully made; it looks more like a professional documental. The image, clarity, colors, are great and the lady in the video is amazingly beautiful
wow you explained it very well. but it is really hard work! I have always appreciated essential oils now I do even more. thanks!
We need more videos from you !!! After watching this, i wanted to subscribe, but there is just not enough content like that on the channel !
Beautifully narrated Wesley!
Fun, entertaining and educational video after getting past the first eight minutes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Would love to see how this is done with cold water extraction.
thank you for your efforts in posting this video! It has inspired me to try it myself; I will definitely refer to this video for future reference!
Thanks for your video. Really interesting. Someone has probably already said this but I would switch the tubes around on your condenser so the cold goes in the bottom and fills to the top. This also gives a temperature gradient like a proper heat exchanger. Also when draining off the last few drops of hydrosol stuck in the tube you could just touch the end of the tube with paper towel to break the surface tension/capillary effect - wouldn't help with the bit actually in the tap though. I'd really like to try this. I wonder if the family would let me!
It may be an older video but it's the best one to explain things! Thank you very much!
An excellent and clear presentation by an intelligent, (and very pretty), lady.
Thank you, Laura.
Thanks so much for all the info throughout the process. I am most interested in learning about essential oil distillation and you're advanced my knowledge significantly :-) Have fun!! Leigh
Thank you so much for this video. I got the same set up for Christmas but it came without any instructions!! And my husband can't remember where he bought it. It's set up but watching this video was soooo helpful!
Thank you for this video. I just bought the Heart Magic Distillation Kit and I appreciate seeing how the process works before I get started on my own. I was disappointed that you got so little oil out of it. I'm hoping different plants will produce more oil.