Comfrey is known for its ability to soothe muscle pains and joint aches, but comfrey oil is also fantastic for healing dry, cracked skin and bruises. Here's a super easy recipe for infused comfrey oil that you can make in just a few hours.
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Comfrey is, in my book, a magical plant. I started growing it because it makes a rich homemade fertilizer for the vegetable garden, but I've come to appreciate it all on its own. Its broad leaves are some of the first to start shooting up in the spring, the bees love its flowers, and it grows so rapidly that even one plant gives way more leaves than I could harvest for comfrey oils and salves.
Comfrey oil would make a fantastic massage oil for aching backs, elbows, knees, and feet. It's also a helpful addition to healing winter salves, which I've found to do wonders for chapped lips and dry hands and feet-- and which I make for anyone willing to try it. Like I said, it's basically magic.
What is comfrey oil good for?
Comfrey has traditionally been used to reduce bruising, heal sprains, reduce muscle pain, and aid in healing broken bones, and there's research to support many of those uses. For example, comfrey extract has been found to promote bone formation, heal wounds, reduce skin irritation, reduce muscle pains and aches, and reduce swelling from sprained ankles.
It's also fantastic for your skin, as it has well documented anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidative properties, and is known to promote collagen production.
In more practical terms, that means that comfrey oil could be good for soothing aching joints and muscles, repairing dried or cracked skin, healing scrapes and cuts, helping broken or fractured bones to heal, and reducing swelling and inflammation.
Here, the healthcare professionals will want me to advise you to consult a doctor before using comfrey oil on any open wounds. Comfrey oil, like rosemary oil, is efficacious for promoting skin growth. But that can also mean that, especially when used on puncture wounds, it can encourage the skin to heal before any internal wound has, trapping bacteria in.
Another caution: comfrey oil should never be used for cooking, as comfrey isn't safe for digestion in any form. That's because the plant-- especially the young leaves and roots-- contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, part of its defense system against herbivores. In humans, pyrrolizidine alkaloids can cause liver damage, liver cancer, and even death. Hence, it doesn't go in salads.
While all of the research that I've personally come across has found that topical applications are safe for adults and children over three, I've also seen researchers suggest that comfrey ointments shouldn't be used even topically for those who are breastfeeding or pregnant. As with all herbal remedies, there are more studies coming out all the time, and some of them contradict each other. I encourage you to do some research if you're interested in using comfrey oil regularly.
Materials and ingredients for homemade comfrey oil
Most of the materials you'll need for making comfrey oil at home are probably already in your kitchen: a double boiler (or a small pot and tempered glass jar), a sieve, and a measuring cup. In addition to the comfrey itself, here are a few more materials you'll need:
- Carrier oil: Which oil you use comes down to preference, and there are a few great options. Extra virgin olive oil is an affordable, super moisturizing option and works well in salves. Coconut oil and grapeseed oil are also skin-friendly, antioxidant-rich options. Finally, sweet almond oil and jojoba oil are noncomedogenic oils that are fantastic for DIY skincare products.
- Cheesecloth: Any small bits of comfrey leaf that get into the finished oil could cause it to spoil prematurely, so it's worth straining the oil through a sieve and a fine cheesecloth. If you're using a brand new cheesecloth, don't forget to wash the sizing off first, and give it time to dry (to avoid water getting into the oil).
- Airtight bottles: I've stored this oil in clear apothecary bottles, but generally I recommend dark blue or amber apothecary bottles (with cork stoppers or dropper lids). The darker bottles stop too much light getting in, extending the oil's shelf-life.
How do you make a comfrey oil infusion (the quick way)?
The quickest way to make comfrey oil is to infuse chopped up, fresh leaves on a stove or in a crockpot. It's as simple as it gets: add 1 cup of fresh, chopped comfrey leaves to a tempered glass jar or double boiler, cover the leaves with carrier oil, and then heat to infuse in a pot of warm water. Once they're done infusing, strain the leaves out using a cheesecloth and store the oil in a clean, dry, and airtight container like an apothecary bottle.
If using this method, keep in mind that you don't want (or need!) to cook the leaves in the oil. A gentle heat setting will do beautifully after a couple of hours.
Another important note: keep lids off of the double boiler or pot of water and the jar of comfrey. They don't need the added heat, but more than that, using the lids could introduce drops of water that could make your oil go rancid prematurely.
How to solar infuse comfrey oil
The alternative-- or really, more traditional-- method for infusing comfrey oil would be a sun infusion. If you want to infuse your comfrey oil in the sun, you'll need to first completely dry the leaves to avoid any water being released into the oil. This can take anywhere from two days to a week, depending on whether you dry the leaves individually or hang them in bundles.
Once the comfrey leaves are completely dry, crush them up and add them to your jar. Top the jar up with your carrier oil, leaving just a little headspace at the top, and leave the mixture somewhere warm to infuse for 4-6 weeks, turning or shaking it every day or two. If you infuse the oil in a windowsill, it's best to cover the jar with a paper bag or cloth, as sunlight can cause oils to degrade.
Once you're satisfied that the oil is well infused, strain out the leaves with a cheesecloth and transfer the comfrey oil into a new, clean container. As with the quick infusion method, you'll want to store your oil in a cool, dark place (ideally in dark glass like an apothecary jar). It should keep for at least a year and can last for up to two years, depending on the carrier oil you use.
📖 Recipe
Comfrey Oil Recipe
An easy, homemade infused comfrey oil ideal for healing salves, balms, and massage oils
Ingredients
- 2 c chopped dried or fresh comfrey leaves
- 1-2 c carrier oil
Instructions
- Add chopped fresh leaves or crumbled dried leaves to a tempered glass jar or the top pot of a double boiler
- Add carrier oil until the leaves are completely submerged. If using fresh leaves, let sit for 2 minutes and top off once leaves have absorbed some oil
- Place in a pot of water (or add water to the bottom pot of a double boiler) and leave over low heat for 2-4 hours to infuse
- Remove from heat and let cool
- Strain through a cheesecloth and transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place. Should keep for 1-2 years.
Notes
- Olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and jojoba oil can all be used as carrier oils. For maximum shelf life, use a freshly opened carrier oil.
- While infusing, do not put lids on the jar of oil or the pot of water. This can introduce water that might cause the oil to spoil prematurely.
- Storing the finished oil in a clean, dry, and dark apothecary jar can help extend its shelf life by reducing the amount of light that reaches the oil
Quick infusion vs sun infusion
I like to use the quick infusion method for comfrey oil for two reasons: because it saves the waiting time of drying the leaves, and because it makes it possible for me to make the oil in the fall.
I tend to harvest comfrey in late September or early October to make a healing salve for winter. If I were to infuse the oil in my window in early October, it wouldn't be ready to use until mid-November at the earliest.
Another factor to consider: which type of carrier oil you're using. If you want to do an oil infusion in the early spring or fall, keep in mind that coconut oil will likely solidify for much of the day, making a sun infusion much less effective.
How long does comfrey oil last?
Homemade comfrey oil will last for 1-2 years if it is stored in a cool, dark place. Using a freshly opened, long-lasting carrier oil such as olive oil or sweet almond oil can help to extend the infusion's shelf life.
Can you use comfrey oil on your face?
Comfrey isn't known to irritate skin and should be fine to use on your face. That said, since comfrey oil is best used for minor ailments like sore joints and bruises, it wouldn't be the most beneficial infused oil for facial skincare. (For that, I'd recommend making calendula oil, instead!)
Another consideration is the carrier oil that you're using. I like to infuse comfrey and rosemary in olive oil so that I can use them in a muscle-soothing, healing salve-- but I wouldn't want to put olive oil on my face. If you do want to use comfrey oil on your face, consider infusing a more face-friendly (and less comedogenic) carrier oil like sweet almond oil or jojoba oil.
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