How to make ginger oil
Needed Ingredients:
- Fresh ginger
- 1½ cups olive oil
- Oven-safe bowl
- Cheese grater
Directions:
You should rinse a cup of fresh ginger, including the skin, and let dry for a couple of hours. Pour the olive oil into an oven-safe bowl. Chop the ginger then use a clean cheese grater to shred. Add to the olive oil and make sure to mix well. Put the mixture in the oven and let it simmer under low heat (150 degrees Fahrenheit) for 2 hours.
You should pour the mixture through an unbleached cheese cloth in order to filter it and eliminate the bits of ginger. Next, squeeze out the remaining oil from the cheese cloth and transfer the ginger oil into bottles. Make sure to keep it in a cool and dry place. You can keep the ginger oil fresh for up to 6 months.
Is Ginger Oil Safe?
In general, ginger oil is safe for use as long as it is not used in very strong concentrations. Those who have sensitive skin are recommended to do a skin patch test before they decide to use ginger oil in order to find out if they have any allergic reactions to it. You can also dilute the ginger oil in other carrier oils, such as bergamot, frankincense, ylang-ylang, neroli, sandalwood, and rose.
Make sure not to apply ginger oil on skin areas that will be exposed to the sun within 24 hours after application because ginger oil may be phototoxic. Pregnant women are recommended to consult their doctor before using ginger oil while young children are not allowed to use it at all.
Side Effects of Ginger Oil
It is not recommended to use ginger oil if you have any sensitivity to ginger root. Ginger oil can cause some side effects, including nausea, heartburn, sores in the mouth, and skin rashes (if you use it topically). Also, it is very important to consult your physician in a case you are taking some medications.