You can make carrot oil at home by infusing fresh carrots into a carrier oil, and it’s one of the easiest DIY skincare and cooking projects you can try.
Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, vitamins, and antioxidants, so learning how to make carrot oil means you’re capturing all that goodness in a bottle.
Whether you want carrot oil for cooking, for your face, or for your hair, the process is simple and only requires a few ingredients.
In this post, we’ll walk through how do you make carrot oil step by step, plus the different methods you can use depending on what you need it for.
Let’s get into it.
How Do You Make Carrot Oil? The Basic Process
Making carrot oil comes down to one simple idea: extracting the nutrients from carrots into a carrier oil.
You can make carrot oil using fresh carrots, dried carrots, or even carrot powder, and each method has its own perks.
The most common way to make carrot oil is through infusion, which means slowly heating carrots in oil so the fat absorbs all the vitamins and color.
Here’s how to make carrot oil the traditional way.
1. Gather Your Ingredients
To make carrot oil, you’ll need about two to three fresh organic carrots, one cup of carrier oil, and a clean glass jar.
Good carrier oils for making carrot oil include olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and sunflower oil.
If you’re making carrot oil for cooking, olive oil or avocado oil works great.
If you’re making carrot oil for skin or hair, jojoba and sweet almond oil are fantastic choices.
2. Prep the Carrots
Wash and peel your carrots, then grate them finely so more surface area is exposed to the oil.
The finer you grate the carrots, the more nutrients will release into the oil when you make carrot oil.
You can also dehydrate the grated carrots first if you want a longer shelf life for your carrot oil.
3. Combine Carrots and Oil
Place your grated carrots into a clean glass jar and pour the carrier oil over them until they’re fully covered.
Give it a gentle stir so the carrots and oil are well mixed before you start the infusion process.
4. Infuse the Oil
There are two main ways to infuse when you make carrot oil: the slow heat method and the cold method.
For the slow heat method, place the jar in a pot of simmering water and let it sit for two to three hours on low heat.
For the cold method, seal the jar and let it sit in a sunny window for about four to six weeks, shaking it daily.
The heat method is faster, but the cold method preserves more delicate nutrients when you make carrot oil.
5. Strain and Store
Once your carrot oil has infused long enough, strain it through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a clean bottle.
Squeeze the cheesecloth to get every last drop of carrot oil out of the carrots.
Store your finished carrot oil in a dark glass bottle away from direct sunlight, where it will keep for six to twelve months.
Benefits of Making Carrot Oil at Home
When you make carrot oil yourself, you know exactly what’s in it and you skip all the preservatives and additives.
Carrot oil is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A for healthy skin and vision.
It’s also loaded with antioxidants that help fight free radicals and support anti-aging.
Using carrot oil on your skin can help brighten your complexion and even out your skin tone.
Carrot oil for hair helps nourish the scalp and can promote stronger, shinier strands.
And if you make carrot oil for cooking, it adds a subtle sweet flavor and a warm orange hue to your dishes.
Tips for Making the Best Carrot Oil
Always use fresh, high-quality carrots when you make carrot oil because old carrots won’t give you the same nutrients.
Choose a carrier oil with a mild scent so it doesn’t overpower the natural carrot aroma.
Keep the heat low during infusion, since high heat can destroy the vitamins you’re trying to extract.
Label your jar with the date you made your carrot oil so you know when it’s time to make a fresh batch.
If you’re making carrot oil for skincare, add a few drops of vitamin E oil to extend its shelf life.
So, How Do You Make Carrot Oil?
You make carrot oil by infusing grated carrots into a carrier oil using either gentle heat or a slow cold infusion.
It’s an easy process that only takes a few ingredients and a little patience.
Once you know how to make carrot oil, you can whip up a fresh batch anytime for cooking, skincare, or hair care.
Whether you make carrot oil for its beauty benefits or its kitchen uses, you’ll love having this golden infusion on hand.
Hope this post has helped you understand how do you make carrot oil and inspired you to try making your own batch at home.