While there are thousands of different CBD products on the market, it’s also possible to make your own CBD oil at home. The easy, straightforward process gives you the ability to tailor the recipe to your needs while potentially saving a significant amount of money in the process.
All you’d need is a few simple ingredients and a pot to cook the blend on your stove. Feel free to alter the potency and choose a carrier oil that best suits your intended purpose. Follow the steps below to see how simple it is to make CBD oil at home.
Why make your own CBD oil?
People choose to make their own CBD oil for three basic reasons: affordability, potency, and quality.
Affordability: When you make your own CBD oil, you can save quite a bit of money. A bottle of 1000mg CBD oil can cost up to $150. Making a similar version at home might cost $40 since you won’t be paying for the brand name—which accounts for a significant component of the typical cost.
Potency: Feel free to adjust the recipe to produce the CBD concentration you need. This flexibility allows you to make a mild CBD oil for pets or a higher potency if necessary.
Quality CBD oil is a largely unregulated market, so there are often wide discrepancies in quality and consistency. Common complaints are added or undisclosed ingredients that affect the final product. By making your own CBD oil, you know exactly what’s in it.
Simple CBD Recipe
Ingredients
This is a basic recipe for CBD oil. It uses the following ingredients:
- 1 gram of CBD (cannabidiol) isolate or concentrate
- 1 cup of carrier oil (coconut, MCT, olive, or canola oil)
Equipment:
- Saucepan
- Stove or burner
- Recommended: food thermometer
Determine your ingredients:
CBD: To decide how much CBD you’ll need to add for your desired potency, divide the amount of CBD that you plan to add by the amount of oil used in teaspoons. One gram of CBD crystals or isolate into a cup of carrier oil will yield a product with 20mg CBD in each serving, which is about 48 teaspoons if you follow this recipe exactly. Add more CBD crystals or powder to increase the concentration for higher potency.
The most effective forms of CBD to use are CBD isolate or concentrate. The purest isolate is often sold as crystals.
Carrier Oil: Some of the best CBD oils are made with coconut, MCT, olive, or canola oils, depending on their intended use. If you plan to take CBD oil orally, consider a carrier oil with a taste you prefer, like coconut. If you plan to apply the CBD oil topically, consider olive oil as it is less likely to clog pores. Canola oil as a carrier would be ideal for CBD oil that will be used in cooking.
Instructions
- Add your carrier oil to the pot.
- Place the pot on the stove on low heat and let it simmer.
- When small bubbles form on the bottom of the pot, crush your CBD crystals or concentrate into a powder.
- Add the CBD powder to the pot.
- Stir the mixture until the powder has completely dissolved.
- If powder or crystals fail to dissolve, strain with cheesecloth to remove them.
- Remove the pot from the stove.
- Let the mixture cool down in the pot.
- Once the CBD oil has cooled down, transfer it to a tinted glass container.
Note: A thermometer is recommended to make sure that the oil does not exceed 245 degrees F/ 118 degrees C. Above this temperature, the CBD will dissolve and burn, rendering the compound ineffective.
Homemade CBD oil can be stored at room temperature for up to two months. To extend the shelf life, keep your CBD oil in the refrigerator.
How to use CBD oil:
Homemade CBD oil is extremely versatile. It can be consumed in several ways, depending on its intended purpose. Customize your CBD oil with the carrier oil of your choice. Here are a few common ways to use CBD oil:
- Take it orally: Take a teaspoon by mouth directly onto your tongue. Wait between 5-10 minutes to see how the CBD oil affects you before taking another dose if necessary.
- Cook with it: Alternatively, add a teaspoon to your food or drink. CBD oil can be used like THC in baked edibles like brownies or cookies to mask the flavor. Swap out a few teaspoons of CBD oil in any recipe that already calls for oil.
- Apply topically: Use CBD oil directly on your skin to relieve sore muscles, itchy skin, and soothe chronic pain. Mix it into a lotion or salve for easier application.
Is there a downside to making your own CBD oil?
Making homemade CBD oil is not for everyone. Here are a few reasons why you might not be up to the task:
- Time: The process of making CBD oil is simple enough, but it is time-consuming, especially as you go through the learning curve when you first start making your own. If you can afford to buy your own but have trouble finding the time to put it together, you might be better off buying CBD oil.
- Extraction: This recipe calls for CBD isolate, so if you require full-spectrum CBD oil, you may be better off purchasing it rather than making your own. It’s hard to successfully replicate full-spectrum CBD oil at home without professional extractors or sophisticated methods.
- Flavors and formulations: Commercial CBD treats often come in pleasant flavors or forms like gummies or beverages. These are hard to replicate at home.
Conclusion
Making CBD oil at home offers you the ability to ensure that your CBD has the potency you like with a carrier oil chosen for your purposes. If you have the time and inclination, carefully follow the instructions to take advantage of the numerous benefits of CBD oil and easily make your own at home.