Discover the benefits of making your own cannabis-infused oil at home and grab the recipe for a homemade cannabis-infused massage oil with options for infusing with both cannabis flowers and cannabis concentrates.
What is Cannabis Massage Oil?
The expanding legality of cannabis across the globe has led to an increase in the popularity of many different types of cannabis oil, including cannabis massage oils for topical application.
Cannabis oils are made by extracting various cannabinoids, like CBD or THC, from the cannabis plant.
Cannabinoids can be extracted from the plant material after undergoing decarboxylation with either heat or solvents.
The cannabinoids are then infused with a carrier oil, as cannabinoids are lipophilic and better absorbed with fat.
Many popular carrier oils include coconut oil, MCT oil, or hemp seed oil.
Together the cannabinoids and the carrier oil come together to make an infused oil that can be used on the skin, topically as a luxurious massage oil.
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Why Homemade Cannabis Massage Oils Are Awesome
As various cannabis oils are increasingly gaining acceptance in the health and wellness world, so does the desire to make these products at home.
This trend can be attributed to the strong anecdotal evidence and emerging studies confirming that cannabis can be used as a remedy for common ailments.
1. Affordability
A lot of what a customer pays for when buying store-bought oil or massage products is the branding factor of production.
You can easily cut costs by following the recipes here, you simply need to gather all the materials needed.
A quick spot check across beauty shops and retailers shows that you could actually save up to 50% by doing so overtime.
2. Quality
The CBD industry remains highly unregulated; therefore, it is quite hard to test for the consistency and quality of your average CBD brand.
There is also a tendency of not disclosing the entire contents of these oils by manufacturers.
That is why I have created this guide to help you choose a safe CBD product.
The best option for knowing what is in your cannabis oil to make it yourself.
3. Potency
The cost of high-potency oil is high, and oftentimes it is difficult to get, depending on where you live.
One way to have complete control over the accessibility and potency of your product is by formulating it yourself. As
I always say cannabis is a self-experiment, and testing many different recipes will help you achieve your preferred potency.
How To Make Cannabis Massage Oil At Home
For the cannabis-infused massage oil recipe below we infused the oil with dried cannabis flower buds along with other medicinal herbs.
You can also make a homemade massage oil at home with cannabis concentrates.
I will go over both options below.
Cannabis-Infused Massage Oil with Flower
If you have access to stems, leaves, trim, or other forms of cannabis flower, they are perfect to use in this recipe.
You can also use kief for a super potent massage oil, or already vaped bud for a less potent massage oil.
Together with our cannabis herb, we combined other healing herbs including lavender, calendula, mint, and clove.
You can decide whether you want a CBD dominant massage oil or a THC dominant massage oil based on what flower you start with.
You can make your own CBD massage oil using CBD hemp flower, or a THC massage oil using traditional cannabis flower.
Of course, you can easily customize the fresh or dried herbs you want to infuse into your cannabis massage oil depending on the experience you're looking for.
You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil if you desire.
Cannabis-Infused Massage Oil With Concentrates
Of course, I understand that getting your hands on cannabis flowers is easier said than done in many parts of the country.
Luckily, you can still make your own cannabis-infused massage oil with homemade CBD oil, store-bought CBD oil, or CBD concentrates if you do not have access to cannabis flowers.
If you live in a recreationally legal state or have a medical marijuana card, you can easily obtain cannabis concentrates from the dispensary.
You would choose either one depending on how strong you want your massage oil.
For a strong CBD massage oil, we recommend using a CBD concentrate which contains 500mg of CBD in just 1mL.
This means you do not have to add a lot of volume to your massage oil to get a strong final product.
To make your own CBD massage oil with homemade CBD oil or store-bought CBD oil you already have, follow the recipe as is, minus the cannabis flower, and add the CBD product at the end of the infusion process.
Will Cannabis Massage Oil Get Me or My Clients High?
The topical application of cannabis onto the skin is a great application method for first-time cannabis users because it does not induce an intoxicating experience like inhaling cannabis or consuming edibles.
Using a cannabis massage oil infused with either CBD or THC will likely not get you or your clients 'high' or cause any intoxicating effects.
This is because it is believed that cannabinoids cannot penetrate the skin deep enough to pass through the tough outer layer of the skin to reach the bloodstream.
Additionally, a case report published in Forensic Science International reports that it is not believed that topically applied cannabinoids like THC will show up in the bloodstream or urine when tested (1).
You can learn more about how cannabis topicals work here.
How to Determine The Dosing
Want to get a more accurate guesstimate of the potency of your cannabis infusions and extractions? Try our popular edibles calculator!
What Other Topicals Can I Make?
Once you have this cannabis massage oil made, you can make more awesome topical recipes.
One of the most popular cannabis recipes loved by my Well With Cannabis Community is my homemade cannabis salve.
This massage oil is actually the base of that recipe, and can be easily customized to make a final product you love.
Another popular recipe is my homemade cannabis lip balm which will leave your lips feeling silky smooth.
Want To Make This Easier? Use A Machine!
If the process of decarbing and infusing feels like too much work, these countertop devices may be a perfect all-in-one solution!
Two of the most popular brands include the LĒVO and the Ardent. Review the six most popular infusion machines here.
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Cannabis-Infused Massage Oil (CBD or THC)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups hemp seed oil
- ½ cup lavender flowers dried
- ¼ cup calendula flowers dried
- 1 ounce cannabis flowers decarboxylated
- 2 tablespoons mint fresh, chopped
- 2 teaspoons cloves whole, dried
Instructions
- Preheat a water bath to 185° F. Various water bath techniques are explained in the notes section below.
- Combine all ingredients together in a 16-ounce mason jar, wipe rim and finger tighten the lid.
- Place the mason jar into the water bath and cook for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, remove the jar and allow to cool enough to handle. Strain the oil into a clean mason jar through a filter or cheesecloth.
- Let the oil cool to room temperature, seal the mason jar, and store in a cool dark place until ready for use.
Notes
- Yield: ~16 ounces / ~2 cups
- Temperature Control: The water bath does not need to stat perfectly at 185° F the entire time. Any temperature between 170°-190°F is OK.
- Safety First: I recommend you sanitize your jars by keeping them submerged in the 185° F crockpot for 10 at least minutes. This step is not necessary, but good practice for safety and hygiene.
- Floating Jars: Sometimes the mason jar will float when placed in the water bath. This is no need for concern, simply put something heat and water safe over the top of the jar to weigh it down, a clean rock works well.
- Make sure the cannabis flower is decarbed prior to adding it to this recipe or you may not experience the activated effects of CBD or THC.
- If you are using an Immersion Cooker or Sous Vide Cooker, fill a vessel deep enough to hold a 1-quart mason jar with an inch of water above lid with hot water. Preheat the water to 185° F.
- If you are using a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot for your water bath, fill the cooking vessel with enough hot water to cover the mason jar with an inch of water above the lid.
- If using an Instant Pot; set the slow cooker mode to 185°F and preheat.
- If using a Crock-Pot; preheat on high until 185° F is reached, then turn to low, a digital probe thermometer is recommended for Crock-Pot to ensure accurate temperature control.
- Alternative Carrier Oil Options Include:
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Coconut oil