With the rising popularity of CBD, it is fairly easy to access CBD-based products. Brands have hopped on the trend, making it simple to purchase oils, salves, and more from the comfort of your own home.

While you could shop online for the best CBD oil or go to the store to pick up your own bottle right now, there are some benefits to taking a DIY approach.

For one, it helps you choose exactly what products are going into your CBD oil, so there is no uncertainty about what you are putting in or on your body. This also gives you the flexibility to pick ingredients that work best for your needs.

If you are curious about how to make CBD oil at home, you can follow these straightforward steps. It can be a fun at-home experiment, and you may be surprised by what you can create.

Ingredients and Supplies

In order to make your own Cannabidiol, you will need:

Oil of your choice (16 ounces)

Hemp flower (1 ounce)

Baking sheet

Double boiler or crock pot

Herb grinder or knife

Cheesecloth, coffee filter, or nut milk bag

Glass jar with lid for storage

Process

Choose Your Oil: You will first need to pick an oil to use. You can use essentially any oil you’d like—olive oil and coconut oil are both great choices, as they have subdued tastes, and you can likely find them in your kitchen. Prep the Hemp: Take your chosen hemp flower and finely grind it. A grinder will work best, but you can chop it with a knife if that is what is available to you. The goal is to get the pieces as small as possible, as this will help extract more CBD. Heat the Hemp: You will need to decarboxylate the hemp, which transforms the CBD into its active form. Manufacturers will typically do this by using high-tech CO2 equipment. You can emulate this practice at home by spreading the finely ground hemp onto a baking sheet and baking it at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes. They should be very lightly browned and slightly crisped. Mix in the Oil and Heat: Mix your decarboxylated hemp with your oil in either a double boiler or a crock pot, and turn on the heat to begin extraction. This should be done on a lower heat setting with the crock pot, or with simmering water underneath the double boiler. Let the extraction process continue for about 2 to 3 hours, checking every half hour to stir and check on the color. Once the oil has turned into a brownish-green color, you can move on to the next step. Strain the Oil: Take the mixture and pour it through your cheesecloth (or strainer of choice) into a glass container for storage. Try to squeeze as much of the oil as possible out of the hemp. Discard the strained hemp, and seal your container, storing it in a dry, cool, and dark space to maintain its longevity.

Note: CBD oil can be extracted from either hemp or marijuana, and your source will affect the outcome of your oil. The hemp plant contains a high CBD concentration, along with a low concentration of THC (below 0.3%). By extracting from the hemp plant, you will end up with an oil that has a higher level of CBD, with little to no THC, so you won’t end up experiencing any psychoactive effects.

Conclusion

Once the above steps are completed, you’ll finally have a ready-to-use homemade CBD oil. Transfer some of the oil into a dropper bottle for easy use, or even add some to your go-to body lotion for a CBD topical treatment.

If you continue to make your own CBD oil at home, play with different hemp flowers and oils to explore options that work best for you.