Orange, Clove and Myrrh Body Oil (James Wong)

Okay, so you’ve prepared your Satsuma Muffins.  Now … what to do with that little pile of discarded peels…?

Well, luckily - I have just the thing! 

Justifiably described as ‘the fragrance of Christmas in a bottle’, this is another recipe from the Christmas episode of James Wong’s successful Grow Your Own Drugs series.  This, and other recipes from the programme, are available on the BBC website.

Ingredients

• Peel of 5 oranges, tangerines or satsumas
• 4 tbsp cloves
• 400ml sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp myrrh resin 

To make

1. Put the orange peel, cloves and sunflower oil into a blender and blend until smooth. 
2. Pour the mixture into a glass heatproof bowl and place over a pan of boiling water.  Add the myrrh, then cover and leave to simmer for 1 hour, making sure the pan does not boil dry. 
3. Take off the heat and leave to cool. Strain the mixture (I did this through a sieve and then through a piece of muslin).  Bottle up. 

To use

Apply liberally to moisturize and nourish dry skin, or use as a massage lotion. 

To store

Will keep in a dark cool place for up to 3 months.

What this recipe taught me

• Active ingredient: myrrh has anti-inflammatory properties.
• How to infuse ingredients in oil over heat.  It’s very simple!

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