How to Make Pine Resin Oil

This tutorial walks you through exactly how to infuse pine resin into oil, including resin-to-oil ratios, safety tips, and cleanup tricks. It’s a helpful read for anyone interested in natural skincare, herbal crafting, or foraged ingredients.

When working with pine resin, one common mistake is trying to melt the resin all by itself, then attempting to mix hot, melted resin directly into a soap or salve.

This approach can be messy and cause problems such as uneven results or recipe issues. An easier method is to first infuse the resin into oil, then strain to remove bits of bark and needles, and then used that infused oil in your formulations.

Below, I’ll walk you through exactly how to do that!

(Not able to forage your own pine resin? I’ve also purchased sustainably harvested pine resin from small businesses on Etsy before with great success. Look for RESIN, not ROSIN, as I explain in “How to Forage Pine Resin: What’s the Difference Between Resin and Rosin“.)

Preparing Pine Resin for Infusion

Before infusing, you’ll want to break larger chunks of pine resin into smaller pieces or powder. This increases surface area and helps the resin dissolve more completely into the oil.

How to Crush Pine Resin

You’ll need:

• large chunks of pine resin
• parchment paper or freezer paper
• a freezer
• a hammer

Place the resin on parchment or freezer paper, chunks of resin on a sheet of parchment or freezer paper and freeze it for several hours until hard.

Once frozen, fold the paper over the resin and carefully tap it with a hammer to break it into smaller bits. This step is best done outside on a porch or sidewalk, for easier cleanup.

While you could technically use a coffee grinder to make a finer texture – sticky things like resins and propolis will leave a residue inside your coffee grinder that is almost impossible to clean off, so I prefer using the hammer/parchment method in this case.

Pine Allergy Safety Note

If you’re allergic to pine pollen or pine nuts, use caution when working with pine resin or other pine products. Consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns or questions.

Why Infuse Pine Resin Into Oil?

Pine resin is not water soluble, but it readily dissolves into oil or high proof alcohol. Infusing it into oil allows its antimicrobial, warming, and aromatic compounds to be captured in a form that’s easy to use in salves, soaps, and body care products.

Making the Infused Oil

Supplies You’ll Need

• crushed or powdered pine resin
• oil of your choice
• a glass mason or canning jar
• a small saucepan, (to make a double boiler setup)
• a stainless steel or heatproof strainer
• extra oil for cleanup (coconut oil works very well)

Simple Guidelines for Resin to Oil Ratios

The strength of your infusion depends on how much resin you use.

• For most skincare recipes: Use about 1 part resin to 3 to 4 parts oil. (Example: 1/4 cup resin infused into 3/4 to 1 cup of oil.)

• If you have a limited amount of resin: Use 1 part resin to 8 parts oil. (Example: 1 tablespoon resin to 1/2 cup of oil. There are 8 tablespoons in 1/2 cup of oil.)

• For soapmaking: Use 2 to 3 tablespoons resin for a pint jar of oil. (Which is about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of oil.)

Read more about herbal infused oils:

How to Make Herb Infused Oils (+FAQS & Tips)

Jar Cleanup Tips

If resin stubbornly sticks to the bottom of your infusing jar, add more plain oil, then cap the jar and tuck in a warm area (like the top of your fridge) for a couple of months. Much of the resin should seep into the oil.

Another idea is to strain out as much oil as possible, then pour high proof vodka or alcohol into the jar, over the stuck resin. Cover and check on it every few days. The alcohol will eventually dissolve much of the resin, making the jar easier to clean.