Can rubbing alcohol be used for topical herbal extracts/tinctures?

I'd like to try making herbal extracts, more for their scent than for any medicinal purpose.

I have switched hand soap/shampoo/conditioner brands in the last year, because I found another brand that is unscented and significantly cheaper, and works  as well or better...I'm extremely sensitive to scent, so everything in my house is unscented, with the previous exception of my lightly scented shampoo (which I also used as hand soap). Honestly, I miss that brief hit of scent.

The brand I was using makes the only scented products I could tolerate - looking at their ingredients, I suspect that's because they use extracts instead of oils to hold the scent, meaning that they don't leave a residue on the skin. So scent was released while washing, but didn't linger to irritate me later...

My favourite scents  are generally pine, spruce, thyme, rosemary, citrus, lemon balm... Most of which I could grab from my yard.

I could go out and buy a $20 mickey of vodka to try making extracts with  - but I have a bottle of isopropyl in the cupboard.

Anyone tried it? Any downsides?

I suppose the alternative is vinegar, but I haven't found vinegars hold scent as well as alcohol.

Are you trying to make something scented like cologne?

I feel isopropyl alcohol will have a chemical smell you may not like and will be drying on the skin.

Anne Miller wrote:Are you trying to make something scented like cologne?

I feel isopropyl alcohol will have a chemical smell you may not like and will be drying on the skin.

Something far less scented than cologne, which is usually scented oils in alcohol. Think 'a few drops in a bottle of shampoo " with the goal being a similar level of scent to holding a steaming cup of tea under your nose.

I have tried, the denaturing scent stays so it ruins the smell. Ever clear is the best but any high proof booze works.

Ruined my first batch of bay rum extract with isopropyl alcohol.

If you are looking for medicinals, rubbing alcohol works great. In the back of your head, you expect a medicinal smell. For aroma? Definitely a bad idea. Just last night Hunny put some red pepper extract with DMSO on my back. A nose full of the alcohol wafted in front of my face. Uck. It was not lovely.

Also, I typically dry my herbs before tincturing them. Then I put them in rum for extraction. If I have to use the herb fresh, that's when I reach for the high dollar vodka.

If you are trying to make an unscented product have a scent then why not try to scent the product?

Example:  Put a lemon balm leaf into a small amount of shampoo to see if you can make a fresh, calming scent.  Maybe experiment with fresh in one and dried in another.

Or why not make an infused tea to use as a hair rinse to give your hair that scent.

I make teas from herbs and keep them in the fridge to use for medicinal perpouses.

If the scent of the essential oils/ herbs is what you're looking for, you're not going to be happy with isopropyl alcohol or vinegar. You'll be much happier with the vodka.