Use double boilers for hot infusing oils with herbs, or for making salves, lotions, and balms.

For a DIY Double Boiler you’ll need:

A small saucepan
A canning jar ring
A 1 or 2 cup glass measuring cup

Directions:

Place the canning jar ring in the bottom of the saucepan. This protects the glass measuring cup from direct contact with the heating element of your stove and will prevent unexpected shattering.
Place the glass measuring cup into the saucepan, on top of the canning jar ring. While glass measuring cups are expected to be heat safe, it is best to take precautions against breakage. Place your ingredients inside the glass measuring cup.
Fill the saucepan with water just up to the halfway point on the measuring cup.
Turn on the heating element to medium. Bring the water to a low simmer, inside the saucepan. Rapid boiling may introduce water into your salve or balm, creating the spoilage conditions, so we want to avoid that. You’ll only heat the water in the saucepan long enough for the ingredients in your glass measuring cup to melt fully.
Stir the ingredients to fully blend them. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

As you are making herbal recipes, place the ingredients inside the glass measuring cup so it can gently melt. By placing the saucepan on a source of heat, the water in the saucepan will simmer and the measuring cup will heat, melting the butters, waxes, and oils together.

You can also use the yogurt setting in an instant pot, or crock pot, along with a canning jar ring and a jar for hot oil infusion in a double boiler. This technique is more controlled than using a stove top double boiler. This technique is NOT hot enough to melt wax for lotions or balms, use it only for fast infusing oils.