DISCLAIMER:

Do not treat the information contained here as a prescription, it is intended as a resource of knowledge for you. Do not use any herb that you cannot positively identify, be it from the wild or your garden. When in doubt you should purchase your dried herbs from a reputable herbalist and seek treatment from a qualified practitioner.

Salves

Salves are generally created using oil (infused or aromatherapy) and beeswax. Salves are very similar to ointments.

NEED: Infused or aromatherapy oil or olive oil, stainless steel or cast iron pot, wooden spoon, jar or jars with lids, grated beeswax, essential oils (optional), and vitamin E (optional).

Make Sure that there is NO water on the pots, pans, jars, etc. that you will be using, moisture will cause the salves to go bad!

PREPARE: Heat most of the oil in a pot over low heat, stirring slowly and often (almost constantly). Add grated beeswax slowly, letting it melt and a few drops of essential oil (if you are using herbs 1-2 oz of herb for 1-cup oil. Mix the herbs and oil, and place them in an open oven at 140 degrees for 3 hours.  Allow to cool, and strain oil thru muslin) and/or your vitamin E. Some say that the ratio of beeswax to oil should wind up being about 3 parts beeswax to 4 parts oil, but remember to add the wax slowly. Once the wax is melted in, pour some of the warm oil and wax mixture into a jar and place in the freezer for about five minutes. Pull it out and test it, if it’s a good consistency for you, then your salve is perfect. If it’s too hard, add some more oil (that’s why we didn’t put it all in!), or if it’s too soft, add more beeswax. If you live in a warm climate, remember that the heat will cause your salve to be softer, so you might want to add more beeswax. Once your salve’s the way you want it, pour it out into jars and tighten the lids. Wait 15 minutes and retighten the lids (the cooling may have caused the caps to loosen).

USE: Topically, as needed for various external problems.

STORAGE: Store your salves in a cool, dry, dark place. They should keep from 6 months to 1 year. Some salves which contain a lot of protein (like comfrey salves) will probably go bad more quickly.

Ointments

Ointments are very similar to salves, and they can be used, for the most part, interchangeably.

**Note: some people are allergic to lanolin. **

NEED: As pure lanolin as you can find or pork lard (refine by simmering and straining) or good quality oil or Vaseline or petroleum jelly or water, benzoin tincture, herbs, beeswax, non-aluminum pot, stove, strainer and jar.

PREPARE:
Version #1: Make a decoction. Add the decoction to a good quality oil and simmer the water away. Keep the oil on the stove on medium-low heat and slowly add grated beeswax to it. Periodically cool a sample in the freezer for 5 minutes to check constancy. When the sample is the hardness you desire, stop adding beeswax and pour ointment into jars to cool. Cover loosely with cap. Tighten lid 30 minutes later.

Version #2: Simmer herbs in lanolin or lard for several hours, strain, then let cool. If it doesn’t thicken, reheat mixture and add grated or melted beeswax to mixture and sample as above. Add 1-drop tincture of benzoin/oz lard used to preserve it.

Version #3: Mix herbs into Vaseline or petroleum jelly in pot and bring to boil. Strain, cool and put in jar.

Version #4: Make as salve. Heat infused oil over medium-low heat. Add grated beeswax, sampling as above. Cool and jar.

USE: Topically, as needed for various external problems.

STORAGE: Store your ointments in a cool, dry, dark place. They should keep from 6 months to 1 year.

Liniments

Liniments are used externally, most often for sore muscles, sprains and joint pain.

*Do not ingest any herbal preparation made from rubbing alcohol. *

NEED: Oil or alcohol or rubbing alcohol or vinegar, herbs, strainer, and jar.

PREPARE: Pour liquid into jar; add herbs, cover and let sit in cool, dark environment for:
Powdered herbs: 3-7 days.
Other dried herbs: 2-6 weeks.
Fresh herbs: 2-6 weeks.
Strain and recap. (Vinegar may be diluted to 50% strength prior to steeping).

USE: Liniments are for external use only and are used to relieve the pain from arthritis, sprains, muscles and gout, as well as to stimulate circulation.
Oil is most often used for massages.
Vinegar is an astringent.
Alcohol creates a cooling sensation as it evaporates.

STORAGE: Store in airtight container out of direct light in cool, dry place. Oil liniments last up to six months, alcohol last up to 5-10 years.

Poultices

Poultices are usually a water-based preparation, though can, in a pinch, be made with nothing but the herb.

NEED: Herbs, cloth, and water, tea, infusion, decoction, or juice.

PREPARE: Poultices are very easy to make anywhere. There are at least four methods.

Chew up (if it’s non-toxic) or bruise the plant in your hand and apply directly to the skin. (Great for ‘field’ herbalism, just make sure it’s not a poisonous plant!!)

Pour water (cold, room temperature or hot) over the crushed fresh or dry herbs to moisten them. Place the wet herbs directly on the skin OR between two pieces of cloth then put the cloth (with herbs inside) on the skin.

Make a tea, infusion or decoction, soak cloth in it, wring cloth out, and then place the damp cloth on the skin.

Soak a cloth in the juice of the plant, wring out the cloth, and then place it on the skin

USE: Poultices can be used for 15 -30 minutes several times daily, or some herbalists put them on and don’t take them off for a week or more, depending on the problem. I would recommend that a poultice be changed at least daily, if at all possible! They are used for anything from bug-bites and minor wounds to sprains and swellings.

STORAGE: Since these are usually made on an ‘as needed’ basis, they aren’t usually stored, but if they must be, It is suggested to place them in a plastic bag in the fridge for no more than a week at a time.

Compresses

Compresses are external preparations and are sometimes called fomentations, though they are generally smaller and used more on the extremities.

NEED: Absorbent cloth, tea, decoction or infusion, plastic wrap (or plastic bag).

PREPARE: Cold Compress: Soak a cloth in cold decoction, tea, or infusion. Wring it out, and then place on wound, joint, or wherever you want it. Cover with plastic to retain moisture. Keep on 10-20 minutes (until warmed by body heat), then remove and replace.

Other Compresses: Soak a cloth in very hot (but tolerable to touch) tea, infusion or decoction, wring it out slightly, and then place it on the wound, joint, etc. Cover with plastic, then wrap with dry cloth to hold it in place. Re-soak bottom cloth when it cools.

USE: Compresses can be large or small and can be used for the chest for chest colds and congestions, or can be used for other parts of the body to reduce inflammation and swelling, encourage healing of wounds, eliminate rashes or other skin problems and more.

STORAGE: Immediate use only.

Making herbal preparations is like cooking, you can’t expect a chef to teach you how to cook straight from a book. A lot of it is ‘feel’ and experience, is required by the individual making the product and though some wonderful results can still be attained by following the instructions laid out within actually working with the materials is what will lead to ‘perfection’. Through trial and error you can get them right, but keep in mind that different herbs and plant parts require slightly different handling.   Also remember that no two herbalists use the same herbs the same way or the same recipe. If herbololgy strikes your interest then continue your education by taking an herbal apprenticeship program locally.