Alcohol Intermediary Herb-infused Oils (& why understanding phytochemical solubility matters)
Are you ready to kick your oil infusion skills up a notch? An alcohol intermediary oil infusion harnessing the solvent powers of alcohol might sound a bit intimidating, but it’s surprisingly simple to do. Before we get to the hows of making an alcohol intermediary oil infusion, let’s take a quick look into the whys.
Herbal Water Infusions
One of the oldest, simplest, and some would argue, most effective ways to incorporate herbs into your daily life is in a water infusion, also known as tea. Or, if you’re fancy and drink your tea with your pinky out, a tisane.
Marshmallow Root & Green Tea Makeup Finishing Spray
jump to the recipe The more *ahem* mature I get, the more I’m realizing that setting powders, a longtime beloved makeup staple, are no longer my friend. Powder can highlight fine lines and appear cake-y on drier skin… and it boy howdy, it can really catch you off guard when glimpsed under the evil, unforgiving […]
Making Herbal Oil Infusions
Infused oils are a foundational cornerstone of herbal-powered wellness products such as salves, creams, lotions, serums and other topical formulations. Oil acts as a solvent (aka menstruum) to capture oil-soluble plant constituents such as alkaloids, gums, resins, volatile oils, and certain oil-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), allowing the plant’s therapeutic compounds to be delivered to the skin.
Shades of “Natural”
Wellness products should never be toxic. Period. That being said, I also don’t believe you have to throw the baby out with the bathwater in the name of being “natural.” Natural is not black and white; it can be both good and bad.
Balm of Gilead Salve with Tallow & Infused Honey
Cottonwood buds are bursting with a wonderful, sticky red resin that many herbalists refer to as an “herbal band-aid.” Its anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relieving) properties make it a top-notch first-aid salve that deserves a place in every herbalist’s medicine cabinet (and perhaps a place in their daily skincare routine!)
Styptic Nasal Spray with Yarrow, Horsetail & Calendula
This simple DIY recipe harnesses the styptic powers of horsetail and yarrow to create a soothing herbal nasal spray that should be helpful for anyone dealing with dry, raw sinuses that are susceptible to nosebleeds.
Healthified “Shake-n-Bake”
I keep a large jar of this stuff in my refrigerator at ALL times. It’s ridiculously versatile, and I use it often to jazz up sautéed vegetables, garnish casseroles, bread chicken, pork chops or fish. If you have an air fryer, this stuff works well as a breading to make “fried” chicken your kids will love.
Herbal Onion Soup Mix (with a SECRET Ingredient)
Onion soup mix is one of those versatile multitaskers that’s good for so much more than just soup. It’s fast and easy to make and tastes so much better than the store-bought stuff. No contest. And this version gets an extra boost of nutrition with an herbal “secret” ingredient…
Gentle Yucca Root Shaving Gel
Move over marshmallow root, I have a new herbal obsession. Meet the yucca root. It’s an herbal surfactant. How cool is that? The possibilities of projects with this stuff – from facial cleansers to scrubs to household cleaning products – are endless!
