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Because essential oils are concentrated,
highly potent substances, a working knowledge of how to use them
safely is vital to the success of your efforts. The potential
hazards of an essential oil depend on the compounds in the oil, the
dosage and frequency used, and the method of application. Here are a
few guidelines to ensure safe and effective use of essential oils:
- Don't use undiluted essential oils on the skin.
They can cause burning, skin irritation and photosensitivity. There
are a few exceptions to this rule: it is acceptable to use the
nonirritating oils lavender or tea tree undiluted on burns, insect
bites, pimples and other skin eruptions-as long as you don't have
extremely sensitive skin. If you find an essential oil irritating
but would like to use it, and have determined that the irritation is
not due to an allergy, try massaging the diluted blend into the
soles of your feet. The oil will not irritate the skin, and will
still enter the body.
- Use only pure essential oils from plants.
- Test for sensitivities. Most people with
sensitivities to synthetic fragrances are not sensitive to
high-quality essential oils. Also people who are allergic to, say,
chamomile tea will not necessarily be allergic to the essential oil.
If you are uncertain about an oil, do a patch test of a 2-percent
dilution in the crook of the arm or on the back of the neck at the
hairline. Twelve hours is ample time for a reaction to occur. If
redness or itching develops, you may want to try a less potent
dilution, or choose an appropriate substitute for the irritating
oil.
- Use with caution those essential oils that
result in photosensitivity. Citrus oils can irritate skin, and some
of them will cause uneven pigmentation of the skin upon exposure to
sun lamps or sunlight. This is especially true of bergamot, which
contains bergaptene, a powerful photosensitizer that will cause
allergic reactions in some individuals. (Bergaptene-free oil is
available.) Of the citrus oils, bergamot is the most
photosensitizing, followed by cold-pressed lime, bitter orange, and
to some degree, lemon and grapefruit. Of the lemon oils, California
oil is the least photosensitizing. If you are using photosensitizing
oils on your skin, do so at night, stay indoors, or wait at least
four hours before exposing your skin to ultraviolet light.
- Use with caution those essential oils that are
irritating to mucous membrane (the lining of the digestive,
respiratory and genito-urinary tracts) and skin. Keep all essential
oils away from the eyes.
- Keep all essential oils out of the reach of
young children; older children can be taught to respect and properly
use essential oils, but they should nevertheless be supervised. In
general, when treating children with essential oils use one-third to
one-half the adult dosage and select only nontoxic oils. Among the
best and safest essential oils for children are lavender, tangerine,
mandarin, neroli, frankincense, petitgrain and Roman chamomile.
- Vary the essential oils you use. Using the same
facial oil blend for a long period of time is acceptable because it
covers a very small part of the body, but daily application of the
same blend of oils over your entire body for more than two weeks is
not recommended. It is wise to alternate with a blend of different
oils containing different chemical constituents at least every two
weeks. Uninterrupted use of some oils exposes your liver and kidneys
to chemical constituents that may be harmful over time. Rotating the
oils gives your body time to process them and allows each oil to
work on different levels in its own unique way.
- Don't take essential oils orally for
therapeutic purposes. Safe ingestion of oils requires a great deal
of training and is therefore not recommended for beginners. The
exception is when we suggest using essential oils to flavor foods
(see Chapter 10: Essential Oils in the Kitchen). The dosages per
serving in these recipes are minimal and harmless.
- Use essential oils cautiously with those who
are elderly, convalescing, or have serious health problems such as
asthma, epilepsy or heart disease.
- Be cautious about using essential oils during
pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Even oils that are
generally safe during this time may be too stimulating for women who
are prone to miscarriage. Because so many oils are best avoided in
pregnancy, it is easier to list the safe ones: gentle floral oils
such as rose, neroli, lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile and jasmine
absolute, as well as the citruses, geranium, sandalwood, spearmint
and frankincense.
- Overexposure to an essential oil, either
through the skin or through inhalation, may result in nausea,
headache, skin irritation, emotional unease or a "spaced-out"
feeling. Getting some fresh air will help overcome these symptoms.
If you ever experience skin irritation or accidentally get essential
oils in the eyes, dilute with straight vegetable oil, not water.
The following information is adapted from The
Essential Oil Safety Data Manual by Robert Tisserand. We recommend
this book to anyone interested in a thorough study of toxic oils.
Photosensitizing Essential Oils:
angelica lime
bergamot opoponax
bitter orange rue
cumin verbena
lemon
Mucous-Membrane Irritants:
allspice savory
cinnamon spearmint
clove thyme (except linalol)
oregano
Skin Irritants:
cinnamon pimento
clove savory
dwarf pine thyme (except linalol)
oregano wintergreen
Potentially Toxic Oils:
Some of the oils in the following list have
limited use externally; others are used for perfumery. We have
included Latin names to avoid any confusion.
almond, bitter (Prunus amygdalus var. amara)
inula (Inula graveolens)
khella (Ammi visnaga)
mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
pennyroyal (Mentha pelugium)
sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
thuja (Thuja occidentalis)
wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
Very Toxic Essential Oils:
We recommend not using the following oils at
all.
ajowan (Ptychotis ajowan, Carum ajowan)
arnica (Arnica montana)
boldo (Peumus boldus)
buchu (Barosma betulina)
calamus (Acorus calamus)
cascarilla (Croton eluteria)
chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
camphor, brown and yellow (Cinnamomun camphora)
deer tongue (Carphephorus odoratissimus)
horseradish (Cochlearia armoracia, Armoracia
rusticana)
jaborandi (Pilocarpus jaborandi)
mustard (Brassica nigra)
narcissus (Narcissus poeticus)
nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
parsley (Petroselinum sativum, Carum sativum)
rue (Ruta graveolens)
santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)
tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
tonka (Dipteryx odorata)
turmeric (Curcuma longa)
wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides, C.
anthelminticum)
wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Dilutions:
Measurement Conversion Chart
10 drops 1/10 tsp. 1/96 oz. 1/8 dram about 1
ml.
12.5 drops 1/8 tsp. 1/48 oz. 1/6 dram about 5/8
ml.
25 drops 1/4 tsp. 1/24 oz. 1/3 dram about 1 1/4
ml.
50 drops 1/2 tsp. 1/12 oz. 2/3 dram about 2 1/2
ml.
100 drops 1 tsp. 1/6 oz. 1 1/3 drams about 5
ml.
150 drops 1 1/2 tsp. 1/4 oz. 2 drams about 13.5
ml
300 drops 3 tsp. 1/2 oz. 4 drams about 15 ml.
600 drops 6 tsp. 1 oz. 8 drams about 30 ml.
24 teaspoons (8 tablespoons) 4 oz. 1/2 cup
48 teaspoons (16 tablespoons) 8 oz. 1 cup 1/2
pint
96 teaspoons (32 tablespoons) 16 oz. 2 cups 1
pint
Suggested Dilutions for Various Methods of Application
Massage/Body Oil:
2 - 3% dilution (10 - 12 drops per ounce of
vegetable oil)
1% for pregnant women, people with health
concerns
and children (5 drops per ounce of vegetable
oil) Bath:
3 - 15 drops per tub, depending on the oil
Compress:
5 drops per cup of water
Inhalant:
3 - 5 drops in a bowel of hot water
Caution: never do an inhalation during an
asthma attack
Douche:
3 - 5 drops per quart of warm water
Caution: Choose nonirritant oils only (e.g.,
lavender or tea tree).
Foot or Hand Bath:
5 - 10 drops per quart of water
Sitz Bath:
5 - 10 drops per sitz bath
Fragrant Body Water:
5 - 10 drops per 4 ounces of water
Room Spray:
20 drops per 4 ounces of water
Gargle or Mouthwash:
1 - 2 drops per 1/4 cup of water
Liniment:
3% dilution
Carrier oils should be stored away from heat
and light to ensure their freshness. The addition of jojoba oil as
10 percent of your carrier oil will help extend the shelf life of
your blend by slowing down oxidation that leads to rancidity.
Vitamin E oil is an excellent antioxidant; adding it to any
aromatherapy blend will help extend the life of most vegetable oils.
One or two capsules (200-400 IU) per two-ounce bottle of carrier oil
is enough. It is recommended that you make only enough of a blend to
last a few months. A refrigerated blend may keep six months or more.
Refrigeration of all vegetable oils is highly recommended.
Methods of Application at a Glance
Essential oils are versatile and effective
in treating many common problems. The following guidelines are
suitable for a single essential oil or a combination of oils. Many
problems are best treated by a combination of methods. For example,
a cold may be treated with an inhalant, a bath, a chest rub and a
compress. Details on specific applications are presented throughout
this book in the chapters on Facial Care, Massage and Therapeutics.
Store essential oils away from heat and
light to preserve their freshness and potency. When stored
properly, they have a shelf life of several years. The citrus oils
have the shortest shelf life of all essential oils and are best used
within one year. The longest-lasting oils, which improve as they
age, tend to be the thick resins such as frankincense and myrrh,
woods such as sandalwood, roots like vetiver, as well as other oils,
including spikenard and patchouli.
Vegetable oils high in vitamins A, E and
F-soothing, skin-softening, nourishing and rich in nutrients that
enrich the skin-are among the best carriers of essential oils.
They are called fixed oils because their large molecules stay in the
plant instead of being easily released, as are the essential oils.
This means that they are often extracted with heat or
solvent-extracted (a process that also uses heat to extract the
solvent). The one exception is olive oil, which can be cold-pressed,
although less oil is obtained with this method, resulting in a more
expensive product. Whenever possible, choose vegetable oils that are
expeller-pressed or cold-pressed, which means they have not been
exposed to temperatures over 110 degrees.
Unlike essential oils, vegetable oil molecules
are large and do not easily penetrate the skin, making them an ideal
medium for cosmetic products. The "saturation rate" of carrier oils
measures how thick they are. The more saturated the oil, the thicker
it is, the longer it stays on the skin, and the longer its shelf
life. On the other hand, unsaturated oils give the illusion that
they are being absorbed into the skin when they are actually
evaporating. The most suitable oil depends on the application. Most
body workers prefer saturated oil for massage, but many cosmetics
use less saturated oils that feel less thick and sticky.
Other factors to consider are smell and color.
The light smell and color of almond, hazelnut and grapeseed oils put
them among the most preferred oils for cosmetics. (We've found that
you need to go easy on using unrefined oils, which can leave you
smelling like food).
- Almond-Almond is an affordable, nourishing oil,
well suited for massage. It provides just the right slip and glide,
without wasting oil.
- Apricot-This oil is derived from the kernel of
the apricot pit. Its cost is comparable to that of almond, but it
has a lighter consistency. Suitable for body oils and lotions.
- Avocado-Deep green with lots of skin-nourishing
vitamins, this thick oil is very rich on its own but combines nicely
with other oils. It is well suited for dry-skin conditions.
- Borage, Evening Primrose, Black Currant-The
oils in this group are high in gamma linoleic acid (GLA), an
important fatty acid that helps maintain healthy skin and repair
skin damaged by the sun. Their rejuvenating effects are especially
useful for treating mature skin. These oils can be used sparingly in
a carrier blend (10 percent); because they are expensive, price
alone will probably keep you from using too much.
- Castor-Castor oil is very viscous and not
normally used in aromatherapy, although it may be added in small
amounts to formulas for eczema or other dry-skin conditions.
Herbalists use castor oil to make compresses that break down fibrous
tissue, enhance immunity and detoxify the liver. Sulfated castor oil
is water-soluble and often used for aromatherapy bath oils.
- Caulophyllum Inophyllum-This is a native of
tropical Asia and was used in many Polynesian islands, and
considered sacred. Known as kamanu or kamani in Hawaii, tamanu in
the South Seas and 'fetau in Samoa (Another variety, "faraha," is
from Madagascar.), it is nontoxic and nonirritating, but rather
expensive and thick, so you may want to combine it with another
carrier oil. Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties make
Caulophyllum suitable for sciatica, rheumatism and shingles. It is
antibacterial and nonirritating to mucous membranes and can be used
to treat vaginitis and cervical erosion, infected wounds, eczema,
psoriasis, chapped skin, cracked nipples, chemical or heat burns,
and anal fissures. Historically, it was used extensively to treat
leprosy.
- Cocoa butter-Similar to coconut oil in
consistency, cocoa butter is derived from cocoa beans and has a
distinctive "chocolate" scent. It will overpower the odor of most
essential oils, but may be used in small proportions as a thickener
in lotions and creams. When combined with neroli, the fragrance is
reminiscent of an exotic, delectable dessert.
- Coconut-Highest in saturated fats, coconut oil
is solid at room temperature. (It is twice as saturated as lard.) It
can be used in conjunction with other oils for massage, and in body
lotion or cream recipes. Although coconut oil has a long history of
use in many tropical countries, it is often solvent-extracted, and
if so, is not recommended for use on the face; it can cause allergic
reaction in sensitive individuals.
- Corn-The oil comes from our familiar table
corn, mostly from the germ found in the corn's kernel. This oil is
quite stable because it contains a large amount of vitamin E, which
prevents oxidation. Corn-germ oil is also available, but has a
strong odor.
- Grapeseed-Light in texture, this odorless oil
is mildly astringent and useful for acne or oily skin.
Unfortunately, the seed is always solvent-extracted and is
unavailable cold-pressed, causing sensitivity in some individuals.
- Hazelnut-Light and mildly fragranced, this
easily absorbed oil is useful in facial blends for those with a
tendency toward oily skin. Hazelnut oil makes a great base for
calendula infusions (see the section on herb-infused oils) and for
all cosmetic purposes, including massage.
- Jojoba-The carrier of choice for perfumery,
jojoba is technically not an oil but a liquid wax. It does not
oxidize or become rancid. A small amount (10 percent) can be used to
extend the shelf life of all blends. Because jojoba is very similar
to the sebum produced by our own skin, it is particularly beneficial
in facial and body oils, and it is also recommended for scalp and
hair treatments. It is derived from the seed of the desert shrub.
- Kukui-The thinnest, lightest oil for the face,
kukui provides just the right amount of lubrication without leaving
a greasy feeling. The kukui nut, native to Hawaii, is high in
linoleic and linolenic acids, and is rapidly absorbed into the skin.
It was used by the Hawaiians for skin conditioning after sun
exposure (but is not a sunscreen). Kukui-nut oil has a low toxicity
level, but it is laxative and therefore should not be ingested. It
has a distinct odor and is very expensive, so you may want to
combine it with other oils.
- Macadamia-Slightly more viscous than kukui and
also from Hawaii, macadamia oil is similar to both mink oil and
sebum, our skin's own natural oil. Its lightness makes it ideal as a
base for facial or hair-care products, and it combines well with
kukui.
- Olive-This oil is a favorite for dry skin, but
the odor is a little strong for some people. It may be blended with
other oils and has a nice texture for massage. This is one of the
best mediums for herb-infused oils intended for medicinal
applications, such as in salves or rectal or vaginal suppositories.
Pure olive oil has excellent stability and can be stored without
refrigeration for a year. (Greek olive oil is greener and more
acidic than oil from Italy or California.)
- Rice Bran-This oil is naturally high in mixed
tocopherols (vitamin E) and ferulic acid, another natural
antioxidant. It flows on smoothly and is moderately penetrating
without being greasy or sticky. Good for massage or lotions.
- Rosehip seed-Another oil high in GLA, pungent
rosehip seed is the very best for regenerative skin care. It is rich
and expensive, so we recommend blending it with other oils (10-20
percent rosehip-seed oil in carrier blend). Combine with infused
calendula oil to treat stretch marks, burns or scars.
- Safflower-This oil comes from an herb that is
cultivated in California and Arizona, where it turns fields aglow
with its colorful flowers. Safflower oxidizes easily, especially the
natural oil. It can be used in massage blends.
- Sesame Seed-This oil contains sesomoline, a
natural preservative. Sesame has long been used in Ayurvedic
medicinal preparations and is said to be rejuvenating. The unrefined
variety has a strong scent, which is the biggest drawback to using
this oil alone as a carrier. Good as a base for herb preparations.
- Soybean-First introduced from the Orient to the
United States, this oil was rarely used before 1950. It now accounts
for more than 65 percent of all oil used commercially in the United
States. Because of its low oil content (16-18 percent), it is often
solvent-extracted. Soybean oil is high in linoleic acid and
susceptible to oxidation. Use as a part of a massage blend.
- Squalene-Vegetable sources of this oil product
are olive, wheat germ and rice bran oils. Squalene can also be
derived from shark liver oil. It is used as a fixative in perfumes
and as a bactericide, and is very expensive; 5-10 percent in a
carrier blend is sufficient. Human sebum is 25 percent squalene.
- Wheat germ-Too thick and rich on its own, this
oil is a useful addition to any carrier blend. It is high in vitamin
B, and because it contains the antioxidant vitamins A and E, it will
help extend the shelf life of your blends. Add 10 percent to your
carrier-oil blend.
-
Vegetable Oils: The more saturated an oil, the thicker its
consistency and the longer it can be stored without refrigeration.
Also, the lower the iodine value, the better the oil will keep.
Values can vary according to the source of the oil. Some oils also
contain other ingredients that improve their preservation, such as
sesame oil.
|
Oil |
% of Saturated Fats |
Iodine Value |
|
Coconut |
91 |
9 |
|
Cocoa Butter |
50 |
40 |
|
Olive |
20 |
84 |
|
Peanut |
20 |
92 |
|
Rice |
17 |
104 |
|
Corn |
17 |
124 |
|
Wheat Germ |
18 |
125 |
|
Walnut |
16 |
138 |
|
Soy |
15 |
130 |
|
Sesame |
13 |
110 |
|
Almond |
5-10 |
100 |
|
Apricot |
5-10 |
100 |
|
Sunflower |
6-8 |
130 |
|
Safflower |
6 |
143 |
|
Castor |
3 |
84 |
- The values are based on information from
Bailey's Industrial Oil and Fat Products, edited by Daniel Swern,
and Food Oils and Their Uses, by Theodore J. Weiss, USDA research
chemist.
Never pass up the opportunity to use herbs
in your aromatherapy formulations. When the essential oil of a
plant is deemed too strong for a particular person or application,
the herb itself in tea or tincture form is likely a safe and
effective substitute. When used together, whole plants and essential
oils often create a synergy with greater potential for healing than
either used alone.
Herb quality is as important to herbalism as
purity of essential oils is to aromatherapy. Growing your own herbs
is ideal, but we realize that many of you will be buying herbs from
an herb or natural-food store. The good news is that it is much
easier to determine good herb quality by smelling, seeing and
tasting than it is with essential oils. Dried herbs should not be
brown and lifeless; they should be fragrant, colorful and, ideally,
organically grown or responsibly picked in the wild. Buying direct
from the grower, wildcrafter (one who picks wild herbs), or local
sources such as farmers' markets, where you can inquire about
growing methods, is probably the next best thing to growing your own
herbs.
The following recipes provide a useful basis
for making basic herbal preparations. They can be made either with
individual herbs ("simples") or a combination of herbs
("compounds"). So get creative! If you need more detailed
information on the specific uses of individual herbs, consult a good
herb book such as Kathi's Herbs, an Illustrated Encyclopedia
(Friedman/Fairfax).
- Preparing Herb-Infused Oils
- Oils made by macerating (steeping) herbs in
vegetable oil are called infused oils. The oils can be used instead
of plain carrier oils in all of your aromatherapy preparations.
- Finely chop (or coarsely grind) one cup dried
herbs in a blender. Place the herbs in a wide-mouth jar and add
enough oil to cover. Check the mixture in a day or two; you may need
to add a bit more oil. Keep the mixture in a warm place and shake
daily. The ideal temperature is 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, but
fluctuations in temperature will not harm the oil. Let the mixture
steep for one week; by this time, the oil should have taken on the
color, aroma and healing properties of the herb.
- Strain the oil through a kitchen strainer, or
through cheesecloth, muslin or a thin dishcloth. Most of the oil
will drain out. To get every precious drop, press with the back of a
spoon or wring out as much oil as possible. Compost the herbs and
store the infused oil in a cool place.
- There are many variations on this preparation.
Choose a vegetable oil such as olive for medicinal preparations such
as salves; choose hazelnut or another light oil for cosmetic
applications or massage. It is difficult to give exact measurements
for each herb, because they are different in texture, weight and
volume. To double the strength, you can add a new batch of dried
herb to the same oil. This is called a double infusion.
- Another way to make infused oils is on the
stove top. Place the dried herbs in a pot and cover them with oil.
Gently warm the herb mixture over low heat (about 100 degrees F)
without a lid, stirring occasionally. (Be careful not to deep-fry
your herbs.) After about six hours, strain, cool and bottle.
- Some people like to use fresh herbs, although
the water in fresh plants may cause the oil to mold and spoil.
However, some oils-St. John's wort for example-must be made fresh.
Wilt the plant material overnight to eliminate some of the water,
then finely chop or crush them. Process as instructed above for dry
herbs. Be sure that all the plant material is submerged and that
there are no air bubbles.
- When straining the oil, simply let the mixture
drip; wringing or pressing will give you more oil, but also more
water. When the water from the fresh plant has settled in the bottom
of the jar, pour the oil off the top and discard the water. (Be
prepared to lose a little oil.)
- Don't confine yourself to making only medicinal
or cosmetic oils. Experiment with creating culinary oils, too. Try a
combination of basil, oregano, rosemary and garlic infused in olive
oil. It's great on pasta or french bread!
- Always keep a meticulous record of how you make
your herbal preparations. Your notes should include ingredients and
proportions, the date you started and completed the preparation,
processing procedures, comments, and possible improvements to be
made next time. Label finished products with the date the product
was made, ingredients, and instructions for use.
- Further Examples of Herb-Infused Oils
- Alkanet-This is an infusion of alkanet root in
vegetable oil. Because of its brilliant color, it is used as a pink
coloring for cosmetic preparations.
- Calendula-Very healing to the skin in all
cosmetic applications, calendula is specifically recommended for
burns and is also antimicrobial, making it suitabl
treatment of many types of skin infections. There is also a
carbon-dioxide extract of calendula which is very concentrated and
tarlike. It can be diluted in vegetable oil and added to any
essential oil preparation.
- Neem-Derived from a tree native to India, neem
is used to treat a number of skin diseases, as an astringent,
antibacterial and antiviral. It is also a preservative. The oil has
a long history of use in treatment of hair loss, dandruff, excess
sebum production, brittle nails, nail fungus and gum infections.
This herb is hard to find unless you have a neem tree, but
pre-prepared oil can be purchased.
- St. John's Wort-Excellent for bruises,
inflammation and nerve damage, St. John's wort is made from fresh
flowering tops of the plant to obtain the desired deep red oil, high
in the healing constituent hypericin.
- Yarrow-For treating the genito-urinary system
(see Chapter 5: Therapeutics).
- Herbal Boluses: Herbal boluses are vaginal or rectal
suppositories used to treat chronic infections, nonspecific
vaginitis, cysts, and hemorrhoids.
Ingredients:
1/8 cup finely powdered herbs
1/4 cup cocoa butter
15-20 drops appropriate essential oil
Melt the cocoa butter over low heat and add the
finely powdered herbs to form a thick, pliable paste. Add the
essential oil. Drop the mixture by the teaspoonful onto a cold plate
and form into a suppository shape about the size of your little
finger (or you can mold it into a long, thin roll). Refrigerate
until firm. Remove the hardened mixture and cut it with a warm knife
into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Date and store boluses in glass or plastic
in the refrigerator.
For treatment, insert one bolus each evening
for seven days. Women may want to wear a panty liner and gently
douche every couple of days.
- Herbal Salves
Ingredients:
1 cup herb-infused oil
3/4 ounce beeswax, shaved
Warm the herb-infused oil in a pan and add the
beeswax. (More beeswax will create a salve with a firmer
consistency, which won't melt in hot temperatures.) You can shave
the beeswax with a wide-hole cheese grater. (For a quick cleanup,
heat the grater over the kitchen stove and wipe with paper towels.)
Add essential oils at the end, after the salves cool a bit so that
the oils do not evaporate. (You can also add the essential oils to
the individual jars before pouring.)
Lip balms are made the same way as salves, but
use 1 ounce beeswax.
- Herb Tea: Infusions and Decoctions
- For infusions, pour boiling water over fresh or
dried herbs, let them steep while covered for 5-10 minutes, strain
and drink. Cover steeping herbs to keep in the precious volatile
oils.
- Infusions are good for delicate plant parts
such as leaves, blossoms and fruits, or seeds and roots that are
high in volatile oils. The amount of herb varies, but the general
rule is one teaspoon dried herb, or one tablespoon fresh herb, per
cup of water.
- For hard plant parts, such as roots, barks,
twigs and some seeds, decoctions are preferable. We prefer to soak
the herbs in cold water overnight, bring the water and herbs to a
boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for at least 15
minutes. Roots and seeds that are high in volatile oils, such as
ginger and valerian roots, or fennel and anise seeds, should be
infused.
- To make tea with both leaves and roots, start
by soaking the herbs overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to a
boil, remove from the heat and steep for 15 minutes. You can also
decoct the roots first, remove from heat, add the leaves to the
decoction and steep.
- Teas are a great addition to bath water,
especially for those with highly sensitive skin. Almost any herb or
essential oil, alone or in combination, will do. Refrigerator
storage is acceptable for up to three days.
- Herbal Tinctures
Ingredients:
dry or fresh herbs
vodka to cover
Chop or grind herbs before tincturing to expose
more surface area of the plant to the vodka which contains only
water and alcohol and is used to break down the plant matter and
extract its qualities. Put the herbs in a jar with a tight-fitting
lid and cover with menstru-um. The proportion of herb to vodka is
hard to specify, because the weight-to-volume of each herb varies so
much. Make sure that the herb is completely covered. Check in a few
days in case you need to add more vodka. Cover the jar tightly and
let the herbs soak for two weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking
daily, then strain. You'll be surprised to find how easy this is,
and it costs much less than commercial tinctures.
Tinctures are best made with single herbs, and
can then be mixed together to make compounds or formulas. This helps
avoid undesirable constituent interactions that can occur when herbs
are tinctured together. It also allows for more flexibility in
blending tinctures into different combinations. Tinctures are taken
orally, typically 15 to 30 drops three times a day, mixed in a
little water or juice. One advantage herbal tinctures have over teas
is that they need no refrigeration and remain potent for many years,
take up little storage space, and are fast and easy to use, fitting
into any busy lifestyle. They are also quickly and easily absorbed
by the body.
- Herbal Vinegars
Ingredients:
fresh or dried herbs
vinegar to cover
Make sure the fresh or dried herbs are covered
by the vinegar. Shake daily for two weeks, strain. Add essential
oils to the vinegar after straining, but remember to shake well
before use-essential oils do not mix with a watery carrier. These
vinegars can be used to make "Queen of Hungary's water," other
facial toners, hair rinses, baths, and douches. Vinegar also can be
used as a substitute for alcohol in tincturing for those who are
alcohol-intolerant, but it is not a good menstruum for extracting
the resinous constituents contained in certain plants.
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Oils, Perfumes & Diffusers
