Herbal Oils
There are lots of carrier or base oils to choose from. My favorite for medicinal purposes is olive oil. For bath, massage, or cosmetic oils, I prefer to use apricot kernel oil, almond oil, or grapeseed oil because these are light and easily absorbed by the skin. Grapeseed is the lightest of the three. Also, none of these have a strong scent to overpower the herbs. For cooking oils, I use corn, canola, or olive oil. My favorite for taste and health is cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil.
You can use fresh or dried herbs. Fresh herbs should be placed in a shaded, warm place for several hours or overnight, after picking. This allows most of the moisture to evaporate. If you don't do this, the oil will look milky, allow mold to grow, and could even sour. St. John's wort flowers, rosemary, comfrey, calendula, and chickweed are good herbs to make medicinal oils and salves from.
Use the flowers from St. John's wort with the cold infusion method. These flowers should not sit overnight; put them in oil as soon as you pick them, and when you strain the oil, do so through cheesecloth.
Make rosemary oil and salve from oils infused by the hot method. First, strip the leaves from the stems, and let them sit overnight to dry a little.
Standard portions for infused oils are 2 to 3 ounces of dry herb to 2 cups oil, but if you wish to use my simple method: fill a glass pot with the chosen herb or herb blend, and cover it with oil plus 1 more inch. Then choose which method you are going to use: hot or cold.
COLD METHOD:
1. Let the herb you want to infuse sit overnight, so it will lose water.
2. Fill a jar with as much herb as you want to infuse to 3" from the top.
3. Fill the jar with oil enough to cover the herb, plus
2". Because herb exposed to air will mold, make sure all the herb is covered.
4. Let sit in the sun or in a greenhouse for six to eight weeks.
5. Strain into a clean, airtight, dark jar. Label, date, and store in a cool, dark place. Don't be surprised if the oil doesn't smell like the plant. It most often doesn't. For a stronger oil, repeat the process. Double oleate oils are twice as strong, and triple oleate, three times as strong, etc.
HOT METHOD:
1. Let the herb you want to infuse sit overnight, so it will lose water.
2. Fill a pot with as much herb as you want to infuse. Use a non-reactive pot. Glass is my first choice. You also can use stainless steel, enamel, or cast iron. Do not use aluminum or copper.
3. Cover the herb with oil and add two more inches of oil.
4. A double boiler is convenient, but if you don't have one, put the pot in a bigger pot that has water in it. The oil should heat slowly over low heat for three hours. Do not overheat because too intense heat will destroy the volatile oils you are trying to collect. You can do this in a crockpot on the lowest setting also.
5. Strain into a clean, airtight jar, and store in a cool, dark place.
Facial Steams
These provide thorough deep cleansing. The heat produces perspiration, which eliminates toxins and stimulates circulation. The steam softens the skin and opens the pores, which helps the skin absorb the beneficial properties of the herbs. Recommendations: for normal skin, once a week-for oily skin, 2 or 3 times a week-for dry skin, once every 2 weeks.
HERBS TO USE:
The following herbs are for soothing and gentle cleansing: applemint, chamomile, chervil, lavender, lemon balm, rose petals, spearmint, and thyme.
For improved circulation: rosemary and nettles.
For healing: comfrey root and leaves, and fennel.
For oily skin: calendula, horsetail, lupine seed, sage, and yarrow.
For dry skin: borage, houseleek, lady's mantle, marsh mallow roots, parsley, burnet, sorrel, sweet violet.
For mature skin: dandelion, elder flowers, lemon verbena, red clover, tansy.
TO PREPARE:
Use 2 handfuls of fresh herb or 3 TBS dry. Tie back hair; remove make-up. Pour 6 cups boiling water over herbs. Stir with a chopstick. Hold your face 12" from the solution, making a tent over your head with a towel. Close your eyes. Takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse with warm water, then cold, then with witch hazel. A diluted vinegar or infusion of peppermint, elderflower, sage, or yarrow dabbed on with cotton will tighten the pores. Avoid sudden changes in temperature for an hour.
HERB MIXTURES FOR STEAM FACIALS
The herbs in these blends release their healing properties in the steam, cleansing pores of debris, impurities and oil. All the herbs are used dried, except watercress, which is always used fresh.
FOR NORMAL SKIN
2 tsp. lemon-balm leaves
2 tsp. rose petals
2 tsp. lavender blossoms
2 tsp. linden flowers
FOR DRY, SENSITIVE SKIN
2 tsp. chamomile flowers
2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. rose petals
2 tsp. arnica flowers, calendula flowers, or comfrey leaves
FOR BLEMISHED SKIN
2 tsp. thyme leaves
4 tsp. fresh watercress
2 tsp. arnica flowers
2 tsp. nettle leaves, peppermint leaves or yarrow blossoms
