DIY Infused oils and teas for hair, skin and medicine :)

I noticed a lot of people saying they want to use leafy herbs in there hair washes.If you want to have the medicinal properties of the herb you are using you must extract the oils contained within the herb.You do this by simply making an infused oil or tea.Adding the leaves to your rinses is pretty much useless without any extraction happening.To extract the medicinal oils from herbs there are a few easy at home methods.One is extraction by using a carrier oil, like, olive oil, hemp oil, almond oil etc or my preference grape-seed oil.You grab a glass jar with a lid, mason jars are super for this, and so are old relish jars because you can get them in smaller sizes. (do not use plastic it changes the molecular structures of the oils by leeching into your mixture)You just stuff the jar full of your herb(s) (roots, or petals also depending on your mix) , rosemary, thyme or lavender etc and then pour your carrier oil over them and fasten the lid on tightly.Store your infusion in a dark dry cupboard and turn it and shake it daily or every few days for at least two weeks.Strain your infused oil by using a cheese cloth or linen cloth that is clean, to catch the herbs and separate them from your infusion.Do it over a bowl and squeeze out all the oil from the plant and then return your oil to its container and discard your herbs.Then use your infused oil as needed.Second method is a water infusion aka tea which is of less strength than oil extraction but still beneficial.You use plenty of fresh or dried (dried is better for this method) herb and then pour boiling water over it and place a lid over your canister/pot and let it steep for 20-30 minutes.Some people boil the herb but the steep method is much gentler preserving more of the medicine contained within the plant.Remove the herbs and use the water.Viola! You have medicine.*****A note on rosemary, it is great for bronchial infections and colds or asthma as it stimulates the air ways to open assisting in breathing and loosens phlem enabling it to leave your body.You can make a strong steam by adding a few drops of rosemary oil to water thats been boiled and inhale deeply or boil it into the atmosphere of your house.You can also rub some of the oil into your palms and cup your hands over your mouth and inhale the vapors.It is also a local analgesic which numbs the skin so if you have a sore, cut or rash etc gently rub some rosemary oil onto it and it eases the pain and itch.There are many more properties to rosemary oil but I'll leave it at that I love Rosemary oil, it's my favorite!Anyways, happy concocting to you!

updated by @island-mamma: 02/14/15 04:36:47AM

awesome topic thankunote i believe boiling is better for roots? if im not mistaken a root tea should be boiled while leaves and stems steeped? or am i wrong


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Yes you are right, thanks for mentioning it. I was thinking more of tinctures and teas of delicates and left the poor roots and barks out, they make great medicines too.Decoction is the method of boiling out the medicinal properties from heartier plant parts like roots and barks etc.Like if you got a hold of some dried nettle roots you could grind (blender/coffee grinder) them tie them into a cheese cloth and boil them, or drop them whole into your pot, but chopping and grinding is better and tying them in the cloth just makes it easier.I think you can use fresh roots and barks but dried is preferred, if using fresh you would clean and mash/chop.I'm not really familiar with prepping roots in practice, only in theory, as my practical experience is with herbs and florals.I always dream of having a store with tinctures, concotions, salves, tisanes and infusions along with made by me natural skin and body products. I love herbals. soaringeagle said:

awesome topic thanku

note i believe boiling is better for roots? if im not mistaken a root tea should be boiled while leaves and stems steeped? or am i wrong

wow this is perfect, thank you!

when im high up on the mountains where the airs real thin and u start suffering from altitude sickness therers a plant that grows right where its needed above 10,000 feet called osha you just dig up the roots rince em off and chew on em its a strong taste but i like it when u chew em you kinda make a "mouth tea" as it releases the medicine which mixes with salivachewing just a lil bit will help u breathe better and absorb oxygen better and if u do it long enough while at that altitude your lungs actualy get 20-25% bigger to compensate.u can also make a tincture and just adds to your water for a slow steady booster doseyarrow also grows at that altitude and acts much the same from what i hear just never tried it cause liked osha so much


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Thanks no problem, its a vast subject and this just skims the surface. But its a good and easy start.A great book to buy is back to Eden by Dr Kloss. There is a revised version but I like the original. Iain said:

wow this is perfect, thank you!

Cool soaringeagle said:

when im high up on the mountains where the airs real thin and u start suffering from altitude sickness therers a plant that grows right where its needed above 10,000 feet called osha you just dig up the roots rince em off and chew on em its a strong taste but i like it when u chew em you kinda make a "mouth tea" as it releases the medicine which mixes with saliva
chewing just a lil bit will help u breathe better and absorb oxygen better and if u do it long enough while at that altitude your lungs actualy get 20-25% bigger to compensate.
u can also make a tincture and just adds to your water for a slow steady booster dose
yarrow also grows at that altitude and acts much the same from what i hear just never tried it cause liked osha so much

infused oildss are extremely strong to cook with like 1 drop is alotu can also make herbed vinagars toothe best book on herbs i ever had is simply called "the herb book" very complete book


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Yarrow is also a coagulant. If you ever have uncontrolled bleeding at high altitude, yarrow can be a life-saver. soaringeagle said:

when im high up on the mountains where the airs real thin and u start suffering from altitude sickness therers a plant that grows right where its needed above 10,000 feet called osha you just dig up the roots rince em off and chew on em its a strong taste but i like it when u chew em you kinda make a "mouth tea" as it releases the medicine which mixes with saliva
chewing just a lil bit will help u breathe better and absorb oxygen better and if u do it long enough while at that altitude your lungs actualy get 20-25% bigger to compensate.
u can also make a tincture and just adds to your water for a slow steady booster dose
yarrow also grows at that altitude and acts much the same from what i hear just never tried it cause liked osha so much

filipe from kid villiage was bitten by a rattle snake was treatted with comfry and other herbs for 12 days or more they say if u make it past the 10th day your ok but it was still touch and go the herbs definately saved his life but were lil risky to rely on entirely with no medical intervention after 2 weeks about he was medicated..hes ok today but i think had some serus issues when he was brought to the hospitolive seen herbs used to treat scorpion and even recluse venom but ratter was lil riskyherbs in many of not most cases are the better alternatives, but u also need to know when its appropriate to try modern medicines


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1