HERB - Bruise Creams

[Darlene Vandever]

NIKI ARMANASCO wrote:

> Greetings to the list,
>
> Does anyone have any good recipies for bruise creams?  Also does anyone have any recipies for milder versions of sports rubs or creams, the off the shelf ones tend to be far to strong for my skin and I would like to find out if I can make my own.
>
> As I have recently gotten back into heavy fighting this is a particularly relevant concern.
>

I make a bruise ointment which the heavy fighters and light fighters seem to love.  The real name is "Lady Annes Bruise Ointment" but nobody calls it anything except "Boo-boo medicine".  :)  I've made it for over 10 years with minor modifications and
improvements.  I learned the original recipe from HL Sine Griegsdottier of House DragonShadow but have made enough changes that she says its really my own now.  I give it away often at events and always try to keep some on hand.  Its also good as an
insect repellant when nothing else is available but I'm not sure I'd smear it all over myself.  I put it on my ankles to keep the ants away and it seems to help.  I'm going to tell you MY quantities because I always make oodles of it for everybody I
know.  Pare it to your own needs as you wish.

In a double boiler, melt one big can of shortening.  I use Crisco.  To the melting shortning, add the equivalent of 6 to 8 " white candle.  I have used paraffin, actual candles, and beeswax.  These will "stiffen" up the ointment so it won't be so
soft.  Don't use colored or perfumed candles or wax.  A double boiler is not an absolute requirement.  But if you don't use one, don't get the fat too hot.  We want to move the oils out of the herbs, not french fry them.

To the melted fat, 1/2 cup each of the following herbs unless otherwise noted.  I use dry, chopped herbs.

pennyroyal
comfrey
St. John's wort
hyssop
plantain
mint-your choice.  I've used peppermint, spearmint and wintergreen in the past.  Put a whole cup of this in.  It will take the "heat" out of the bruise.
1 teaspoon benzoin.  This is a natural preservative.  I've made the ointment with and without it.  If you choose to make it without, keep your ointment refridgerated and it will keep for 9 mos to a year.  It can be used even stale smelling but it is
of course, not as effective.  Even with the benzoin, I like to refridgerate my ointment.  I keep it in the cooler at an event and the fighters like the cool feeling when it hits their boo boo.
Vitamen E oil-3-4 teaspoons
Aloe vera gel-1/2 cup.

Stir in the herbs.  Remove the pan from the double boiler and let sit for a minimum of 24 hours.  I've let it sit up to 2 weeks.  The idea is to let the herbs "steep" into the ointment.  This is also a good time to judge the consistancy of your
mixture.  Too soft?  Add more parafin upon remelting.  Too hard?  Add more shortening upon remelting.  What is too soft or too hard?  Feel the ointment when it has solidified.  Your finger should not "goosh" into the mixture.  That is too soft.  Ont
the other hand, your finger should not have to be forced into the mixture, that is too hard.

Replace the pan onto the double boiler and remelt.  While it is remelting, prepare your containers.  Remember, you will only recover about 1/2 to 2/3 of the fat, even with pressing the herbs.  No matter what size container you choose, make sure of 3
things:
1. tight lid
2.  fairly light resistant (I've used frosted tupperware with ok results)
3.  clean.

On the bottom of each container, sprinkle finely ground valarian to a depth of 1/15th (approx) the height of the container.  Valarian's oils are so unstable and volatile that cooking the valarian with the other herbs is too violent for the herb.  The
oils from the valarian will permeat the rest of the oils upon standing.

Once the containers are prepared and the ointment mixture is completely melted, strain the oil out of the herbs by your most prefered method.  I've used both seives and cheesecloth and find that a large metal screen type seive has worked best for me.

Cap the containers.  Place in the refridgerator.  They will be ready to help those bruises in 3-4 days time and will get stronger with the valarian oils for about a month before reaching full strength.

Note:  Do not use on broken skin.  This is for closed bruise type contusions only.  Those who have used this report that their bruises are much less painful and heal 2 to 3 times faster than without it.

Another note:  The teenaged daughter of a friend of mine confided that it works great to reduce the size and visiblity of hickies also.  Thought someone might like to know.  :)

Enjoy,
Hl Annes


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