SC - Bruise Ointment

[Woeller D]

Thanks so much;
It was very thoughtful and helpful of you to offer  the very thorough
overview instructions.  Sometimes, I find understanding the process to
be even more important than having an ingredient list.  I will use your
instructions for experimentation, and think of you when I use the
product!


>      Well, the process will differ depending on whether you want an ointment
> or a more liquid product, say a linament. The more liquid the end product,
> the easier the process, although salves aren't hard to make. I'm not really
> sure if you want the exact recipe only, or if the process will help, but I
> can give you the process, and can't the recipe, so............... ;-)
>       To make a linament, steep the herbs of your choice in either alcohol or
> vinegar. For bruises, I'd use arnica, plus possibly some of the other herbs
> mentioned earlier. Comfrey, certainly. Put your herbs in a glass container
> and pour the liquid over them to cover completely. Cover tightly--if your
> container has a metal lid a layer of plastic wrap between the lid and the jar
> is a good idea. Sometimes metal corodes/rusts in contact with vinegar or
> alcohol. Shake well, and place in a dark, cool place. Allow to steep for at
> least a couple of weeks, shaking daily. Strain out the herbs and you are
> done! The same proceedure works for oils, but the herbs need to be at least
> partly dry or the moisture may cause spoilage. You can speed up the process
> by warming you liquid to pour over the herbs, but be careful not to get it
> *too* hot or you can lose some of the essential oils. Almond or grapeseed
> oils are popular, but olive will work well, too, and most of us already have
> it.
> 
>     For a salve, infuse the herbs in oil as above, and heat it gently. Add
> beeswax pieces, melt them in, and cool a bit of the mixture to check the
> consistency. Add more beeswax as needed until it's as thick as you wish. I'd
> start with about 1/4 the volume of the oil, and add on from there. Other
> thickeners are possible as well--lanolin, cocoa butter, and, if you are
> feeling particularly hard-core, I believe lard and tallow were used often in
> period. Spoon into containers and cover tightly before it hardens.
>     If you happen to have the appropriate essential oils on hand, you can
> skip the steeping of the herbs and just use them. *Don't* heat them,
> though--mix them in after the salve is made and almost cool. Be careful--they
> are MUCH more potent thand the plant material they came from and can irritate
> the skin in too strong a concentration.
> 
>      Well, I hope this covers at least some of wat you wanted to
> know........... Let me know if I confused you too much or left out something
> important! ;-)
> 
> Ldy Diana
==
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