by Jan Berry
Create Your Own Vinegar Hair Rinse
Violet Flower Sore Throat Syrup
Preserving Herbs and Flowers
While it’s always fun to work with fresh flowers and herbs, unfortunately they just don’t stay in season as long as we’d like. They can, however, be dried or frozen for use throughout the rest of the year. Both forms will retain similar medicinal and healthful benefits, although dried offers a wider range of uses and is not reliant upon electricity to stay fresh.
Dried flowers and herbs can be used in all projects in this book, unless noted otherwise. Frozen flowers and herbs work best for making soaps, vinegars and other water-based projects. Because they contain moisture, they won’t mix into oil-based items such as salves, lip balms or body butters.
To dry fresh flowers and leaves, collect them on a preferably sunny mid-morning when their volatile oils are at peak level. Bring them inside and spread them out in a single layer over a clean dish towel, out of direct sunlight but in a location that gets good air circulation. Turn each piece over once or twice per day until completely dry. Depending on humidity levels and temperature in your house, this could take anywhere from two days to a full week.
Some herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, hyssop, dill, parsley, basil, lemon balm and many more, can be hung upside down in small clusters tied together with kitchen twine. Keep them out of direct sunlight and take them down as soon as they dry or they’ll fade and get dusty.
For quickest results and very humid climates, you can also use a dehydrator. Remember to keep the temperatures under 110°F (43°C), in order to best preserve color, flavor and medicinal potency.
To see if a flower or herb is completely dry, rub a piece between your fingers. It should feel crisp and crumble easily. If not, just dry a bit longer. Before storing, strip leaves and flowers from stems. The stems can be composted or bundled together and saved to use as fire starters in the winter. To preserve aromatic essential oils within the plant and to extend shelf life, don’t crush or powder the herbs until right before you’re ready to use them in a recipe or project.
Store in clean, dry glass jars in a cool area out of direct sunlight. The shelf life for most dried herbs and flowers is six months to a year. Some, such as dandelion flowers, will fade and lose their color sooner than that. When you spot a drab herb in your collection, it’s a good sign that it’s past its prime.
Many flowers, such as dandelions, violets and rose petals, freeze well when spread in a single layer in heavy-duty freezer bags for around six to nine months. You can also make teas with fresh plants, then strain and freeze in ice cube trays. Once they’re completely solid, pop out the cubes and store them in labeled freezer bags for up to one year.
Flowers and herbs can most often be used directly from the freezer in a recipe that requires fresh flowers. Once fully thawed, they’ll be a little on the mushy side though. Teas can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
If you’re not sure if your favorite herb or flower will freeze nicely, the best way to find out is to take a few leaves or petals, freeze them for one week, then see what the result is. In the majority of cases, the plant will freeze fine. In the worst case, you can compost the test result, but you’ll still have learned something new!
Infusing Oils
By steeping herbs and flowers in oil, their beneficial properties can be harnessed for use in soaps, salves, lotions and other homemade products. Be sure the plant matter is dry before infusing. Water trapped in the oil can cause a cozy spot for bacteria and mold to grow.
There are three basic methods of infusing oil:
THE TRADITIONAL SLOW METHOD
This way requires the most patience and time, but results in a strongly infused and potent oil.
Fill a glass canning jar about one-fourth to one-half of the way with dried herbs or flowers. Next, fill the jar, almost to the top, with your chosen oil. You have a wide variety of options when it comes to oils, though some of the most commonly used ones include olive, sunflower and sweet almond.
Cap the jar and tuck it away in a cool, dark cupboard for four to six weeks, shaking occasionally. A cool, dark area is suggested since too much exposure to heat and light may begin to degrade the quality of the herbs and oils over the extended length of the infusing time.
THE WARM SUNNY-WINDOW METHOD
This process gets a jump-start from the natural heat of sunshine and still results in a high-quality oil.
Fill a glass canning jar about one-fourth to one-half of the way with dried herbs then top off with oil, just as you would for the traditional slow method. Secure a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter over the jar with a rubber band and place it in a warm sunny window. This breathable layer allows for any potential condensation to escape, but will keep dust and flies from contaminating the oil.
Depending on how hot it gets, your oil may be sufficiently infused for use within three to five days. If you’d like to keep infusing past this time, to obtain a stronger oil, tuck it away in a cabinet for several more weeks. Short-term exposure to sunlight and heat is okay, but in the long term may cause the quality of the herbs and oils to degrade.
THE QUICK METHOD
This method works best if you don’t have the time or desire to wait days or weeks to produce an infused oil. The finished oil might not always be quite as strong as the traditional slow-infused oil, but should still have noticeable benefits. Because it’s solid at cooler room temperatures, coconut oil does best when infused this way.
Fill a glass canning jar about one-fourth to one-half of the way with dried herbs or flowers. Next, fill the jar almost to the top with your chosen oil, just as you would for the traditional slow method or warm sunny-window method above, but don’t cap the jar. Instead, set the uncovered jar down into a saucepan containing a few inches of water, forming a makeshift double boiler of sorts. Place the pan over a low burner and heat for around two hours. Keep an eye on things while you do this, to ensure that all of the water doesn’t evaporate. If the water begins simmering or boiling, the heat is too high and should be turned down. You don’t have to be precise, but try to keep the temperature somewhere around or under 115°F (46°C) so you don’t accidentally cook your herbs. After two hours have passed, remove the jar from the pan and set aside to cool.
You can also perform the quick method by infusing the herbs and oil directly in a slow cooker set to warm for two to four hours. Some slow cookers reach too high of a temperature to do this effectively, so you’ll need to experiment with how your particular model works.
Once the oil has sufficiently infused via your preferred method, strain it through a fine mesh strainer or several layers of cheesecloth. Store the infused oil in a clean, dry jar in a dark, cool place, such as a cupboard. Sunlight and heat will shorten its shelf life, but when properly stored, infused oil should stay fresh around nine months to a year.
Oils and Cosmetic Butters
There are a tremendous variety of oils and cosmetic butters available via the Internet and, increasingly, local stores as well. Sometimes, it’s hard to choose which ones are the best to use.
When you first venture into making your own products, it’s probably easiest to just grab some basic olive, sunflower and coconut oils from your local grocery or health food store. As long as they seem to have a fairly high turnover rate and the oils appear fresh, that’s perfectly fine to do.
As you fine-tune your cosmetic-making skills, however, you may want to branch out into more exotic oils. For those, you can use one of the many vendors to be found online, some of which are listed in the resource section. Although it tends to appear more costly upfront because of shipping and buying in bulk, when you work out the price per ounce or gram, the ingredients obtained online are usually a better bargain and higher quality than grocery store oils.
The shelf life estimates of the oils and butters noted here are only guidelines and will vary widely depending on the quality and age of the oil when you buy it. Store in a cool area, away from direct heat
and sunlight, and they may very well last even longer than listed.
Apricot Kernel Oil—a light yet nourishing oil that softens and moisturizes, and is suitable for all skin types. Apricot oil absorbs readily and helps relieve eczema and other itchy skin conditions. Shelf life is around 12 months.
Argan Oil—absorbs quickly and is wonderful for hair and nails. It improves and repairs skin, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and can be used in formulations to prevent stretch marks. It’s expensive, so if it’s out of your budget, try using sweet almond or another easily absorbed oil instead. It won’t have the same array of benefits, but it will still produce a nice product. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Avocado Oil—a rich oil, high in B vitamins and essential fatty acids. It does well in hair care recipes and is useful for those with sensitive or irritated skin. Since it’s pressed from the fruit, avocado oil is an excellent choice for those with tree nut allergies. Shelf life is around 12 months.
Babassu Oil—a great substitute for those who are allergic to coconut oil. Babassu oil is moisturizing, slightly cooling and good for dry, damaged skin and hair. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Castor Oil—a thick oil that lends a glossy shine to homemade lip balms, protects skin and has mild antifungal properties. Its low comedogenic status means it’s unlikely to clog pores. In soap recipes, it helps boost lather. Shelf life is 24 to 36 months.
Cocoa Butter—rich and creamy, high in vitamin E and other antioxidants, helps soothe and protect skin. The unrefined version has a strong chocolate-like scent that carries through to the finished product. This works really well with some essential oils such as peppermint, but in other cases, you may wish to use a refined version so it doesn’t overpower. Cocoa butter also adds hardness and a creamy lather to soap recipes. Shelf life is around 24 to 30 months.
Coconut Oil—melts at 76°F (24°C), moisturizes and protects skin. Coconut oil is popular for use in hair masks and treatments, and its antibacterial properties make it a good addition to homemade deodorant recipes. In soap, it contributes to a hard bar and lots of lather. Some people experience redness and dry skin after using coconut oil for an extended period of time, and it has also been known to exacerbate acne. In that case, babassu oil makes a fine substitute in virtually all applications. Coconut oil is available in unrefined or refined form. Unrefined oil is suggested for use, since it may contain beneficial properties lost in the refinement process, but refined can be used equally as well if that’s what you have available. For soap making, refined oil is often the better choice due to cost. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Grapeseed Oil—a light oil that absorbs quickly, without leaving a greasy feeling. It’s suitable for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Grapeseed oil also works well as a massage oil or blended with heavier oils to improve absorption. Shelf life is 6 to 9 months.
Hemp Seed Oil—a rich, nutritious oil that’s excellent for skin and hair care products. It’s wonderful for dry, broken skin and is often used in formulations for eczema and psoriasis. The unrefined oil is a deep green color and should be kept in a very cool area or refrigerated when not in use. Sometimes, confusion exists about hemp seed oil and its connection to cannabis. The oil does not contain detectable levels of THC and is perfectly legal to use. Shelf life is around 12 months.
Jojoba Oil—a liquid plant wax that closely mirrors how our skin’s sebum performs. Because of this, it’s outstanding for hair, scalp and skin care. Jojoba is considered non-comedogenic, making it excellent for problem skin, while at the same time able to soften and soothe very dry skin. Jojoba oil is quite stable, with a shelf life of at least 3 to 5 years.
Kokum Butter—a hard and flaky cosmetic butter. Combine it with other oils and ingredients to help treat dry, cracked, inflamed or damaged skin. It also makes a good substitute for cocoa butter. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Mango Butter—rich and creamy, moisturizes and softens skin. It can soften the appearance of wrinkles, so it is often used in antiaging products. It can usually be interchanged with shea butter in recipes. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Meadowfoam Seed Oil—has a long shelf life and helps extend the shelf life of other, more fragile oils in a product in which it’s included. Meadowfoam seed oil is moisturizing and softens hair and skin. It makes a good substitute for jojoba oil. Shelf life is 36 months.
Neem Oil—a strongly scented and powerful oil, used for treating skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. It has antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic properties and repels lice, ticks, mosquitoes and other pests. Because of the strong smell, it’s recommended to use neem in small amounts. If pregnant or nursing, consult with your midwife or health care provider before using neem-containing products. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months.
Olive Oil—a readily available oil that works well in most cosmetic recipes and with most skin types. In the supermarket, olive oil is available in grades ranging from dark green extra virgin to a more refined, light-colored oil. All types of olive oil will work for the recipes in this book. Be aware that many store-brand light olive oils are cut with canola oil to reduce costs and are often past their prime. They’ll still work in your soap recipes, but your bars may yellow or go rancid sooner than if you purchased a higher quality product from online shops that deal specifically in soap making supplies. Shelf life is 12 months.
Rice Bran Oil—excellent for use in eye creams and serums, since it may help reduce the appearance of dark circles and under-eye puffiness. Rice bran is also a good choice for shampoo bars and hair care recipes. Shelf life is around 12 months.
Rosehip Seed Oil—a premier antiaging oil that helps smooth the appearance of wrinkles, regenerates skin and reduces scars. It’s light, nongreasy, absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily. Rosehip seed oil should be stored in a cool location or your refrigerator. Shelf life is around 6 to 12 months.
Sesame Seed Oil—a medium-weight oil that’s high in vitamin E and may be useful for dry skin. Shelf life is 12 months.
Shea Butter—high in vitamins A and E, ideal for treating dry, weathered or damaged skin. Unrefined shea has a rather strong scent that some find unpleasant. If that’s the case for you, look for a refined version that hasn’t been processed with bleach or chemicals. Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations and overheating, or your shea butter may develop graininess. Shelf life is 12 to 18 months.
Sunflower Oil—a light, non-comedogenic oil that’s high in lecithin and vitamins A, D and E. Sunflower is one of the best oils for applying to broken, damaged or aging skin. Shelf life is 9 to 12 months.
Sweet Almond Oil—suitable for most skin types. It’s high in fatty acids, anti-inflammatory, softens skin and may help improve hair health and growth. It makes for a good massage or after-bath oil. Shelf life is around 12 months.
Tamanu Oil—a quality, unrefined tamanu oil has a distinct, deep scent. If you have tree nut allergies, consult with your physician first to determine if you should use tamanu oil. It’s remarkable for treating scars, sores, stretch marks and a variety of skin conditions. Its antibacterial properties make it a good addition to acne formulations, and with its anti-inflammatory traits, it’s a nice addition to sore-muscle salves and balms. Shelf life is 12 to 18 months.
Additional Ingredients
While herbal-infused oils can be useful and wonderful all on their own, they can also be turned into salves, soaps, lotions, creams and much more. In order to do that, you’ll need one or more of the additional items listed below. I try to source most of my ingredients from local grocery or health food stores, but some specialty items may need to be ordered online. See the Resources section of this book for recommended vendors.
Alkanet Root Powder—a plant-derived dye that can be used to color homemade cosmetics. Depending on how much you use, you can obtain shades ranging from pale pink to ruby red. In soap, however, the high alkalinity causes alkanet root to turn purple instead. If you’re pregnant, check with your midwife or doc
tor before using alkanet.
Aloe Vera Gel—a clear, thick gel extracted from the leaves of aloe plants. It’s great for treating skin irritations, burns and bug bites. Look for aloe vera gel near the pharmacy or sun care area of your local grocery or drug store. You can also find it in most health food stores. Even the most natural brands will have some type of preservative, but avoid synthetically colored gel or those with a lot of additives. The recipes in this book were developed and tested using a thick gel. If your brand of aloe is water-like, you’ll probably need to use less of it, and the end product may turn out differently.
Annatto Seed Powder—gives soaps and cosmetics a yellow to orange tint, depending on how much you use. It tends to work best when mixed with or infused in the oil portion of your recipe.
Arrowroot Powder—a white, lightweight starch that helps absorb excess oil in some recipes. Look for arrowroot powder or starch in the gluten-free baking section of your local supermarket or health food store. If you can’t find any, you can use cornstarch for a similar action in many recipes.
Baking Soda—(also known as sodium bicarbonate) a common, natural baking ingredient. It helps soften water, making it a great addition to bath salts. Combine it with citric acid to make fizzing bath salts. Along with vinegar, it’s commonly used as an inexpensive and nontoxic cleaning agent for your home.
Beeswax—a faintly honey-scented yellow wax, produced by honeybees. It helps thicken creams and hold salves and lotion bars together. It has beneficial skin-softening properties and helps your skin retain moisture.
Beetroot Powder—does best dissolved in the water portion of your recipe when making lotions and creams. When added directly to lip balm, it tends to not dissolve properly and feels gritty. In soap, beetroot turns from a pretty pink to a very sad and dull shade of tan.