Here you will find a collection of the basic medicine making guides that I have written. I hope they offer simple and practical instruction on how to create a variety of herbal preparations along with advice on ingredients and basic recipes. If you have any questions or would like anything clarified then please leave me a message in the comments.
Happy making!
How to make teas and decoctions - Coming soon
How to make tinctures - Coming soon
How to make infused vinegars - Coming soon
How to make herbal infused honeys
How to make syrups and elixirs – Coming soon
How to make salves, ointments and balms
How to make poultices and compresses
How to make creams part I - Intro and ingredients
How to make creams part II - Without emulsifiers
How to make creams part III - With emulsifying wax
How to make creams part IV - With VE and MF emulsifiers
Dear Lucinda,
Since I don’t have access to fresh elderberries, may I make a syrup with dried berries?
Thank you so much (not just for your advice on this, but for all your wonderful posts)!
Konstantina
Virginia, USA
Hi Konstantina,
Yes you can use dried ones fine. The resulting syrup will not be as rich and juicy but it will still be very good. Just simmer the berries in water for about 20 mins and allow some of the water to evaporate off so the liquid becomes a little thicker, then strain out the berries, return to the pan and follow either the sugar or honey method for making the syrup.
Let me know if you have any more questions and thanks for your lovely comment.
Lucinda
Hello again!! Can’t wait for tincture stories. A few questions for you my dear..was wondering about which herbs are better made into tinctures and which are better infused in oil to go into a medicinal salve? The herbs we want to use are comfrey, calendula ,arnica, and hypericum…thanks so much for everything your site makes me so happy! Bless you Elizabeth and Sally
Hi Elizabeth,
If you are making a salve I would use all these as infused oils. All of the herbs you mention make great oils. You only need to add the tincture with herbs that don’t infuse well into oil or if you want specific properties that wont come through as strongly in an oil.
Thanks for your lovely comment!
Take care x