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
LikeLiked by 1 person
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
LikeLike
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
LikeLike
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
LikeLike
any mixture of herbs for neurodermatitis?
LikeLike
i’m excited for the teas story! I’m new to herbalism, so I’m not quite sure how to combine herbs in the correct ratios, ect. Do you have any articles that explain this?
LikeLike
I don’t yet but it is something I plan to write about soon! 🙂
LikeLike
I’m new to all this but desperately trying to take in all the wonderful information you have here, I’m planning on starting with some infused oils tomorrow! Do you know if there is anyone around Northampton UK that does anything at all like you do? Thank you so much for your work and diligence, bless you, 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Kay,
Thank you for your kind words, i hope your infused oils went well. I don’t know anyone personally but there is a herbalist in Rushden who does some courses I believe. His name is John Weeks and this is his website:
http://herbal-spirit.webs.com/
Wishing you all the best on your herbal journey! x
LikeLike
Hello 🙂 Do you have a recipe for a natural mouth wash? I suffer from mouth ulcers regularly and I have made up my own with rosewater, rosemary, cloves and peppermint. Do you have any suggestions? thanks:)
LikeLike
Hi Hannah,
You would probably want to look into supporting your immune system and having individual treatment but you could try adding some myrrh and calendula tinctures to your mouth wash recipe.
LikeLike
Hannah, I would suggest blood work done, this was the first sign my daughter had starting a year before she developed leukemia. They would go away after a round of antibiotics and come back the following month
LikeLike
hello from Juneau Alaska:) Lovethe site, so winderful to see knowledge shared freely:) Was hoping for some input/info on Moldavian Balm….anyone?
LikeLike
Hello, new to the website and loving it!l
I’m about to try the cream (with emulsifier! ) so I’m very excited. Ive been organic/natural for about 5 years but now I’ve got to the point where I can’t afford all the organic skincare stuff anymore so I’m going to try making it myself.
is there any chance of a facial cleanser recipe, please?
thanks
Fiona
LikeLike
Thanks Fiona. I do have a lovely oil based cleanser and will try to post the recipe soon. The poor blog has been a bit neglected of late! There is a wash off facial grains recipe here until then:
LikeLike
What is the white flower in the first picture. Its in my yard and smells like honeysuckle.
LikeLike
It is Hawthorn blossom.
LikeLike
you are very lovely person ur reciep is clear i love it i make the 1st reciep but i cannot found emulsifier wax to make the second one
LikeLike
Thank you Mariam. 🙂 What country are you in? I buy mine from Neal’s Yard or Aromantic but they are both UK based companies.
LikeLike
Thanks so very much for your identifications on your photographs and your wonderful information! I was looking for Primrose to see if I had it in my garden and your site came up on Google. I love it here!
Smiles, Cyndi
LikeLike
Sounds great
LikeLike
Would like introduction and ingredients to making cream ,thanks
LikeLike
If you follow the link above (Part 1 – Intro and Ingredients) it should give you that information.
LikeLike
Hi I have recently been introduced to birch polypore. And absolutely love it.now as I’m recovering from a rather serious illness also decided look at chaga. Thinking I’d combine both. however in that process came across the idea that I should never use alcohol for anything? Now as I’d made a dual extraction of birch polypore and definitely think this is the way forward. Also this person (possibly indigenous heritage) also says herbs(mushrooms) should be steeped and then not heated above 50°C? If be very interested in your thoughts on this? Everything I’m finding is suggesting that dual extraction definitely more powerful as some things extract better in alcohol others water? Also most recommend boiling vigorously? Thanks Chris
LikeLike
Hi Chris, sorry for the delayed reply, I haven’t been getting chance to check the blog that often at the moment.
The traditional way of preparing medicinal mushrooms is by simmering and the modern knowledge of constituents has added the alcohol to make a double extraction. Was the person who told you that taking about edible mushrooms? The medicinal mushrooms I prepare myself are all very tough and little of their constituents would be extracted by steeping alone. Chaga also is a very tough mushroom and makes a marvellous dark brew when simmered. There may be some advantages to this preparation that I am not aware of but my personal view from the experiments I’ve done is that you need a good decoction to get the benefits out.
LikeLike
Hi. I love your site so far. I’m wondering; I have some dried yarrow; can I just powder it up? I’m wanting something to help my dog from scratching so much? A tea might help? Any info I would greatly appreciate. Thank you.
LikeLike
Yes you can powder it and use topically. Green clay can also be helpful for animals who are itchy so it might be worth looking into that. It would depend on the cause of the itching though so see someone if you can to establish that.
LikeLike
Is it possible to use lilac to infuse oil? Thinking about body butter and perfume rollers…
LikeLike
I just picked fresh yarrow, really want to make something good with it, I know it has healing properties in it, so Im open to suggestions?
LikeLike
just now finding you but I love this site. have learned a ton in just a few articles. But I honestly do have a question. Making tinctures with alcohol is something I can’t do here. Have members who have finally broken the alcohol hook and really don’t want to place them where they may go back to it. I did pick up raw apple cider vinegar with the mother still in it. I can do them with that with less holding time right?
LikeLike
Hi Phoebe. i’m so sorry for my delayed reply, this blog has been sadly neglected by me for some time. Yes you can certainly use vinegar, it works well for most plants and usually wants from a couple of weeks (for lighter flowers) to a month’s infusing time.
LikeLike
I want stop buying cosmetics and would really like to start making my own . Your sight is really inspiring .Feeling a bit bamboozled by all the options . Can you just recommend one recipe for me to get started . I’m almost fifty , so my skin isn’t as young as it used to be .Which recipe would you Recommend to,get stated with for face cream . And where do you get your supplies from 😃🙏🏻
LikeLike
Hi Heidi, sorry it’s taken me a while to respond, I’m very sporadic in keeping up with the blog at the moment. I would recommend the cream without emulsifiers as long as you have a good blender. It’s simple and really nourishing for the skin.
This post is old and may be a little out of date now but should give you some ideas around supplies:
LikeLike
Just found this website – look forward to trying out some of these recipes 🐝
LikeLike
Please sign me up for your monthly letter of plant wisdom!! I just read about the May Tree, Hawthorn and was enchanted.
Thank you,
Kathryn JOHANSEN
Puyallup, Washington, USA
LikeLike
Thank you Kathryn. I have just finished a little book on the hawthorn, such a special tree.
LikeLike
Hi Lucinda, how can I connect with you. I have an order from yr site that has been stopped in customs, I see you don’t read your Facebook messages, and can’t find any email, so this post is a last resort to try to find a contact for you.
LikeLike
Hi Sally! Sorry you’re having problems with customs. That hasn’t happened before. There is an email address on the about page here but the best way if it’s about an order, is through Etsy. On the shop where you would have ordered there is a ‘contact’ button directly under the picture of me on the right. Drop me a line there and we can get it sorted out. 🙂
LikeLike