Herbal Pain Ointment Recipe

herbal salve

Pain Ointment

I usually make a version of this ointment once a year for general aches and pains, for a sore back or neck and shoulder pain . Also works well for arthritis and joint pains. The herbs are selected intuitively, what I have available, and also what is growing at the time when needed.

Ingredients
20g of your chosen wax
120ml herbal infused oil *
25 drops of essential oil (optional)

* The infused oil was made with things that I had on hand. From the garden – rosemary, lavender, pine needles, juniper leaves, and new comfrey shoots that were just emerging. From the kitchen – ginger and chilli, and some dried herbs I had from last year – arnica flowers and some plantain leaves.

To make the infused oil:
a) Place olive oil in a large glass jar or a glass bowl or jug (glass jugs are easier to pour later) and add the herbs: rosemary, ginger, comfrey leaves, dried plantain, dried arnica flowers, chilli, pine needles, juniper leaves and lavender flowers or the stems.
b) Place the glass container over a bain-marie (a saucepan of water) being careful not to let the water splash in to the oil. Turn the heat on low and slow cook for 3-4 hours or longer if you prefer. Leave the oil to one side.

To make the ointment:
a) Melt the wax in another glass container. This can also be done over a bain-marie.
b) Once the wax is melted add the herb infused oil you made earlier and stir.
c) Optional: If you would like to add therapeutic essential oil, then do so now.
I used wintergreen, peppermint, turmeric, rosemary and lavender.
Mix and pour in to containers and use went set.
Apply to the problem area and deeply massage in to the skin.

Please note: Wintergreen essential oil is not suitable for children, or those with bleeding disorders, during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Free Luna Calendar 2023

Free luna Calendar for 2023. Based on the moon phases of the Northern hemisphere. Perfect for tracking all the various phases, ideal for herbal medicine making, cupping/hijamah, moon gardening or anything else. This is an A4 size.

To download the free calendar, click on the link here!

Farishta – New Botanical Perfume

botanical perfume

The perfume Farishta acquires its name from the Persian word ‘angel’ or ‘divine messenger’. It has a gentle floral breeze that whispers an odour of elapsed memories, of past monuments, and of unearthed images of native flora and aromatic herbs interlaced with stories of untamed resins, kept clandestine and immersed by the transient Near East desert sands.

My new scent Farishta is herbaceous, floral and resinous. Not cloying or overpowering, I wanted to create a scent that was ethereal but earthly, with a character of true flowers, herbs and resins that were mentioned in ancient manuscripts.

The soul of this scent, delicately interweaves Angelica archangelica and Egyptian lotus flower, both renowned and revered by the ancients. Ensuing notes of Champaca unfolds to create a trio of soft fluttery florals, that lie on a herbaceous bed of dill, myrtle and tarragon, evoking a sense of elevated awareness, heightened by cardamon and clove, and then tempered with vanilla and mellowed with saffron. The Resinous final layer is a merging of Amber, Labdanum, and the sweet balsamic notes of Gurjun.

New Essential Oil Blends

essential oil roller blends

New essential oil roller blends that I have been working on! A range of beautiful therapeutic aromatics, diluted in golden jojoba oil. Essential oils not only work on a physiological level but they also have a subtle element that works on the human consciousness. Indeed throughout history aromatic botanicals have been used across many cultures and civilisations for healing the mind, the body and the soul, each of which are intrinsically linked. These six new blends have been carefully and mindfully chosen for their therapeutic, as well as subtle vibrational properties.

Wilder Land Botanical Perfume

botanical wood and smoke perfume

If you adore the green, the fresh and the verdant, you must also revere the charred and the tainted, and the fallen leaves that lay in decay. Beyond decomposition there is life, there is fire, and there is earth and spirit, and in the land of the wilder, death is a mere whisper of an illusion.

I think this is a scent for darker days and winter nights. It’s one of those scents that you definitely do not smell in the bottle. Once applied, it will alter with the chemistry of your body and pick up particular notes according to the individual’s skin.

This is a scent of ancient woods, crisp winter nights and smoke. It may be cosy to some, more smoky to others and also you may pick up floral woodland too.

Opening notes include, spruce hemlock, black spruce tarragon and bergamot. Spring narcissus and chamomile adds just a trace of a green florals. There is also just a suggestion of my artisan extract of cepes, and more wood from cedar and smoke from birch tar. the enduring notes includes Galbanum and labdamen resin, tobacco, sandalwood and myrrh.

Luna Calendar 2022

luna calendar 2022

Luna Moon Calendar 2022

Beautiful botanical design featuring full moon, new moon, first quarter, last quarter. Useful for moon gardening, herbal preparations, cupping times, or for whenever you need to plan for the next moon phase. The black and white colour is free to download here.

Other two colours – the blue and yellow colour calendars are available to purchase from my etsy store here.

Aromatherapy Smelling Salts

breathe aromatherapy smelling salts

New in the shop! These aromatherapy smelling salts are made with pink Himalayan rock salt and a synergistic blend of essential oils to enhance health and wellbeing, and aid common ailments.

Aromatic essential oils have been used for thousands of years as a remedy to enrich health, and has the ability of affect mood and atmosphere. Smelling salts have been used since Roman times as mentioned by Pliny the Elder, and were also popular in the 13th Century, frequently used to trigger consciousness and prevent fainting spells. Similarly, smelling salts are used today by athletes, to enhance their performance.

We have combined these two medicinal tools to create essential oil smelling salts in a handy amber glass apothecary bottle for convenient use. Ideal for the home, your desk at work, or when travelling. These contain NO ammonia and are a simple way to utilise the benefits of aromatherapy.

Borage flower essence making.

borage flower essence

Star Flower/Borage Flower Remedy

This is the first time I have grown Borage and the flowers are now in season, and are flourishing and embellishing my garden with small star shaped blue/indigo blooms with a contrasting bright green thick stem and leaves. Flower essence making is an annual ritual and an opportunity to harness the medicine the plants have gifted to us. This was made this morning whilst the morning dew was still visible. Flower essence are a type of subtle vibrational medicine made by placing the flower in spring water under the sunlight to capture and potenise their energetic imprint. A preservative is added to the spring water (I use organic agave syrup) and the medicine is used for many emotional issues. Borage flower essence is ideal for the disheartened, and promotes a cheerful outlook and brings emotional strength.

borage flower essence

Directions for making flower essences:

Ingredients: a sterilised glass bowl, sterilised amber bottle, spring water, unpicked plant for essence.

In the morning, when there is dew, fill a bowl of spring water, and place it near the plant and in the sun. Spend time with the plant with an intention that you are making a healing essence and be open to messages you receive from the plant. Say a prayer if you wish. Using tweezers or a leaf from the plant cut a few small flowers and lay in the water. Allow the essence to sit in the sunlight for about 3 hours, using your intuition to judge whether they are ready to be taken out. When the essence is finished infusing, give thanks, and bottle the imprinted flower water and preserve with vegetable glycerine, organic agave syrup or organic white vinegar. Add a minimum of 60 -70 percent of the preservative. Name and date the mother essence bottle. To store the bottles, keep out of light in a cool dark place and avoid strong odours. Keep check of any solid substance in the water, and do not use if this occurs as the essence is contaminated.

Dosage bottle: Once you have made the mother essence you can make the dosage bottle. The dosage bottle contains again a minimum of 60-70 percent preservative, spring water and a few drops of the mother essence.

borage flower essence