Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Cream and lotions tend to go bad faster without preservatives. Directions for Making Salve To make salve, we extract the beneficial properties of our herbs in oil, then add beeswax to harden the oil. These recipes are based on the Simplers' Method of calculating proportions. These recipes require you to use parts rather than a specific volume of each herb. This technique allows you to easily adapt the recipe. If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of salve you might choose 1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely cover the herbs, plus an inch of oil above the level of the herbs. The tricky part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden the salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents. One pint of olive oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in an ounce. If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking them to remove dirt then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours ( until wilted ) to reduce the moisture content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil quickly. To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot. Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs. Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about 5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler. After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cloth. Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax. If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label. John Ybarra <deuteronomy2929 wrote: I am interested in the capsicum aspect of this (of course). How would one go about making the cream? New Photos - easier uploading and sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 It's easy... and if it gets too hard melt it back down and add more oil.. if not hot enough add more cayenne.. too soft - more beeswax.. SuziJohn Ybarra <deuteronomy2929 wrote: Cool.Thanks, Suzi. It's about what I thought. I'm gonna try it with cayenne. JohnSuzanne <suziesgoats wrote: Cream and lotions tend to go bad faster without preservatives. Directions for Making Salve To make salve, we extract the beneficial properties of our herbs in oil, then add beeswax to harden the oil. These recipes are based on the Simplers' Method of calculating proportions. These recipes require you to use parts rather than a specific volume of each herb. This technique allows you to easily adapt the recipe. If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of salve you might choose 1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely cover the herbs, plus an inch of oil above the level of the herbs. The tricky part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden the salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents. One pint of olive oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in an ounce. If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking them to remove dirt then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours ( until wilted ) to reduce the moisture content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil quickly. To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot. Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs. Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the oil longer( about 5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler. After heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much oil as possible from the herbs and cloth. Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too soft, add more beeswax. If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your salve into containers and label. John Ybarra <deuteronomy2929 wrote: I am interested in the capsicum aspect of this (of course). How would one go about making the cream? New Photos - easier uploading and sharing Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Yea John, Then you will find, like I did, that the cayenne oil is really good on baked potatoes, etc. I am still considering whether to eat it or make it into a salve and this has been made and sitting here since summer. Tastes to good. I put two cups of habanero powder into a jar and covered it with organic cold pressed olive oil and left it in the sun for a month, stirring it every day. Wow. This stuff is potent and yummy. Guess it will be really good on the skin LOL. Don Quai - John Ybarra herbal remedies Thursday, December 18, 2003 2:03 AM Re: [herbal remedies] Re: cayenne salve Cool.Thanks, Suzi. It's about what I thought. I'm gonna try it with cayenne. John ---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Ain't no bugs here!Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release 12/11/03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Hi Brigitte, You can most likely use Grapeseed oil but I would check out the shelf life before you do. One of the reasons why Olive oil is used so extensively is because it is so stable and has a good shelf life (contrary to what some people say). In other words, it doesn't go rancid very easily. Do check out what the shelf life is of the oil you plan on using before you use it and ruin a whole batch. HTH, Don Quai Grapeseed oil should be kept out of sunlight and heat. It does store well, though. Try sesame seed oil. It is very stable. - Bridge herbal remedies Thursday, December 18, 2003 3:34 PM RE: [herbal remedies] Re: cayenne salve Could we make this with Grapeseed oil, leave like this and use it for both.. table and massage oil (salve)? Brigitte ---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Ain't no bugs here!Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release 12/11/03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 Enough to cover the cayenne twice at least. I am now using the same cayenne and doing a second batch with new oil and it is almost as hot as the first but not quite. Don Quai - Suzanne herbal remedies Thursday, December 18, 2003 2:24 PM Re: [herbal remedies] Re: cayenne salve OK DON.. how much oil did you add? ---Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Ain't no bugs here!Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release 12/11/03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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