Herb baths are just a mixture of different kinds of dried herbs, for different purposes all mixed together. Package them in cloth bags and drop them right in the tub and let the water pulls out all the neat stuff in the herbs, makes the bath smell good and you feel good. The bags keep the herbs from going down the drain and clogging up your system.
Mix and store in ZipLoc bags. If humidity is a problem where you live, mix in a little glycerin to help with the clumping. You can use up to 1/2 cup of the salts per bath, if you wish, but I use a couple of tablespoons.
To make a herbal bath salt, add 2-3 ounces of finely ground herbs, whatever is your choice. Make sure these are powdered or very finely ground. Some suggestions are parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, or any other herb you happen to like.
Monday, January 18, 1999Boil the one cup of water and let the glycerine soap melt in it. Remove from heat and add fragrance oil. It thickens as it cools, so don't be discouraged if it looks watery at first. I have tried this, and take it seriously when it says it will be watery at first. In fact, it will be watery till the next day. But DO NOT add more M&P to it, thinking you have messed up! If you do, you'll end up with thick gooey stuff. Trust me on this one! It has to cool and sit about 24 to 48 hrs before you get the final consistency. The first time I made it, it thickened as it cooled. The next time it took longer.
Wendy L Evensen
Carolina Herbal Bathproducts
Kernersville, NC
Combine the distilled water, and orange flower water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the dried peppermint, chamomile, rose petals, and orange blossoms. Let steep for on hour. Strain the herbs and flowers from the water and reheat gently. Add the glycerin soap and stir until dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the castor oil. Let cool to room temp. and bottle. Makes 8 1/2 ounces
Kelly
The Kitchen Witch
Warm together over low flame until scent is well incorporated. Strain herbs from oil mixture. Next, add:
Remove from heat; stir until cream consistency. Store in airtight container.
I think I got the deodorant recipe perfected. At least it lasts about six hours in full Florida heat which is better than even commercial antiperspirant. Hope you like it.
Simmer in top of double boiler until herb scent is in oils, then strain herbs from the oils. Melt in:
When melted add:
Sift the baking soda if you don't want lumps that are really hard to get out. Pour into deodorant containers. It makes a lot, but all your friends are going to want some so you'll run out pretty quickly. Make sure that part of the deal is that they clean your double boiler because it's hard to clean, ultra concentrated soap doesn't even make a dent in it.
Heat oil to just boiling in stainless steel or glass pot or heat in the oven on low temperature (around 150-200 F) keeping container covered. Simmer the herb/oil mix about 3 hours, covered - about 4 hours in the oven. If you are using roots and/or bark, then simmer these for 1-1/2 hours by themselves then add flowers/leaves to mixture. Fresh herbs: do not cover pot for at least the first 30 min. To allow moisture to evaporate. After cooking, strain. Add beeswax and tincture of benzoin and mix well to ensure that beeswax is fully melted and mixed with the oil. You can grate or shave the beeswax to help it mix in completely. Place a little salve on a spoon and place in the frig for a short period of time. If still runny, add a little more beeswax. Once completed to your satisfaction, pour the salve into small, airtight, sterile jars and label the jars accurately including name, ingredients used, and date made. When properly made (and using the tincture of benzoin), these salves will keep for years in a cool, dry place.
Put oil and blossoms into a pot over very low heat for 30 minutes. Calendula should be crispy but not burnt. Filter into jars, and keep cool. Rub some on spider veins (twice a day), bruises, dry skin, cracked lips. Spider veins should start showing visible improvement in about three weeks or so, and take about six months to clear up.Make a double infusion for varicose veins (do this again with the same oil, adding the same amount of herbs).
Delma Butler
Midnight Oil
I infused Comfrey, chamomile, and Calendula in olive oil. I made a salve by adding beeswax to thicken, warmed it up to semi solid added aloe vera gel and tea tree and lavender EO's to it. For the first time I have healed my winter time hands. I have one place in the winter that cracks and bleeds no matter what I do. So far so good. The area is healed and seems to be staying that way. It has been a week now, and continued success!
Clarification of recipe:
Step 1 - I put a handful (1 cup more or less) of each herb in the bottom of a cooking pot, covered with olive oil and heated in oven overnight on warm.
Step 2 = Filtered oil through coffee filter.
Step 3 - While oil was warm (1 cup oil) I added about 1/2 ounce beeswax and warmed till melted.
Step 4 - Allowed oil to cool till warm to touch and still liquid, I squirted about 1/3 cup aloe vera gel and used stick blender to blend. While blending add 1 dropper of tee tree and 1 dropper of lavender EO.
Jan Schmidt
Auntie Jan's Herbs & Botanicals
Heat all the above herbs in oil. The original suggests heating for 4 hours, then cooling for 4 hours, repeating 3 times. I didn't do it this way; just used the crockpot method of infusing. When it changes to a reddish color, put it in the blender for a few seconds. Heat and cool again, then strain. You can also add lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint E.O’s. You can either use it as an oil/rub or just add the infused oil to any basic cream or lotion recipe. This does work on sore muscles. If you want a stronger (hotter) oil, just add more peppers.
Mama Yasmini's Place Fun Stuff