ALL THINGS TOPICAL

[Hinotori]

I'm loving all these recipes. It's nice to see them all in one place. Thanks to all for your participation. Yet an other question, where do you all buy your EO's and other supplies? Tips for best brands, what to avoid?

Finally, do you have dedicated equipment? I really can see no reason why I can't use my kitchen immersion blender, or even my pots and pans, and whisks to make these products. Of course, bee's wax... now... I KNOW that I don't want to get that on my good equipment. But... once the bee's wax is incorporated, it should wash off well with general hot water and soap.

For me there are quite a few stores that carry stuff here. A lot of the EOs I get off Amazon. There are different grades. You also have to make sure that it's not just a scented oil. When we get home, I'll see what brands I have. Something from a larger brand like NOW isn't a bad choice. The MLMs are poor choices for anything. They've been caught with adulterated and outright fraudulent products that are more expensive than what you'd get from a reputable brand. They also don't know squat about their products other than vague promotional words.

Do not apply EOs directly to skin. They must be diluted or they can burn. It can also cause actual sensitivity to the oil so that you can never use that type again without a reaction. Basically by using them incorrectly you can cause an almost allergic reaction to them.

I have dedicated equipment. Even after making a lotion there is still some coating of beeswax that seems to get everywhere. Just means a bowl, cheap measuring cup/spoon set, couple bigger glass measuring cups, couple jars, and a $10 hand mixer. Also an apron to keep oil off clothes. I use a paper plate as a bowl shield when mixing.

 

[Marianne]

This thread is great!

I live in cottonwood country so I did the cottonwood buds in oil. It does give some relief, but sometimes you have to break out the big guns. This worked better for me. It makes a HUGE batch, I think I made 1/4 and still have some after several years. Still works...

Sore Muscle Rub

16 oz. rubbing alcohol
40 aspirin OR 40 ibuprofen(Advil) OR 40 naproxen sodium (Aleve), your choice

Put pills and some of the alcohol into a small blender. Blend until pills are all finely crushed, then add the rest of the alcohol.

Add:
1 oz vegetable glycerin (helps with texture)
1/4 oz orange oil (helps skin to absorb it better - I didn't have any)

Blend for one minute.

If you use MSM, now's the time to add some. Use up to 15 capsules (open and pour into a dinky container), add a bit of distilled water and let the powder dissolve. Add it to the stuff in the blender and blend for another minute. Let it sit over night in a tightly sealed jar. Filter it the next day and bottle. Rub it on the sore area as needed.
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I didn't filter mine and it STILL has that weirdo Advil color that settles at the bottom. I put it in a recycled soy sauce bottle.
At first I was kind of creeped out about the number of pills involved, even a 1/4 batch is still a lot. But you're using just a bit in a localized area.

 

[Marianne]

When I was a kid, we went to OK to visit my aunt. I was chewed up by mosquitoes the next day. She wiped ACV all over me. It took away the itch, and prevented more bites.

You can also pinch off a bit of ACV mother to use for pain relief. I tried it on a scrape on my knee and it knocked the pain in a jiffy. But as soon as I showered, the pain was back, so it's something that needs to stay on. I read that some of the old timers would save 'mothers' in a separate jar just for that reason.

 

[Hinotori]

Vinegar works very well to soothe nettle stings. Need to keep the spot covered with it.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

What's this you say about drying the leaves? For what purpose?

LG, this is a long article but is full of good information. Further down past the information on figs and dried figs, there is information on the fig leaves:

https://draxe.com/figs-nutrition/

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I stand corrected. I thought I had Bocking #14. I went back and looked at the info from the supplier I bought from, and he sells #4. So... unless he has changed, which I highly doubt, I have #4. Here's the name of the supplier I bought from a few years back.

http://www.coescomfrey.com/comfrey.html

 

[Mini Horses]

It can take a LOT of cutting but must be established plants first. I did not think my chickens would be so greedy and planted in an area they could easily access. At first, just a peck or two, then I realized they ate it all!! Now, had it been an established stand, they would have survived the picking of chickens. Goats? Another story! They just stand and munch, on to next. Really, I plan to have large plants, cut leaves and toss to them. The plants get very large once a couple yrs old. At that point, I will work to develop a curing that is workable. Once the leaves dry, it seems they like to just easily break up. If that's what I must do, then top dress, so be it! I can store in a trash can. Dairy goats like protein & alfalfa is expensive, so supplementing it will help, and allow more grass hay into mix. Cost. Remember I want to retire.

Once I have the larger plants to set out, it will be in the same general area of the first ones...but with some protection for a while. It's a perfect spot and near my apple trees -- snap a few leaves and drop by the trees. The chickens may not want so much when not the young leaves.

 

[Hinotori]

Yes. Second page.

I have another alternate body butter recipe that I haven't been able to find but used before. Probaby on the hard drive I can't find

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Started a cold infusion of Calendula/olive oil today. The blossoms are well dried. I stuck the last batch of blossoms in the truck, and they dried very well! I'm thinking that using a vehicle to dry veggies/herbs would be a great option. Gets mighty warm in there. stick a small fan in through a cracked open window. I have drying racks that came with my electric dryer. But, who wants to heat up the house even more in the middle of the summer? Just stick a small fan and a couple racks in the truck!!!!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Hmmmm.... I wonder if one could park a car adjacent to a house window, improvise a duct from the cracked open car window to the house window and gain solar heat! How cool would that be?