Here’s how to make and use lavender tincture! You can use fresh or dried lavender flowers for this project. You’ll also need some 80 to 100 proof vodka, and a half pint or small jar with a lid. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a well-loved herb with anti-inflammatory and skin soothing properties. The flowers (and the…
How to make a multi-purpose homemade salve using: lavender flowers, oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil! Lavender salve is a handy remedy to keep around for: This salve is made in two parts. First you make a lavender infused oil, then you melt it with some beeswax to make the salve. Add a little essential…
How to make a gently calming rose glycerite – a natural remedy for nervousness, flushed/upset feelings, or PMS. It can also be used in natural skin care recipes! I’ve discussed various ways of preserving and using roses, but today, I want to highlight how to capture the physical and emotional benefits of the rose using…
Here are eight ways to use lilac flowers, plus a free printable reference sheet about growing and using lilacs. The common lilac that so many of us know and love can be used to make all sorts of wonderful natural remedies and skincare projects! Not just a pretty springtime flower, lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are also…
This delicious infused honey was inspired by a favorite recipe, Ginger Lemon Honey Tonic, that I originally shared on this site several years ago. One beautiful spring day when my lilacs were in full bloom, I wondered… what would happen if I used lilac flowers instead of ginger in the recipe? What happened was the…
Here’s a way to capture the delightful fragrance of fresh lilacs, so you can enjoy their scent long after the flowers have faded! It’s difficult to preserve the elusive scent of flowers like lilacs and gardenias, so perfumers from years past came up with the wonderful method of enfleurage. It sounds fancy and a little…
In this recipe, fresh lilac and violet flowers combine with honey and brandy to make a tasty herbal elixir for sore throats and mild coughs. Why did I choose these two plants? Well, first of all, they’re two of my favorite springtime flowers and they look so pretty together! But mainly, because they also have…
Have a toothache, but can’t be seen by your dentist right away? Try these natural toothache remedies while you wait! The best way to fix a sore tooth is to see your dentist and treat the underlying cause; however, there are sometimes long wait times for appointments, or other times that you just don’t have…
Honey syrups are a simple and sweet way to take your herbal remedies! They’re especially helpful for the sore throats and coughs of winter, but can be used year ’round. If you can simmer a pot of water, you can make an herbal syrup. It’s super easy! Basic Formulas for Making Herbal Honey Syrups In…
My favorite home remedies & skin care recipes involve simple ingredients that are easy to find locally and don’t break my budget. This is where the local grocery store comes in handy! Here are 5 grocery store ingredients I always keep in stock, plus tips and recipes for using them. Make grocery store remedies &…
Learn how to make your own herb infused oils in this step by step guide. You can then use your finished oil to make lotion bars, creams, body butters, salves, lip balms, and natural soaps! Flowers and herbs are filled with healthy components, but to harness those benefits for skincare products such as salves, lotion…
Today, I have a printable quick reference sheet (“cheat sheet”) for you to save for the next time a cold or flu strikes your house! Plus even more natural cold and flu remedy recipes and tips below! A couple of weeks ago, our family came down with co-vid, and the intense brain fog and fatigue…
Learn to make a quick and easy throat spray using tinctures (or herbal tea) and honey. It’s a delicious way to treat sore throats, coughs, and colds! Today, I’m sharing how I make customized herbal honey throat sprays to treat my family’s scratchy and sore throats. I use raw honey in these, but you can…
Have fresh corn? Don’t throw away that corn silk! Corn Silk can be used to help alleviate symptoms that go along with: bedwetting, cystitis, prostatitis, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, gout and hyperglycemia. It’s also a natural source of vitamin K and potassium. Few things in life are more delightful than discovering the goodness in…
From sore throat gargle to wound spray, here are 14 useful things to make with calendula tea! Calendula is loaded with powerful skin-healing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, yet is gentle enough for most people and animals to use safely. You can make all sorts of things with calendula, including soap, salve, lotion bars and lip…
Learn how to make homemade elderberry syrup using fresh (or dried) elderberries and honey! (Updated for 2021, since I’ve reduced water amounts and cooking time since my original recipe in 2015.) Over the past few weeks, we’ve been harvesting from our elder bushes, making lots of goodies, including tincture, oxymel, and salve. Check out my article at…
Learn to make an all-natural witch hazel + herbal liniment can be used for varicose veins, muscle pains, strains, and aches. This recipe was kindly shared by Dawn Combs, author of the book, Heal Local. It’s a great book centered around 20 homegrown or regionally sourced herbs that you can use to build a complete…
This salve recipe combines anti-inflammatory turmeric with pain relieving menthol to create an effective salve that can be rubbed into sore or achy joints, backs, feet, or wherever you have pain that’s relieved by a deep cooling sensation. Today I’m delighted to share a recipe that my daughter created! For many months, we’ve been working…
In this article, you’ll learn how to make three herbal salves featuring mullein infused oil: Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is an herbal weed you’ve likely seen growing on roadsides and fields. In its second year of growth, mullein puts out a really tall flower spike that’s hard to miss! All parts of the mullein plant…
This moisturizing herbal hand cream is perfect for skin that’s rough, damaged, or dry from gardening, or working a lot with your hands. It’s rich and thick, but soaks in nicely after a minute, to protect and repair your skin. I especially love making this cream with weeds which have been gathered while prepping veggie…
