Big companies have specialized equipment to separate the naturally occurring hydrosol from the essential oils they are seeking, but what is a person with a simple still to do?
The answer is easy, simply pour your distilled product into a freezer proof glass container, put a lid on it and freeze it.
The hydrosol, which is mostly water will freeze, while the essential oil will not freeze. Once the hydrosol is completely frozen you can pour off the essential oil.
Be sure to allow the hydrosol to melt as it is a useable product too. Keep the essential oil as well as the hydrosol in the refrigerator. Both products should be good up to a year.
Do keep in mind, you may end up with some hydrosol in your essential oil and some essential oil in your hydrosol. This is not an exact science, but it is the easiest way I have found to separate the two products in your standard home situation without investing in a lot of equipment.
Filed under Distillation, Essential Oils, Hydrosols by on Jan 1st, 2010. Comment. 
Making necklaces out of rose petals is a very old fashion idea. Not only are these rose bead necklaces beautiful but the scent is delightful as long as you choose roses that have a strong fragrance to make your beads with.
Begin by picking lots of rose petals early in the morning as soon as the dew dries. Choose roses that have just opened if possible. In order to get enough petals you may need to do this daily for several weeks. Just keep adding the new petals to the older ones and eventually you will have enough rose beads to make a necklace.
Once you have picked the petals and are sure they are dry, chop them as finely as you can. A nut chopper works well for this task. If you do not have a nut chopper, use a food processor or knife.
Once the petals have been chopped, put them in a cast iron skillet or an old black skillet. You want to rose petals to take on the black color of the skillet. Cast iron is best if you have it.
Cover the pan and set it in a cool, dark place. You will repeat this process every day for seven days.
Check the pulp every day to make sure it is not getting too dry. If it is, sprinkle a little water on it. You want to keep it slightly damp.
On the seventh day, cut the top off a thimble. Fill the inside of the thimble with some of the pulp. When the thimble is completely filled with pulp and the ends leveled off, push the pulp out.
Roll the pulp into a ball and set it aside. Repeat the process until all of the pulp has been made into beads.
You will roll the balls every day for three days.
At the end of the three days, stick a straight pin with a large head into the center of the bead. In the old days, hat pins were used.
At this time you may draw pictures or lines on the beads to make them more ornate. You can also embellish the beads with decorations.
Set the beads aside to dry. Be sure to rotate the beads so they dry evenly on all sides. It is also a good idea to remove the pin from time to time to make sure the bead does not stick to the pin.
Once the beads are completely dry you can sting them. Add glass or metal beads between the rose beads if you like. Add a clasp and your rose bead necklace will be ready to wear.
Filed under Natural Jewerly by on Jan 10th, 2010. 1 Comment.
Cayenne pepper salve is used to help relieve the pain of sore muscles. As with any home remedy, if the problem is serious or persists, a licensed physician should be consulted.
Before making any herbal salve recipes, prepare a clean glass jar ahead of time as well as a lid. A four ounce canning jar works great for this recipe as it is written.
Collect the needed ingredients which are 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, cayenne pepper, beeswax and cacao butter. The beeswax and cacao butter are used to thicken the salve, otherwise it will be quite runny.
Begin by warming the olive oil in a stainless steel pan. Stir in ¼ teaspoon of finely ground cayenne pepper and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the cayenne pepper is dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat source and add in about an ounce of beeswax and an ounce of cacao butter. Stir until melted. You may need to put the mixture back on the heat source if the beeswax and cacao butter does not easily melt.
Stir continually as the mixture melts. You will notice it getting thicker. Continue adding cacao butter or beeswax until the mixture is the desired consistency. It does not take a lot to thicken herbal salve recipes.
Once the herbal salve recipes are thick enough to suit you, pour it into the glass jars that were prepared ahead of time. Leave the jar sit overnight, uncovered so the salve can cool.
The next day, put a lid on the jar, label it with the name of the herbal salve recipes, the ingredients in the salve and the date. This can be stored at room temperature. A little of this salve goes a long way. It is warming when it goes on the skin so begin by using just a touch of the salve.
Filed under Herbal Preparations, Salves by on Jan 21st, 2010. 1 Comment.
Lavender is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, antidepressant, sedative, and detoxifier.
Tea Tree oil has an antiseptic action thought to be one hundred times more powerful than carbolic acid and non-poisonous to humans.
It has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties which make it useful for a wide range of applications.
Peppermint is an excellent digestive aid, great for the respiratory system and circulation along with being an antiflammatory and antiseptic. It is also useful in the prevention of mice, fleas, and ants.
Each variety of Chamomile oil has its own unique properties in addition to being antibacterial, antiseptic, and useful as a disinfectant.
Eucalyptus oil has numerous properties. It is useful as an antiflammatory, an antiseptic, antibiotic, diuretic, analgesic, it is deodorizing and useful as an insect repellent and in veterinary care.
However, you need to be aware that Eucalyptus Oil, as with many essential oils are poisonous if digested.
Thyme oil is an antiviral, antibiotic, antiseptic, and diuretic product that should be used with caution. It should not be overused as it can affect the thyroid gland and lymphatic system.
Caution must used to ensure the type of oil you are using. It is good for discouraging parasites and insects from your home.
Lemon Oil has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Useful for cleaning, polishing furniture, weight lose and medical care. Clove oil is antibacterial, antiseptic and analgesic oil.
Used for disease and infection and in your spice cabinet.
Do not use on skin undiluted. If you prefer to use fresh herbs instead of the essential oils you can do that.
Remember that the essential oils are highly concentrated. It will take a lot of fresh material to equal the qualities in one drop of essential oil.
Filed under Herbal Preparations by on Jan 23rd, 2010. Comment.
4 tablespoons olive or almond oil
4 tablespoons beeswax
3 teaspoons cocoa butter
2 teaspoon lanolin
1 teaspoon coconut oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
Combine the olive or almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and lanolin.
Heat this mixture in the top of a double boiler, stirring constantly.
When the mixture is melted, remove the top pan from the heat and add the coconut oil and lavender essential oil. Stir the mixture briskly.
It will begin to thicken as it cools. Once the salve is thick enough to suit you, pour it into the glass jars that were prepared ahead of time.
Leave the jar sit overnight, uncovered so the salve can cool.
The next day, put a lid on the jar, label it with the name of the salve, the ingredients in the salve and the date.
This can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. If the salve begins to smell rancid, toss it and make a new batch.
Filed under Herbal Preparations, Salves by on Jan 24th, 2010. Comment.
There are many ways to get natural materials to make dried potpourri. You can collect plant material from your own garden or go for walks in the wild to forage for interesting pods, cones or other materials.
If you wild collect, make sure you have permission to do so. Look for materials that have been grown as naturally as possible. If the plant material has been sprayed you will be bringing all of those chemicals into your home with the plant material. Dried potpourri is easy to make.
The first step is to choose what plant material you wish to work with. Interesting natural bark, seed pods, pine cones, acorns, dried leaves and dried flower petals all make good choices.
The next step is to decide what you would like the potpourri to smell like. Choosing natural fragrances that compliment the essential oils you will be using is a good idea. You will also need a fixative to help retain the scent of your potpourri such as orris root or benzoin gum.
Once your potpourri is mixed up, put it in a large glass container with a lid. Set this in a cool, dark place and allow the potpourri scents to mix. Shake the container from time to time. When you are happy with the smell of the contents, go ahead and put some out.
Here are a few homemade potpourri recipes to get you started. Feel free to add or subtract botanical materials until you have a potpourri you are happy with.
Victorian Lavender Potpourri
1 ounce orris root
1 ounce lavender
1 drop vanilla essential oil
1 drop bergamont essential oil
Asian Potpourri
¼ cup camellia blossoms
1/8 cup rose petals
1 vanilla bean, cut up
1 tablespoon pine needles
Dream Mix Potpourri
1/8 cup lavender flowers
1 ounce cedar shavings
1/8 cup sage leaves
1 ounce orris root
¼ cup violets
¼ cup maidenhair fern fronds
Moist homemade potpourri recipes are a little different than making a dry potpourri. The scent can last for years.
Before beginning choose a pretty glass or ceramic jar with a lid. You will need one that is fairly large for the recipe below. Gather your ingredients together before you begin.
10 cups rose petals
2 cups lavender buds
½ cup orrisroot, powdered
8 bay leaves
2 cups sea salt or kosher coarse salt
½ cup allspice, crushed
½ cup crushed cinnamon sticks
½ cup cloves, crushed
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup brandy
Begin by combining the rose petals, lavender buds and orris root in a large bowl.
In a second bowl, combine the bay leaves, the salt, crushed allspice, cinnamon stick pieces, cloves and the brown sugar. Mix well.
Once the contents of both bowls have been well mixed, get your glass or ceramic container.
You will begin by putting a layer of the rose petal mixture in the bottom of the container.
The next layer will be the brown sugar mixture. Continue alternating layers of materials until both bowls are empty.
The next step involves pouring the brandy over the top of the mixture.
Then lay a sex stone, which is just a large rock, on top of the potpourri material. Put the lid on the container.
Over the next six weeks, you will need to stir the contents of the container every two to three days. You can add additional essential oils during this time such as rose, cinnamon or whatever scents you prefer.
When the potpourri is ready to use, simply remove the lid and allow the scent fill the room.
To keep the moist homemade potpourri recipes going, simply add ½ cup of brandy yearly, making sure you stir it into the mix.
Another way to make a moist potpourri is to layer semi-dry plant material, add a layer of salt, then a layer of plant material.
Keep alternating layers until your container is ¾ of the way filled.
Put a sex rock on top and let it sit undisturbed. When the mixture begins to form a moist cake, remove it, add the fixatives, mix well and put back in the covered container.
Release the smell by removing the lid.
Filed under Herbal Preparations by on Jan 25th, 2010. Comment.
Making your own homemade soap is not hard. Lye can be dangerous and caution should be used, but there is nothing to be afraid of as long as you use common sense. There are a few basic supplies you will need before you begin to make homemade soap.
A thermometer is one of the most important pieces of equipment. You will also need a good pair of rubber gloves and eye goggles for safety reasons. A tall stainless steel pan, a pan to pour the hot soap into (glass works great), long handled wooden spoons and of course, your soap making supplies.
Homemade soap recipes can be found in numerous books and online. Here is a great recipe to make homemade soap with goat milk.
Easy Homemade Goat Milk Soap
3 pints of ice cold goat milk
1 12 oz. can of lye
5 1/2 pounds of lard
2 oz. glycerin
2 T borax
1/3 Cup Honey
Before beginning slightly freeze your goat milk. You want small chunks of ice in it, but you do not want it completely frozen.
Pour the lye, in powder form, into the milk.
Be careful here as the lye will quickly heat the milk up. Stir as you do this. You do not want the milk to get too hot and curdle.
Once the milk and lye are well mixed, add the honey.
The ideal temperature for the lye mixture will be around 85 degrees F, but be warned the mixture will need to cool down some to reach this temperature.
Once the milk, honey and lye have been mixed together, set the pan aside, with a lid on it, if possible, so the mixture does not cool too fast. Stir occasionally.
Put the lard into another container and heat it up until it reaches 90 degrees F then remove it from the heat.
When the contents are both pans are the right temperatures, 85 degrees F for the lye mixture and 90 degrees F for the lard mixture, slowly pour the lard into the lye mixture. Stir constantly and be careful not to splash this mixture. You do not want to get any of this on your skin.
When the lye mixture and the lard are well mixed, add the glycerin and borax. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. When the mixture becomes the consistency of pudding, drizzle some of the soap on top of the mass of soap. If you can see the drizzle briefly before it sinks back into the mass of soap, the soap has begun to “trace” and is ready to pour into a pan to cool. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.
Pour the soap into a pan and allow to cool overnight. You can add essential oils, herbs or other ingredients at this point or simply allow the plain soap to cure. This is the last step to make homemade soap unless you want to make hand milled soap.
If you allow the soap to cure without additives, when it is dry, which can take 6 weeks or longer, you can grate the soap, add nine ounces of water to twelve ounces of soap flakes, re-melt and add the additives. This is then known as hand milled soap.
Laundry Soap
Once your soap is dry, you can grate it and make laundry detergent out of it or shampoo. To use it as laundry detergent, mix 1 cup grated soap, ½ cup borax and ½ cup washing soda together. You will use approximately 1 tablespoon of this mixture in each wash load, depending on how soiled your clothes are. Experiment and see what works well for you.
Homemade LIquid Soap
To make shampoo, use ¼ cup grated soap, ¼ cup hot water, 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin and ½ teaspoon oil such as jojoba or olive. You can add a few drops of essential oils to this to scent it or add additional healing properties to the shampoo. For example, if you have dark hair, add a few drops of rosemary to enhance your hairs shine. Shake well and use as needed.
Filed under Lye Soap Recipes, Soap Making by on Jan 26th, 2010. 5 Comments.
If you are distilling your own essential oils, you will get hydrosol as well. Hydrosol is the by-product of essential oil distillation. They are also called floral waters. They contain the same properties as the essential oil but are diluted so they are safe to use directly on the skin.
Hydrosols help tone, rehydrate and rebalance the pH of skin. Hydrosols can be used in a number of ways. The first way is as a face toner or refresher. Simply dab an organic cotton ball with some of the hydrosol and wipe your face. You can do this twice a day, everyday. You can add hydrosols to your bath water for a fragrant bath and an all over body refresher. You can also mist yourself with hydrosols. A gentle fragrance will be left behind.
Some good hydrosols to try are rose, chamomile, lavender, clary sage, orange blossom and rosemary.
Do not use hydrosols on or around the eyes. As with any new beauty product watch for an allergic reaction and if you see one, discontinue use.
Filed under Hydrosols by on Jan 28th, 2010. Comment.
Floral waters, or hydrosols are great for the skin. Hydrosols help tone, rehydrate and rebalance the pH of skin. Fruit or floral waters can be used in a number of ways. The first way is as a face toner or refresher. Simply dab an organic cotton ball with some of the hydrosol and wipe your face. You can do this twice a day, everyday. You can add hydrosols to your bath water for a fragrant bath and an all over body refresher. You can also mist yourself with hydrosols. A gentle fragrance will be left behind. Be sure to keep floral waters out of your eyes.
Here are some good ones to try.
Calendula hydrosol is a good one to use for its therapeutic properties. It has
has anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and astringent properties.
Lavender hydrosol is very relaxing and balancing.
Lemon balm hydrosol has a calming effect on mental stress and fatigue. It also works well on skin inflammations’.
Lemon verbena hydrosol is stimulating and uplifting.
Peppermint hydrosol is refreshing and revitalizing.
Rose geranium hydrosol is balancing. It is the perfect hydrosol for the sporadic symptoms of menopausal women.
Rose hydrosol makes a wonderful balancing toner for all skin types. It also works as an anti-anxiety spray, a deodorant and a room freshener.
Rosemary hydrosol is energizing and stimulating.
Filed under Hydrosols, Tinctures by on Jan 30th, 2010. Comment.
Creamy Soft Scrub Cleanser – this is perfect for cleaning bathtubs and sinks.
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Vegetable Glycerin – optional
Liquid Detergent
Sponge
Bowl
Pour one-half cup of baking soda into a bowl. Add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge and wash the surface. This recipe rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit. You can add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store it in a sealed glass jar to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time.
Eucalyptus-Mint Disinfecting Soap – This soap is great for cleaning dishes, floors, stoves, sinks, and hands.
5 cups grated castile soap
½ cup baking soda
1 tsp. borax
1 tsp. eucalyptus oil
6 cups hot peppermint tea, made with 6 tbsp. fresh peppermint or 8-12 tea bags
Place the castile soap in a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan. Add the tea mixing well. If you are making the tea with fresh herbs bring the water to a boil, add in the tea bags and simmer for 10 minutes then strain.
Simmer very low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the baking soda, borax, and eucalyptus oil. Stir well to blend all the ingredients.
Store the soap in a plastic jug or squirt bottle. Shake well before using.
Natural Mold Killers
Tea Tree
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this tea tree essential oil. Note that
the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine these ingredients in a spray bottle using a funnel to make sure the water gets
into the bottle then add the tea tree oil, shake to blend and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. You can store whatever is left in the bottle. Just make sure to shake it up each time before you use it.
Vinegar Spray
Essential oil
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar
straight into a spray bottle, add a few drops of essential oil and spray on the moldy area.
Let it set without rinsing. The smell will dissipate in a few hours.
Filed under Homemade Cleaners by on Jan 31st, 2010. 2 Comments.
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