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Equipment you’ll need: Wide mouth pint Mason jar A tight-fitting lid Fine Sieve
2 cups Organic Virgin Olive Oil or Organic Sweet Almond Oil 1 cup of dried herbs of your choice or 1 1/2 cups of fresh and wilted herbs
1. Wash and sterilize all equipment. 2. Put the herb of your choice into a dry glass jar that has a tight-fitting lid. 3. Pour oil over herbs. If you are using fresh herbs, bring the level of the oil right to the rim. 4. Use a knife to press down herbs and remove air pockets. 5. Cap the jar tightly. 6. Allow the herbs to macerate (become softened by soaking in a liquid) in a warm, sunny window. 7. Tilt the jar daily to mix the herb and oil. 8. After 4 to 6 weeks, strain the herb from the oil. You can leave it up to 8 weeks if you wish. 9. Bottle in a blue or brown colored glass bottle. 10. Add vitamin E, and gently shake to mix. 11. Cap tightly and label. Store in a cool, dry place and protect from intense light. Now you have infused oil that is ready to use to make salves, ointments, healing and moisturizing balms, creams, and moisturizers. The possibilities are endless and it is always a great idea to have several versions of them in your DIY herbal pantry for quick herbal medicine making. If you need to make an herbal salve and you don’t have any already infused herbal oil, use these directions to quickly infuse that oil and make an herbal salve. If you already have infused oil to use as the basis for your salve, skip to step 4. Basic Directions for Salve Making: 1. To infuse the herbs in oil, place the herbs in a cloth bag or paper tea bag. Put the liquid oil and coconut oil in a glass cup inside a small sauce pan. 2. Simmer the herbs in the oil for 30 minutes, keeping the temperature of the oil just at or below the simmering point. Turn off the heat. Allow the oil to cool to room temperature. 3. Strain out the herbs. Squeeze the tea bag to remove the last of the oil from the herbs. 4. Return the oil to the glass measuring cup. Return the saucepan to the simmer. Add the beeswax. Simmer on low until the beeswax is fully melted. Remove from the heat. 5. Stir in any essential oils, if you are using them. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour into a tin or jar. Label with the contents. Date the jar. Note: that essential oils should not be used for children under 2, infants, or pets. Their livers are not developed enough to remove the excess essential oils from the blood stream. Toxicity can happen quickly