The Holistic Gardener: Beauty Treatments from the Garden E-Book

Fiann Ó Nualláin

• Herausgeber: Mercier Press
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Serie: The Holistic Gardener
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 303

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

'The Holistic Gardener: Beauty Treatments from the Garden allows you to look outside or in your cupboard at ingredients you might never have thought of using in your beauty regime. From natural shampoo to home-grown teeth whitener, cures for common ailments to tips on healthy nourishment, this book has it all.' - Mummy Pages A handy guide to natural skin, body and beauty remedies derived from garden, pantry and kitchen sources. From natural shampoo to home-grown teeth whitener, cures for common ailments to tips on healthy nourishment, this book demonstrates the advantages and simplicity of natural beauty treatments. Fiann brings his singular knowledge of plants' properties to bear in showing us that there are easier, healthier and cheaper ways to have good skin, great hair and an all-over glow of well-being. By using the resources around us and understanding the value of what we grow, Fiann shows how combining plants with the right ingredients can make us healthier, wealthier and wiser about our skin and bodies.

Leseprobe

The Holistic Garderner

Beauty Treatments from the Garden

Fiann Ó Nualláin

Illustrations by Sam Chelton

For Lisa – Is í an eorna nua tú a fheiceáil.

DISCLAIMER: Before using the recipes the reader must ensure all plants mentioned are correctly identified and processed as described. The publisher can accept no responsibility for any consequences of advice given here or any adverse reaction caused by the use of the recipes described. The reader should assume full responsibility for any practical use of any of the techniques and recipes described. If in doubt, consult a medical practitioner or qualified herbalist.

MERCIER PRESS Corkwww.mercierpress.ie

© Text: Fiann Ó Nualláin, 2015 © Illustrations: Sam Chelton, 2015

ISBN: 978 1 78117 351 0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

A CIP record for this title is available from the British Library

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the publisher in writing.

Printed and bound in the EU

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

What is natural beauty?

Why go natural?

A word of warning

Ingredients and health status

Ingredients and ethical choices

A GUIDE TO HOME REMEDIES

Measurements and methodology

A note on the consistency of home-made products

What you need to get started

How to make basic home remedies

THE BEAUTY TREATMENTS

Hair and hair removal

Facial skincare and conditions

Eyes, eyebrows and lashes

Lips, mouth and teeth

Neck and décolletage, cleavage and breasts

Body

Hips, thighs and buttocks

Arms, hands and fingernails

Legs, feet and toenails

INDEXES

Index of plants

Index of recipes

General index

INTRODUCTION

This is the second in the series of Holistic Gardener books, each of which is aimed at promoting engagement with the array of beneficial plants we can easily grow in our back yard or front garden. The first in the series, First Aid from the Garden, was a huge success, hitting best-seller lists and selling fast. At signings and events for the book, I met many people with a genuine thirst for ways to remove chemicals and commercial products from their lives. This encouraged me to make beauty treatments the subject of this second Holistic Gardener book.

Being male, I did worry a little about tackling beauty, but nothing in this book is about conforming to current norms of beauty and attractiveness. I am not expressing personal prejudices or endorsing a societal ideal. Neither am I telling women (or men!) how they should look. I am simply exploring natural ways of maintaining the health of your skin, hair, eyes, etc., which can be considered beauty treatments for both women and men. Apart from things such as cleavage lotion or moustache wax, the treatments are pretty much unisex. To all I say, love your freckles, love your grey hair and, yes, protect your skin from harm and feel good about your smile. That said, if you can’t love them completely, this book will help you at least care for them in a manner that won’t harm you.

This book, like the first, is about adopting a somewhat self-sufficient and natural approach to health and beauty. There isn’t a lot of that in the products marketed by the beauty industry. They use terms like botanical and herbal to create a halo effect, but why have ester of lavender when you can have real lavender? Why have a synthetic floral fragrance or a token extract of green tea when you can make a fresh hydrosol and a potent cuppa at home? It’s not about thrift; it’s about using the real thing. To my mind it is also about reducing the environmental impact of packaging and industrial pollution created by the beauty industry.

I have spent a lifetime studying and exploring medicinal botany, ethnobotany and holistic practices, so in this book I will borrow from herbalism, nutritional therapy, aromatherapy and even yoga, not just to banish blemishes, but also, hopefully, through the simplicity and beauty of a natural approach, to banish the anxiety of corporate, peer and societal pressure to be beautiful by purchase and be damaged in the process. As a gardener by profession and passion, this book was written with gardeners in mind, but the natural way is open and accessible to everyone, so just as gardeners share seeds and cuttings, I want to share the beauty of this approach to personal care with all.

WHAT IS NATURAL BEAUTY?

This book is about natural – rather than chemical – beauty treatments. It is about enhancing or revealing your natural beauty but also about the beauty that comes from nature – simple treatments from the garden, the hedgerow, the kitchen cupboard or the fridge. Many beauty products contain less-than-admirable ingredients, and the short-term fix must be weighed up against long-term health.

The history of cosmetic treatments is littered with dangerous practices. In ancient Rome women put toxic lead on their faces and during the Renaissance they used poisonous atropine to dilate their pupils. Today there are oestrogens, carcinogens and other nasties in manufactured products, which we can avoid by going natural. Many of the natural treatments I have discovered, and that I explore in this book, work better than commercial versions and can be had at a fraction of the cost. But natural beauty is about more than saving money – the reconnection with nature and natural methods may just save your health and even your sanity. As a holistic gardener, I know they will save your spirit and your soul and allow your natural radiance to shine through.

WHY GO NATURAL?

Gardeners are ecologically conscious. We face ethical choices head-on all the time: home compost versus peat, no-dig or manual methods versus chemical weed control, beneficial insects and biological control versus chemical pest control, the GM debate and so on. We inhabit a natural world, even if we attempt to manicure it and bend it to the constraints of garden design and personal taste. We are still in sympathy with, or at least participating in, nature. So if you bought this book as a gardener, you are probably already of a mind to live a more natural, chemical-free life and you will likely embrace the recipes as readily as you would a comfrey feed or a garlic spray. If this book was bought for you, it may be the first time you have considered the option of going natural over using manufactured products and electronic and chemical treatments. In that case why go natural? is a valid question.

I won’t rehash the ethical debates, I won’t plead with you to change your lifestyle, nor even push the mind-body-spirit aspect of embracing the natural. All I will say is read the labels on your shop-bought products, and if you see any of the following ingredients, you might want to think twice about sticking with the product.

ACETONE. Industrially manufactured acetone found in cosmetics is a solvent. It is also used to dissolve plastics, thin printing ink and as a paint remover. It is a skin irritant and is harmful to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Long-term or persistent exposure can shorten the menstrual cycle in women and cause kidney damage.

ALCOHOL is used in some natural beauty products to extract phytochemicals or to store them in tincture form. In commercial beauty products it is used to thin the consistency of a product and also to help other ingredients cross the skin barrier. In natural remedies the alcohol used is generally a natural grain alcohol such as that used in vodka, while commercial alcohols tend to be esters and/or chemically enhanced, often derivatives of propane or petrochemicals, such as isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol. In general commercial chemical alcohols dry the skin, thin or erode the skin’s natural barrier and affect regeneration mechanisms.

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS, often listed as E-numbers, feature in soaps, shampoos, bath products, hair gels, shave gels, toothpastes, body lotions, face creams, skin toners, face masks and so on. Some colours are derivatives of coal tar and can contain heavy metal salts (including traces of arsenic and lead), others are synthesised using chemicals that can thin the skin and block pores.

BENZYL DIMETHYL STEARYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE is used in lipstick, hair colourants, body lotions, shampoos and conditioners, as well as in some contraceptive formulations. Its industrial application is to boost the efficacy of detergents and industrial cleaners. It is a skin and eye irritant associated with occupational dermatitis.

BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE (BHT) is a toluene-based cosmetic preservative commonly used in shaving gels and many products aimed at men. Toluene is a toxic chemical linked to eye and lung irritation, hormone disruption and carcinogenic effects.

BUTYLENE GLYCOL is utilised as a solvent and viscosity-decreasing agent to thin products so they can be more easily applied. It can be found in concealer, foundation, moisturisers, sunscreens, eye creams and mascaras. When absorbed through skin or ingested, it is metabolised into gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, a depressant that slows down the activity of the brain and the central nervous system.

CARBAMIC ACID. See iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

CARBOMER is a chemical made from acrylic acid or petroleum oil. It is found in sunscreen, moisturisers, shampoos and styling gel. It is a plastic and has all the endocrine-altering properties of plastics.

COAL TAR is a by-product of bituminous coal. It features in make-up and haircare products (dyes and anti-dandruff products) but also as a treatment for seborrhoea and psoriasis. Within the beauty industry it is considered a ‘safe and effective’ cosmetic biocide. However, coal tar is linked to phototoxicity, dermatitis and folliculitis. As a product of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – a set of persistent organic pollutants – there are fears around the risks associated with its mutagenic potential and possible carcinogenic effects.

COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE features in body washes, liquid soaps, bath products, shampoos, toothpastes, contact lens solutions, make-up removers and other skincare products. It is a synthetic detergent that can lead to sensitisation and hypersensitisation. It was named allergen of the year in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.

DIAZOLIDINYL UREA is a preservative used in cosmetics and toiletries. It releases formaldehyde and can increase skin sensitivity. Allergies and contact dermatitis are potential outcomes of exposure.

DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA) is often used in the processing of commercial soaps and shampoos, if it is not an actual ingredient. It is also used in industrial cleaners, pesticide sprays, agricultural chemicals and the rubber processing industry.

ESTERS are compounds formed from an alcohol and an organic acid. For the really scary ones, see parabens.

ETHYL ALCOHOL naturally occurs in wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages, but the commercial-/industrial-grade stuff is first denatured and then combined with toxic additives such as methanol (formulated from a combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen), benzene (a known carcinogen) and paraffin (a petrochemical by-product). It can also be metabolised into acetone in the body.

ETHYLENE GLYCOL is used to make antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, solvents and plastics. It is derived from ethylene oxide, a primary ingredient of pesticides and insecticides.

FORMALDEHYDE is used in some cosmetics (particularly nail polish and nail polish remover) and hair-straightening products, as well as in plastics, building materials, carpet manufacturing, paints, industrial adhesives and pesticides. It is also used as an embalming fluid in mortuaries and as a disinfectant and preservative in medical laboratories. Prolonged exposure can cause asthma-like symptoms and increase cancer risk.

FRAGRANCE is not always extracted from flowers or fruit, even if it is floral or fruity in character. In the case of beauty products fragrance tends to be chemically composed, often using hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene, carboxaldehyde or isoeugenol. Artificial fragrances can cause anything from skin irritation, headaches and respiratory agitation, to long-term issues such as lung problems, hypersensitivity and dermatitis.

GLYCOL, GLYCOL ALCOHOL AND GLYCOL ETHERS are common in perfumes and aftershaves and are also contained in a whole array of beauty products and in industrial solvents and household cleaning products. They are commonly found in oven cleaners as they are powerful grease-cutting agents.

HYDROQUINONE is used in hair products and concealers as a colouring agent and a fragrance. With long-term exposure it is potentially carcinogenic, and in the shorter term it can sensitise the skin.

IMIDAZOLIDINYL is a preservative used in cosmetics and body-care products. It releases formaldehyde in the product and can increase skin sensitivity and lead to allergic reactions including contact dermatitis.

IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE (IPBC) is a water-soluble preservative utilised in some face creams, body lotions, shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams and also in foundations, concealers, bronzers, eye shadows, mascaras, make-up removers, hair dyes and lip balms. IPBC is suspected of being a teratogen, which means it can increase the risk of birth defects and can lower fertility. In large doses and after prolonged exposure it is considered a gastrointestinal and liver toxin. In smaller doses it can be a skin irritant. It is sometimes listed as carbamic acid.

ISOPENTANE is a beauty-product solvent linked to dry skin and contact dermatitis as well as nose and throat irritation.

ISOPROPYL is a chemically manufactured alcohol produced through a process of combining water and propene by- products of oil refining via hydration reactions, or alternately by hydrogenating acetone. It is used as an industrial solvent, in windscreen de-icer and as a fuel additive. It is also used in the production of explosives and herbicides.

LANOLIN is found in lipsticks, hair products and many skin creams. It often features in so-called natural beauty recipes as it is obtained from sheep’s wool, but it can cause contact dermatitis and skin sensitisation. It is poisonous if swallowed.

LEAD ACETATE is contained in hair products and in some cosmetics. It is lead! Do I need to say more? In case I do, lead is toxic, carcinogenic and damaging to the nervous system.

MONOETHANOLAMINE (MEA) features in shaving products and bathroom items that foam. It is linked to hormone disruption and the formation of cancer-causing nitrates and nitrosamines.

MINERAL OIL is obtained from petroleum by-products and can cause allergies and skin irritations in people who are sensitive to it. But even in non-sensitive people, it has a propensity to block pores and thus inhibit the natural elimination of skin and body toxins. The term mineral oil may indicate the presence of butylene glycol, propylene glycol, paraffin or even isopropyl alcohol.

NITROGENS, AS NITROSAMINES, are the carcinogenic compounds created by the reaction of two or more nitrogen-containing substances. If there is more than one -amine suffix on the list, it’s likely a reaction has taken place.

PALMITIC ACID is used in many beauty products as an emulsifier. It has been linked with contact dermatitis.

PARABENS (notably isobutylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and parahydroxybenzoate) are used as a shelf-life extender in many cosmetic and toiletry products. The problem with parabens is their xenoestrogenic effect, meaning that they are shaped quite like oestrogen, and once absorbed into the body, they fill up receptors in your cells normally reserved for real oestrogen. The consequence of this is that other neurotransmitters and glands mistakenly start relaying messages and making adjustments based on the presence of what they assume is real oestrogen. Many modern foodstuffs also contain parabens to extend shelf-life. So, in terms of limiting your exposure, a home-made shaving oil or a natural moisturiser might be a good start.

PARAPHENYLENEDIAMINE (PPD) is present in many commercial hair dyes. It has been linked to allergic reactions and, after prolonged exposure, to skin irritation including dermatitis and hypersensitivity. PPD sensitising can have an impact on the effectiveness of some diabetic and blood-pressure medications (particularly sulfonamides and hydrochlorothiazides).

PARAFFIN (or paraffin oil) is a coal oil. This petroleum-based product is used as fuel or as a component of fuel, as a solvent for greases and also in insecticides.

PHTHALATES are considered obesogens. This means that they disrupt the normal hormonal activities of the body and trick it into storing fat. Any chemical that disrupts the endocrine system will impair immune function and many are on the radar for birth defects and cancer. Phthalates are contained in perfumes, nail polish and hair spray but also in body washes, soaps, shampoos and even moisturisers.

POLYVINYLPYRROLIDONE (PVP) COPOLYMER is used in the production of cosmetics such as foundation, lipsticks, etc. Allergies and dermatitis are potential side effects.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL is an emulsifying agent used in skin creams and body lotions. It is a petrochemical often used to smoothe skin, but can actually thin the skin and thus speed up the process and visible signs of ageing. It can cause contact dermatitis and short- and long-term surface irritations.

POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (PTFE) can be found in some shaving gels. It is the chemical agent used to make non-stick cookware, which has been linked with osteoarthritis, early-onset menopause and breast cancer.

SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE (SLS) is found in a range of beauty products and toiletries on the shelf today. It is a foaming agent common in soaps, shampoos and body washes but also in moisturisers, face cleansers, shaving creams and commercial post-shave balms. It can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and, after longer-term exposure, it can produce a drying effect on skin and lead to other skin irritations. I worry because it increases the permeability of the skin and thus our susceptibility to other harmful agents in the same product or others used after it.

SODIUM POLYACRYLATE is a synthetic polymer from the crude oil industry, found in face masks, moisturisers, hand creams and sunscreens, as well as eye shadows and other cosmetics. The issue with petroleum products is that they can become contaminated or altered during processing, triggering interactions with other chemicals used in beauty regimes.

SULPHATES are potential triggers for dry skin and other irritations, including dermatitis. Product sulphates may also impair hair growth. They often appear in ingredients lists as sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium laureth sulphate or ammonium lauryl sulphate.

SYNTHETIC COLOURS are chemical in nature and as such may cause skin allergies and irritation.

TETRASODIUM EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a preservative made from formaldehyde, ethylenediamine and sodium cyanide. It is used in face creams, body moisturisers, shaving products, bath products, soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners and hair dyes, etc. It thins the skin’s barrier, can dry the skin and is an eye irritant. It is sometimes also listed as a compound of edetate disodium, tetrasodium edetate, tetra-sodium salt and TEA-EDTA.

TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA) is an ingredient in products that foam, such as shaving gels and hair products. It is also contained in some cosmetics to balance the pH of the product. It can strip natural oils from the skin and hair and trigger allergic reactions in some people. It is a recognised eye irritant and is considered to have the potential to disrupt hormones. It is also associated with the formation of cancer-causing nitrates and nitrosamines.

UREA is sourced from mammalian urine. Yes, that’s wee that’s not your own. Often used as a penetration enhancer for products, it can cause reaction in sensitive skin and can sensitise other skin types.

VINYL ACETATE is found in mascara and eyeliner and also nail varnish. It is like all plastic in that it can potentially cause trouble with oestrogen receptors and can disrupt DNA.

XYLENE is a central-nervous-system depressant contained in nail varnish and nail varnish remover.

If you are still unconvinced, note that skin can absorb and deliver to the bloodstream around 60 per cent of any product it comes into contact with. In less than thirty seconds some of that make-up remover or hard heel softener is pumping through your heart, moving through your liver, arriving in your kidneys and piggybacking on the blood supply to your lungs and brain.

A WORD OF WARNING

A garden spa treatment is not necessarily suitable for every situation. Just as severe burns need medical attention and not a rub of aloe vera, so too certain skin conditions require the expertise of a dermatologist or medical professional. Also, not every remedy in this book will be appropriate for everybody. For example, people with an allergy to Asteraceae plants should avoid chrysanthemum or ox-eye daisy remedies, yet for everybody else they may be perfect choices. The seeds of hawthorn berries are stomach irritants and are toxic in large doses, but the fruit is edible and helps to build collagen. Understanding the plants and the parts you harvest for use is vital to adopting a natural approach to beauty. So, while I mention relevant facts, I also advise you to explore further or consult a herbalist to match your own health history to the information in this book (see Ingredients and health status below).

INGREDIENTS AND HEALTH STATUS

The treatments in this book are based on traditional recipes and on ones I use myself or share with friends, but they do not, or more to the point, cannot, take into account the variability of individuals with regard to sensitivities, plant allergies, underlying conditions, or prescription medications that may interact with a treatment. So if you are not sure of an ingredient or of your tolerance to it, I recommend you consult a qualified herbalist or naturopath. Otherwise all the usual rules apply: be cautious if you are pregnant, have blood-pressure issues or have a long-term illness or medical complaint.

INGREDIENTS AND ETHICAL CHOICES

To meet consumer expectations and achieve a commercial consistency/viscosity, I occasionally include ingredients such as petroleum jelly and Silcock’s Base. As they are by-products of crude oil, some home crafters and ecological gardeners may have reservations about how those products impact upon oil reserves and the environment. On the other hand, most natural-cosmetics and herbal-medicine makers use them freely. If you have an issue, you can use zinc ointment, shea butter, cocoa butter or coconut oil instead. They feature only as carriers or thickeners, not as active components. In the instances of creams and lotions that call for emulsifying wax, its inclusion is vital to allow the oil and water elements to mix. Emulsifying waxes can be either vegetable based or petroleum based.

A GUIDE TO HOME REMEDIES

Making home remedies is not only simple, it’s also enjoyable. So fear not, this section will guide you through all you need to know about the processes and everything else required to get you started.

This book contains a dedicated recipe to address every listed complaint or condition, many laid out like cookbook recipes, which are simple to follow and execute. You can follow them without reference to this section, but within the Garden spa section of each complaint/condition I will often discuss the possibility of including other herbs or methods of benefit to that complaint. This section will help you explore those other options and also acts as a general reference where you can find basic versions of many of the recipes. I hope this will help you expand the healing potential of your garden and the herbs and medicinal plants you grow in it.

MEASUREMENTS AND METHODOLOGY

Most of the remedy recipes in this book are based on ratios, so as long as it’s the same cup or same size tablespoon, no technical difficulties should arise. We may be making whipped body butter but we’re not making soufflés! There is a margin for error built in. You can scale up to mugs and even buckets if you wish, but small fresh batches are best. There may be subtle differences in thickness or texture if you use a store-bought dried herb over a freshly harvested garden-grown herb, but the phytochemicals and benefit of the plant are contained in both.

This book is about an easy engagement with nature and natural health and beauty, so a sprig of rosemary in a cup of vinegar or a handful of leaves in a footbath will often do the trick without turning your kitchen or bedside table into a lab. Where a degree of precision is necessary to achieve the proportions that will effectively deliver the treatment or create a lotion and not a puddle, I give specific measurements in millilitres or grams. In the remedy methods I give a ratio or quantities that yield an amount of product roughly equivalent to what you would normally buy.

If you keep your salve in a warm handbag or backpack as opposed to a cool drawer or a bathroom cabinet, it may be runnier some days and suitably set other days. Similarly, if you stick with unadulterated emulsifying wax, raw shea butter, etc., the outcome will be different than if you add emulsifying cream and processed shea product. Variations are not a bad thing. There are no preservatives other than natural essential oils, alcohol, etc., so remember that shelf-lives are not infinite, which is no bad thing either.

So while this is all about handy treatments that are easily made and don’t require a laboratory or any industrial processes, you should nevertheless consider preparation hygiene and sterile storage containers. The treatments are natural but they are still going on your skin or into your bloodstream, so avoid contaminating the natural goodness.

A NOTE ON THE CONSISTENCY OF HOME-MADE PRODUCTS

The recipes in this book were created to extract the healing potential from the ingredients, i.e. to be treatments, not carbon-copy versions of store or salon products. Where possible I have endeavoured to create a result not a million miles away from the bought product. But without the inclusion of chemical thickeners, preservatives and other agents that have no health value, the viscosity or texture of the cream or lotion may in some instances not match that of a conventional product, and sedimentation or separation can occur much sooner than with the commercial equivalent. You can shake the product before using, or whisk again, but by making small batches, treatment timetables of several days to several weeks will be possible. Castile soap, for example, is already thin and adding a herbal tisane to it to deliver a treatment will make it even runnier – something to pour over rather than lather in your hands. The really satisfying aspect of these remedies is how well they work as treatments.

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED

Key equipment

baking trayblenderchopping knife (chef’s knife)cling filmcooking thermometercupdouble boiler (bain-marie)fridgegarden secateursgarden trowelhobjam jars or mason/Kilner-type jarskettlemeasuring jugmixing bowlovenparing knifePyrex bowlstorage containers in various sizestablespoonteaspoontimer or clockweighing scaleswhisk or hand blenderwooden spoon

Key ingredients

beeswaxcoconut oilcoffeeemulsifying waxessential oilskitchen oils (sunflower, olive, almond)lemon juicemilk, cream and yoghurtplants from your gardensaltsoft fruitssugarwater

HOW TO MAKE BASIC HOME REMEDIES

This how-to guide to making basic remedies will enable you to take advantage of your garden’s healing potential by using medicinal plants in a variety of treatments and in a variety of ways.

The methods/recipes in this section are both the means of extracting the healing constituents of a plant and the means of delivering those constituents so that we benefit from them.

Some healing phytochemicals will quickly leach out of a plant into hot water (e.g. herbal teas and leaf infusions), while some will need to be boiled out (e.g. roots and twigs). Others may need an acid to extract the element we want, in which case we will use a safe acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. Sometimes an alcohol is required, and if an ingredient is fat-soluble, an oil or a fatty substance is called for. In many cases the method of extraction is dictated by the intended use. For example, a thyme tea is a great antiseptic rinse to treat dandruff, but a thyme salve (thyme infused in an oil base and then set with beeswax) is great for healing and sealing moisture into chapped lips or hands.

Similarly, using a different base can make an ingredient suitable for different applications. For example, calendula oil (the petals infused in some olive oil) can be used as a culinary aid to derive fat-soluble vitamins A and D from foods. Or it can be set with a vegetable or nut butter to make a replenishing skin cream. Or you can warm it to create a hot-oil hair-conditioning treatment that also helps psoriasis.

BALMS AND SALVES are made from vegetable or nut oil that can be herb-infused or not. The oil is heated and then set with grated beeswax or emulsifying wax. The distinction between balms and salves lies in the consistency and aroma – balms are often more fragrant and set harder.

How to make a basic balm or salve

In a bain-marie, melt 2 teaspoons of grated beeswax to every 3 tablespoons of sweet almond oil (or other carrier oil of your choice). Once the wax has dissolved in the oil you can add essential oil for fragrance or for its therapeutic value. Just one shake should be sufficient, but you can experiment to find the right amount for you. Stir the mixture well and then decant into small storage tins or jars. Allow to set at room temperature. Stores well for months in the pocket of overalls, the shed drawer or in your handbag.

BATH ADDITIVES. Some bath additives heal skin, some relax muscles and tissues, and some relax your mind or raise your spirits. There is a list of suggested additives on pages 231–35. Generally 1 cup of foliage or the same of liquid extract should be added to a full bath, but you can experiment to find the amount that’s right for you.

BODY BUTTER. A whipped or more thickly set cream/lotion. Most body butters incorporate oil and water, so emulsifying wax is essential to combine these and for storage longevity. Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:

How to make a basic body butter

In a bain-marie melt together 1 cup of coconut oil, 1 cup of shea butter and ½ cup of carrier oil of your choice (almond, olive, etc.). When everything has melted together, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes before whisking with an electric or hand whisk until thickened to a creamy consistency. Allow to cool for a further 2 minutes and then whisk again. At this point you can chill in the fridge for 1 minute and whisk again. The chill often helps to develop a creamier, thicker butter. Decant into a clean storage container. This stores in the fridge or in a cool bathroom for three weeks.

BREW SHAMPOO is essentially a decoction of roots or aerial plant parts, often boiled up in a premade tea, tincture, vinegar or beer, rather than water.

How to make a basic brew shampoo

In a saucepan, bring to the boil 1 cup of liquid to every ½ cup of herbage. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. When fully cooled, strain to remove the solids. Then add 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerine and 1 cup of liquid castile soap and stir well. Decant into a clean storage bottle.

CLEANSING MILK. Cow’s and goat’s milk are packed with cytokines (listed on expensive creams as peptides) that lift dead skin cells and repair tissue damage underneath while also stimulating the production of collagen and other connective tissues. When the healing quality of herbs is added, you get a potent treatment.

How to make a basic milk lotion

Quick lotions can be prepared by steeping plant parts in milk or by blending them with a hand blender. A good ratio is equal parts milk to herbage.

COMPRESSES AND POULTICES. Traditionally compresses are soaked dressings that can be used hot or cold. A piece of cloth (usually linen or muslin) is soaked in an infusion or decoction and applied to the affected area and held in place with bandages. But the practice of compressing has extended to pressing in place petals and herbage that have healing or cosmetic value.

Poultices are hot external applications of a prepared paste or pulp. They are made from the boiled fresh parts of a plant or from a paste of hot water and powder or the ground part of the healing plant and applied direct to the affected area. They are used to draw out impurities such as pus, stings, splinters, etc. The crushed parts of a plant can be applied cold as a poultice too. Certain petal poultices can have cosmetic as well as healing value.

CREAMS. Some of the creams in this book are made simply by soaking petals or foliage overnight in a dairy product such as buttermilk, yoghurt or cream, and are used as cleansing or toning creams. Other creams are more like commercial cosmetic creams and are made in a similar manner (but without preservatives and plasticisers). These creams are a blend of oil, water, emulsifying wax and herbs (if the herbs are not preinfused in the water or oil content).

How to make a basic cream

In a bain-marie, put ½ cup of infused oil and ½ cup of emulsifying wax grains. Melt and then stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour in ½ cup of beneficial liquid (such as herbal tea, cold soya milk, etc.). Stir well and then refrigerate for 10 minutes. Remove from the fridge, stir well and then return to the fridge for a further 10 minutes. Stir well again until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. You can whip the mixture with an electric whisk at this stage if you prefer. It sets harder if stored in the fridge.

DECOCTION. This is a hot-water extraction of phytochemicals from plant parts. It involves actively boiling the plant parts for anything from 10 minutes to several hours. Several parts of a plant (twigs, roots, berries, leaves and flowers) and several plants can be used in a decoction, depending on the remedy recipe. For the most part decoctions are used to extract more phytochemical than would be possible by steeping in hot water. They are also used to extract from deep within the woody parts or roots of a plant.

How to make a basic decoction

The ratio of herb to liquid is usually 25–30g to 500–600ml. In a saucepan (avoid aluminium saucepans if possible) bring the ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and allow to cool. Only the strained liquid is used. Decoctions can be sweetened with a little brown sugar, molasses or honey to make a syrup. Decoctions and syrups can be refrigerated. Most decoctions will keep for three days, and syrups will keep for several weeks.

Decoctions can also be made by boiling in cider vinegar, beer or other liquids. A good tip is to crush, mash or score the plant parts just prior to boiling, to extract the maximum amount of the beneficial constituents. Foliage easily releases its volatile oils and other constituents to boiled water and so makes good tea/infusions, but roots and twigs often need to be boiled for quite a while. Many of the root and branch treatments in this book are decoctions.

ESSENTIAL TREATMENTS. In some recipes I prefix the titles with essential. This is to indicate the prominence of the essential-oil ingredient in the treatment. Essential oils are a distilled essence of a healing plant or its flower and are for external use only. Some essential oils have many contraindications, so you should consult a professional holistic practitioner or an expert book before using any oils.

Some essential oils can be applied neat to the skin but most must be diluted or blended with a carrier base to form a lotion or a cream for external application. Mostly, essential oils are blended with a cold-pressed carrier oil like sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil and massaged into the affected area or over the whole body during a therapeutic massage. In this book essential oils feature in salves and other recipes to boost healing value. They can also be used to add fragrance. See page 213 for a list of skin-friendly essential oils.

EXFOLIANTS not only slough off dead skin cells, but the action of applying them also boosts circulation to all layers of the skin, helping to eliminate toxins. This combination leaves skin supple and radiant.

How to make a basic exfoliant