Published October 19, 2021 So you’ve harvested some gorgeous St. John’s Wort flowers, or maybe even purchased dried flowers from an herb shop… and now you’re wondering what to make? We have just the recipe for you if you’re looking for a topical remedy that soothes the nervous system and support skin health! Not only is it incredibly easy to make a potent topical medicinal herb oil with St. John’s… it’s extremely rewarding to create something this powerful at home with your own two hands. You’ll be amazed at how the color changes right before your eyes into this amber-red hue, signaling the tension-soothing phytochemicals are present and ready. Why You Should Make an Herbal Oil Oil is excellent way to absorb herbal medicine through the skin, especially for those who don’t want to or can’t take pills. It’s also lovely for aches and pains since it can act directly on the affected area. It may seem intimidating at first, but the entire process boils down to simply placing fresh or dried herbs in a base oil (like olive oil) for a few weeks. As they steep, you want to use gentle heat (either from the sun or a low temperature crockpot) to assist in the extraction of the medicinal plant compounds. Today we’re using the summer sun! What You Need + Directions Follow the instructions above (making sure to date the jar once sealed so that you may strain it after about 4 weeks). Once it’s ready, make sure to use your finished and strained infused oil within 2-3 months so that it doesn’t go rancid, as we’re not using any preservatives. This oil can be used directly on the skin, or added to a salve with complementary herbs depending on your needs! Benefits of St. John’s Wort Oil Apply to areas of discomfort or tension, including sore, tired muscles after exercise or achey joints. You can use this as a massage oil whether alone or diluted into a carrier, or even drop into the bath for a soothing, relieving soak. St. John’s Wort oil has the unique ability of penetrating deep into the body and nervous system, grounding and soothing the nerves when one feel tense or frazzled. Complementary Herbs If you’re looking to create a blend for specific indications, here are two combinations we love: St. John’s Wort + Cayenne Pepper = warming relief for nagging tension that flares in the cold weather.St. John’s Wort + Plantain + Calendula = great for cuts and scrapes!
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