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PRESERVATION AND STORAGE

As an initial step to preserve your lotions and creams, you should sterilize all the equipment you use to manufacture them, and sterilize all the containers (including the lids) you use to store the products. Avoid using your fingers to apply a lotion or cream, for fingertips readily inoculate the emulsion with microorganisms that will spoil the lotion as they joyfully procreate at rates even faster than the speed of human reproduction. Instead, pour your lotions into a plastic squeeze bottle or a bottle having a pump dispenser that permits the accurate dispersing of the liquid on targeted areas in convenient quantities. This eliminates the need to touch the lotion with your fertile fingers. Use a cosmetic spatula or some other small instrument to scoop and apply more viscous creams. Whenever you use a jar or a bottle as a holding and dispensing container, wipe off the lid after each and every use. Like regular flossing of teeth, this action greatly inhibits the land-squatting activities of microorganisms by surprising and temporarily disorganizing them.

You can incorporate preservative agents as a portion of the ingredients. Essential oils are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and are probably the most easily incorporated, but when including them in a formula you will need to take into account their properties and aromas. Lavender and Benzoin are relatively inexpensive essential oils, and they are quite effective; Rose is not inexpensive, but effective and exquisite. Tea Tree is effective and inexpensive—I think it stinks (olfactorily speaking), though some folks like its scent, but then some folks don’t mind jogging in clouds of exhaust fumes.

Adding vitamin E oil for an antioxidant to the oil portion of a recipe also provides a concentrated restorative food for the skin. A couple of 200 IU capsules expressed into 8 ounces of the lotion will do quite well.

And, of course, refrigeration is one of your most reliable preservatives.

A LIQUID LOTION BASE FOR MEDICINAL

OR COSMETIC PURPOSES

This preparation is gently astringent, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing to the skin. It is a toning agent that can be used after skin cleansing for sensitive, dry, weather-damaged, and mature skin. It is especially soothing and healing for chapped or dry skin, eczema, or psoriasis. The lotion can be used as is for the inherent actions listed above. It also provides a general base to which a variety of other herbal agents can be added for treating specific conditions. Suggested herbal agents are listed following this base lotion recipe.

1. Mix together 600 ml (20 fl. oz.) of Rosewater (Rose hydrosol) and 45 ml (1 1/2 fl. oz.) of glycerin.

2. 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) of absolute alcohol can be added to this as a preservative. This is optional and only necessary if one intends to take this lotion on the road where it will be stored in varying temperatures. If refrigeration is available, or if one adds any of the following alcohol-containing tinctures to the base, this step is probably unnecessary.

Vulnerary, Anti-inflammatory Lotion

Add Arnica tincture 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) to create a vulnerary; anti-inflammatory lotion for washing sprains and bruises; for providing relief of rheumatic pain and the pain and inflammation of phlebitis, or whenever there is pain and inflammation of the skin. (It is considered best, however, not to use Arnica directly on open wounds.)

Anti-inflammatory, Vulnerary, and Anti-fungal Lotion

Add Calendula tincture 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) to create an anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, anti-fungal lotion useful for relieving inflammation of the skin. (This can be used on an open wound.)

Antiseptic Lotion

Add Goldenseal tincture 7 to 15 ml (1/4 to 1/2 fl. oz.) and Myrrh tincture 30 ml (1 fl. oz.) for an antiseptic lotion.

Vulnerary, Astringent, and Demulcent Wash

Add Comfrey 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) tincture as a vulnerary, astringent, and demulcent wash to assist the healing of external