This is an all-natural DIY feminine wash (homemade douche). You can use this lotion on your face, legs, elbows, wherever you need! I want to note that there are parts of the comfrey plant that are toxic. This DIY comfrey salve with chamomile is great for sunburn, windburn, and many other skin conditions. Instructions Place comfrey in a pint mason jar and cover with a carrier oil (like olive oil). Experts suggest not using comfrey cream for longer than 10 days in a row and no l… al. DISCLAIMER: Information on DIY Natural™ is not reviewed or endorsed by the FDA and is NOT intended to be substituted for the advice of your health care professional. This is the traditionally preferred method because it is thought to preserve the delicate constituents found in comfrey (and other herbs) best. Give the jar a good shake when you walk by it every day. Lately I have been doing all sorts of experimenting with herbal infusions for salves and creams. Mullein leaf and marshmallow root can be taken together as a moistening, healing, lung-supportive remedy when a dry cough is present. Turn … She created, developed, and instructs the Hill College Holistic Wellness Pathway, the most thorough, affordable, degreed wellness program in the country. Her natural process is simple, versatile, and successful! The Herbal Academy has this to say about comfrey: “Comfrey also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), a known hepatotoxic agent. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances that can cause liver damage, cancer, and even death, so it should be never be taken by mouth. Sometimes called knitbone or All Heal, comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) has been used for centuries to support bone, wound and lung healing, and at one time was recommended as a tea to soothe digestive issues. This is just one in a series of articles I've written about my husband's broken ankle. All rights reserved. The entire comfrey family contains PAs, including the common garden companion borage. Meant the link for Katie as well as Besty above . What I do is use my thumb to mark the top of the dried comfrey in the jar before I add the oil, then add about 1/2 inch above that. Here is the Comfrey cream recipe: 500 ml aqueous cream, preferably a lightly fragranced version eg lavender empty it into a larger container for the microwave, perhaps a 2 litre container fill the empty … And of course, I keep my comfrey cream handy for the pesky bee stings. I'm Heather, aka The Mommypotamus. Besides being a nitrogen fixer in the garden, an edible flower to enjoy, first food for bees, red clover or Trifolium pratense can also help cells regenerage and has anti-imflammatory properties that make it wonderful to have as a salve on hand for minor skin complaints like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Mix well to form a creamy paste. And potamus... obviously. ), How To Sleep Better: 23 Science-Backed Tips, Soothing sprains, bruises, swelling, minor shallow-cut skin injuries and burns, Boosting softness and shine when used as a hair rinse, Moisturizing skin, which is why it’s incorporated into many skin serums and creams, Olive oil (Or another oil that you prefer. Fortunately, there are alternative herbs for both of these situations that don’t pose the same risk as comfrey. Cover and allow to cool and harden. https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/01/aloe-face-cream-recipe.html Use as often as needed. © 2020 Mommypotamus  •  All Rights Reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs, How To Make Comfrey Oil And Salve (And Why To Avoid Comfrey Tea), Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry, Homemade Teething Oil (That Really Works! Here are a couple of recipes for face … Another herb that I love to infuse is chamomile. Gently scrub face. The recipe for the comfrey tincture of comfrey: Put 100 grams of comfrey root in 700 ml of strong brandy or alcohol into the bottle and lay horizontally that ‘it must be aged’ in a dark place for 14 days. It was used for its’ healing properties. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake. This recipe may be used as a face wash for acne, to sooth irritated skin, put on bug bites, cold sores, to ease itching. Read full Disclaimer & Disclosure statements here. The leaves and the roots are the most potent parts of the plant and can be used to cure a number of skin, hair, and health related problems. This can be done by putting dried calendula flowers in olive oil for several weeks, or use the quick method of heating the oil and dried flowers on low in a slow cooker for up to 24 hours. of Calendula infused olive oil and 2oz. Instructions: Make an infusion with the olive oil and dried herbs. It is a great resource for learning two different methods of infusing herbal oils. Than you Janet! comfrey in one-third cup water for 15 minute. Eczema is a very big struggle for many people and finding the right products can be quite challenging. The comfrey plant has long been used by our ancestors as a topical remedy for pain, inflammation and wounds. Ganora, Lisa. If you want the ultimate non-greasy homemade lotion recipe, you want it to be quick, easy, and have accessible ingredients, right? Below you’ll find recipes for making comfrey oil and salve at home, but if you don’t want to DIY here are some good pre-made options: The most common way of using comfrey externally for connective tissue injuries or small wound healing is through comfrey-infused oils. The aster, pea, and orchid families also contain PAs (over 6,000 plants). Shannon provides a link that explains how to make infusions. With 4 kids, some days there’s a lot of eyebrow raising going on. My husband uses comfrey cream for skeletal muscle pain with great results. 1. It should not be used internally, on broken skin, on open wounds, with children, or if you are pregnant or nursing. Comfrey root will stay at the bottom so it’s easy to tell how much to add, but comfrey leaves float so it’s a bit more challenging. This DIY toner helps eliminate rash and restore healthy skin. http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/June08/wisewoman.htm. I used to regard it almost as a pest, but since learning how to put it to good use I've grown quite fond of it. For bone or other connective tissue injuries, consuming foods that provide nutrients for healing can go a long way. The comfrey made the lotion a little slimy but the consistency was good! See this article by Susan Weed (a famous herbalist). Soothe Thy Skin Recipe (will make 19 ounces of luscious cream) Remember: it is very important to be precise with this recipe. I included skin-nourishing oils like avocado and tamanu. Very useful article as well! I love trying new combinations of oils and herbs. 105+ Natural Home Remedies-treat almost any illness with natural ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Allow it to warm up for 30-60 seconds, then stir until the beeswax and oil are thoroughly mixed. You can buy comfrey from here. ), growing, harvesting, and making your own DIY comfrey recipes is pretty simple. Add enough water to cover about half the jar and set to the lowest setting for 4-24 hours. Then you can use that infusion in the herbal salve. By using this site, you are agreeing to the site’s terms of use. Hi, I'm Heather Dessinger, founder of Mommypotamus.com. The following is a recipe for Soothing Comfrey Cream that I … I found it worked really great on my elderly mother in law’s bottom..anyone that has worked in a Nursing Home knows how prone the elderly are to bed soars..my mother in law was close to having open soars… so I applied my salve and within 24-hours her redness was gone and the skin looked so healthy..I love knowing I have the knowledge of making all natural products that really do work. No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission. On the other hand, some people can ingest comfrey and never get an occluded liver. Then wrap them in gauze, paper towels, or cheese cloth, or place them directly on the skin. Heat on medium-high until completely melted. Some name brands claim to be natural, but upon closer examination, they’re not. It's six days later, and my cheek is all healed up and you can barely tell there was ever even a bruise there. Once the oil has been infusing for 4-6 weeks, strain out the herbs and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. This summer, I also infused my own lavender in this aromatic carrier oil. (2). To turn the above comfrey oil into a salve, follow this method: Gently heat the beeswax in a double boiler. The final product is rich enough for a body cream but feels great as a moisturizing skin cream for normal to dry skin. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed. Coltsfoot (an antitussive herb) PAs are rumored toxic, but many attribute this to mistaken identification of a known toxic look alike, Petasites, and not coltsfoot. The chances of someone getting liver occlusion from PA ingestion can’t be predicted. (read more), Copyright © 2009 - 2021 DIY Natural™Privacy Policy | Disclaimer and Disclosure. (Some people skip the paper bag, but others believe it helps protect some of the valuable constituents found in comfrey from breaking down due to UV light.) Skin Toning. Pics of : Calendula Face Cream Recipe. Certain cultivars are thought to be lower in PAs than others, but more research is needed to confirm that. I use it in my baby cream and now in this comfrey salve. This salve has come in handy on more than one occasion. The recipe also uses an infused oil. Healing Broken Bones. There are three primary types of topical herbal treatments: infused oils, salves, and creams or lotions. Next, pour in the oil – add enough so that the comfrey is covered by about one-half inch of oil. The problem with comfrey is that every plant contains varying levels of several kinds of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs. There are a couple of ways to do this: I use a small crockpot (that I picked up at a thrift store for $2.00!) Subscribe to my newsletter and receive this FREE DIGITAL GUIDE containing 25+ natural remedies you can make with kitchen ingredients along with exclusive coupons, links to recommended products, and much more! In a quart mason jar, measure dried comfrey and chamomile. Face Lotion Recipe. Fortunately, comfrey is a rather quick grower. The Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd Edition, lists comfrey as Class 2a, 2b, and 2c: which means that it is recommended for external use only, and not for use in pregnancy or nursing. External use of comfrey is still considered safe, though, so comfrey shouldn’t be thrown out of your herbal toolkit altogether. 1. Of the 650+ PAs currently known, non-toxic PAs are found in Echinacea and other medicinal aster family species. I hadn’t thought to mix comfrey and chamomile together like this. If anything, it could be the root that can cause some problem. Comfrey was historically recommended internally to support healing when there is a dry cough or connective tissue injury (bone and skin). This isn’t based on some petri dish or lab-rat study…these are real people and veno-occlusive liver disease can – and has been – fatal. I have used it for chapped skin, minor burns, irritation, bumps and bruises, and as a general moisturizer. I’m a wife, mom, real food lover, research geek, and amateur homesteader. To make a simple tea, pour 1/2 ounce of each into a jar and steep in 1 quart of lukewarm/cold water for 4-8 hours, then strain and drink. It also helps in conditioning your hair and controlling hair loss. This recipe is great for year-round dry skin problems. It’s simple to whip up and you can get the full recipe here… How To Make Homemade Comfrey Ointment … If I’ve had a stressful day, my face shows the stress at the end of the day. When entirely mixed, beat in the comfrey slowly. It has a lovely honey-like aroma and is very soothing to irritated skin. ; 75+ Natural Beauty Recipes - Get the best hair and skin you've ever had and look younger with these insanely clever natural beauty recipes. Welcome to the movement! Be sure to cover the herb material by... For the fast infusion method, which is required for fresh herbs, … However, the natural result will be worth it. 1 ounce of dried comfrey root or 2 ounces of fresh comfrey root; 1 pint of Vodka (at least 25% alcohol) • Moisturizing Hand Cream I • Moisturizing Hand Cream II Herbal skin creams can go a long way toward healing and moisturizing those tiny cracks that dryness causes. Add the comfrey oil and continue to stir. No problem, I’ve created a free ebook for you – Kitchen Apothecary: 25+ Natural Remedies Using Ingredients From Your Pantry – as a gift for signing up for my newsletter. The recipe below has two parts. You will receive both educational newsletter emails, and promotional emails, at no cost to you. When I get stressed, I raise my eyebrows. (3) It’s even been shown to ease tight muscles and support a healthy inflammatory process. Comfrey Cream can be used at night to help fight the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and throughout the day for additional support to banish dull, toneless skin. Which is not what you’re probably going to do. 1 ounce of dried comfrey root or 2 ounces of fresh comfrey root; 1 pint of Vodka (at least 25% alcohol) 1. Apply to skin with a soft, wet cloth or sponge. Add in the infused avocado oil (about 1.5 cups) and allow the mixture to melt completely. If you’re adding essential oils, wait until the mixture has cooled just a little and then stir them in. The leaf, root and root-like stem are commonly used to make medicine and has been attributed to its high content of allantoin, a substance that promotes new skin cell growth. Kristin – I haven’t heard of that salve, but I am going to do some research to see if I can find one similar. MORE ABOUT HEATHER   |   WHAT IS A MOMMYPOTAMUS? Once the beeswax has melted, dip some out with a spoon, and put the spoon into the freezer for about 5 … You’ll also get updates when I post about safe essential oils for pregnant/breastfeeding mamas, exclusive gifts and coupons (I was able to give away a jar of free coconut oil to anyone who wanted it recently! Also, about 3.5 grams of a specific cream containing comfrey extract, tannic acid, aloe vera gel, eucalyptus oil, and frankincense oil has been applied to the knee three times daily for 6-12 weeks. From start to cleanup, you will need 3 uninterrupted hours. Add comfrey infused oil, calendula infused oil, beeswax, and shea butter to a double boiler. Both tamanu oil and avocado oil give this salve its deep green color. Katie is a wife, mother, aromatherapist, and lover of all things DIY. The only thing you have to watch out for is deer in your yard/garden as they love it (a little too much). Calendula has also been used for centuries to treat inflammation, burns, bruises, and cuts, and minor infections. Use 1 heaping tablespoon of the scrub to approximately 1 teaspoon pure water or plain yogurt. 25-50 drops essential oil, optional ( lavender , frankincense , chamomile and tea tree are good … (2005) Topical symphytum herb concentrate cream against myalgia: a randomized controlled double-blind clinical study. Pour your salve into a clean, dry container and allow to cool – I used three of these 2 ounce tins. It’s important to note that comfrey comes with a few cautions. It can grow up to 5 feet tall. You will now have 6oz of liquid oil. Have you ever used comfrey in a salve? Kristin. While this salve isn’t for open wounds, it does work well on dry, irritated, or inflamed skin. Shake it every third day. Comfrey is known as the “bone knitting herb” which makes this comfrey ointment fantastic for healing bruises, sprains, backpain and aches and pains associated with arthritis. The first step in making this calendula cream, just like in my herbal salve recipe, is to make an infused oil. Grube, B et. The comfrey plant has long been used by our ancestors as a topical remedy for pain, inflammation and wounds. After 14 days, strain and keep it in a dark glass bottle in a cool place. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed. It’s very soothing for sunburn or windburn and I like to keep it on hand in the kitchen. If you are unfamiliar with making herbal infusions, I highly suggest this guide from Mountain Rose Herbs. (I use a glass Pyrex measuring cup in a small saucepan of water.). Place comfrey leaf or root in a clean, dry glass jar. Other medicinal plants with PAs are the lung-remedy coltsfoot, and the recently discovered presence in immune supporting boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). Pour the melted lotion into a glass jar (a mason jar works well) and allow to cool. Combining traditional wisdom and modern research for smart, naturally-minded mamas. (1). Both the leaves and roots can be used to make external comfrey remedies, often in either an oil, salve, or plaster. To freeze, put the gauze, paper towels, or cheese cloth into a freezer-safe container and freeze them for future use. Add the grated beeswax, Shea butter and cocoa butter into a glass measuring cup and place in a pan of simmering water until melted. 33869 Comfrey root will stay at the bottom so it’s easy to tell how much to add, but comfrey leaves float so it’s a bit more challenging. What I do is use my thumb to mark the top of the dried comfrey in the jar before I add the oil, then add about 1/2 inch above that. I’m using liquid measure instead of weight. DIY Natural is about rediscovering the traditional value of doing things yourself, doing them naturally, and enjoying the benefits. Mix the cocoa butter, olive oil and beeswax in a double boiler over low heat, until melted. In one of the measuring cups, pour in 4oz. Are you familiar with this salve? Kucera, M et. (If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a stainless steel bowl set inside a pot of boiling water.) I used this recipe to make lotion except that I substituted the water part with a thick water-based comfrey-root tea. The mixture should become creamy and thicken nicely. Comfrey herbs have astringent properties, which helps draw the cells together so that … Retrieved from Comfrey Central 3. Or you can put the oil and comfrey in an old crockpot and cook for two or three hours. How to make calendula cream diy skin repairing calendula face cream calendula lotion recipe diy a recipe for calendula lotion. Her natural process is simple, versatile, and successful!