Herbal lintments are one of the easiest – to make at home. Using a basic recipe, there are endless combinations of herbs and essential oils you can use to make a wide variety of herbal home remedies, from disinfection cuts to soothing sore muscles. The recipe below is completely customizable and can be tailored to your specific needs.
Lintments are often applied with a cotton ball or spray bottle and can be a crucial part of your medicine cabinet or first aid kit.
DIY Basic Herbal Lintment Recipe
Ingredients:
- Equal parts rubbing alcohol and witch hazel extract
- 1 part comfrey root
- 1 part arnica flowers
- 1 part St. John’s wort
- 1 part peppermint leaf
- Rosemary essential oil
- Hydrosol of choice: Calendula, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary
Directions:
- Fill a clean pint jar ¾ full with the herb mixture; cover completely with equal parts rubbing alcohol and witch hazel extract.
- Shake and top off with more alcohol/witch hazel solvent. Close with an air-tight lid and check after 48 hours to see if more solvent is needed to keep everything covered. Let sit for 3-4 weeks to infuse, shaking regularly.
- Strain the infusion into a clean jar. Press the herbs as much as possible to get liquid out. You should be left with about 1 cup liquid.
- Add ¼ cup hydrosol of choice and 25 drops rosemary essential oil.
- Store in air-tight container or spray bottle, depending on the application you prefer. For an extra cooling sensation, store the lintment in the refrigerator.
Shake well before applying topically, and only apply on unbroken skin.
This is a basic recipe, so the herbs can be switched out to suit your needs. Common herbs used are arnica, calendula flowers, lavender flowers, cayenne, chamomile flowers, eucalyptus, comfrey, ginger, oregano, rosemary, peppermint, thyme, yarrow, and St. John’s wort, along with essential oils of choice and organic Menthol crystals.