Skin Deeper
Medical herbalist Julie Levin relies on all-natural ingredients to craft products for Leaf People, her 18-year-old, plant-based skin care company. Some of them she forages herself through wi...
Use this oil as-is on skin to nourish and soothe stressed skin and sore muscles, or add it to body lotion (1–2 tablespoons per 8 ounces of lotion) or face cream (a couple of drops per jar).
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Makes about 12 ounces
- 2 cups tree clippings (see below)
- Plant-based oil, such as olive or sunflower
- 6 whole peppercorns (optional)
- 2–4 mullein leaves (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon dried turmeric (optional)
- 1 pinch dried rose hips (optional)
Instructions
In late spring or early summer, clip some small sprigs of new-growth evergreen (spruce, pine, fir, pi on); the needles should feel gentle to the touch, not prickly, and be pale green. You can also snip off new tips from cottonwood or aspen tree branches, or needles and even berries from juniper. Be careful not to damage the plant as you harvest.
Cut the sprigs into ¼- to ½-inch pieces and place into a sterilized double boiler or small Crock-Pot. Pour in enough oil to cover the plant materials. Add in optional ingredients, if desired—this will increase the formula’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Warm the solution to 100 to 115°F (you should be able to stick a finger in it; if not, it’s too hot). Keep at this heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure all plant material remains covered with oil. Then strain the oil through cheesecloth and store it in a sterilized glass jar or bottle. It will keep for 2 to 4 weeks; to extend shelf life, add in 1 to 2 capsules of vitamin E oil. Add a few drops of an essential oil, like lavender or eucalyptus, to vary the fragrance and assist preservation.
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