I created this recipe for a warming ointment when I needed a liniment for a sore muscle. It is also pleasant to apply to cold winter feet. I have made the ointment or skin cream a little oily so that it can be used if you want to massage sore muscles.
The picture shows my little jar of ointment along with herbal oils. They are all decorated with antique pictures that I found in old magazines.
DO THIS:
3.5 dl oil of warming herbs.
I made an herbal extract where the herbs in the oil were steeped in a water bath on low heat for about an hour. I chose an organic olive oil without too much fragrance. I poured the oil into a well-cleaned glass jar and placed the glass jar in a saucepan with water in it.
The herbs I used were 2.5 tablespoons of cayenne powder, 2.5 tablespoons of ginger powder and about a deciliter of ground juniper berries. I used dried juniper berries, as I had them at home, but you can of course also pick the dark blue berries and use them fresh. However, it is easier to ground dried juniper berries.
After an hour, strain the herbs out. For example, in a coffee filter or a nut milk bag. A tight strainer can also work. Squeeze out as much of the oil as you can.
Measure how many deciliters of oil are left.
Pour the herbal oil back into your glass jar. Then add 16-17 grams of beeswax per deciliter of oil and leave in a water bath on low heat. Stir constantly until the beeswax is melted. I like to stir with a stick made of wood from nature. Both for the feeling, but also because the stick ends up in the recycling afterwards. It reduces the number of items to clean afterwards.
Once the beeswax has melted, immediately pour it into smaller jars.
This is a really hot ointment! You will be pleasantly surprised by the effect of the cayenne powder on the skin. And the ointment looks so pretty in color.
Text and image: Sara Bonadea George
