Arnica ointment

Arnica Ointment

This is a non-greasy pain ointment that is wonderful for bruises, sprains and strains, and aches and pains. It works best on closed-wound injuries and can be applied multiple times per day. If you don’t already have arnica and St. John’s Wort infused oils you can find a blend of these at Mountain Rose Herbs. This blend also includes lavender essential oil. I’ve seen this arnica cream recipe work like magic to erase intense bruises and to alleviate pain caused by injury. This recipe is based on Rosemary Gladstar’s Perfect Cream recipe. What you’ll need… Hard oils and beeswax 20 grams beeswax 25 grams coconut oil 20 grams shea butter Liquid oil 3/4 cup arnica and St. John’s wort infused oil “Waters” 2/3 cup helichrysum hydrosol 20-40 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)

Begin by melting the shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax on low or in a double boiler. Once everything is completely melted, stir in the infused oil. (I like to use a craft popsicle stick for stirring. I use a fresh stick with each batch of cream.) As you pour in the oil you’ll see the beeswax solidify. Turn off the heat and stir until everything is completely mixed together. If necessary gently apply more heat until the beeswax is completely melted again. Pour this melted mixture into a blender or food processor. Let it sit until it has cooled and has just barely turned to a more solid state. Don’t let it get too hard or it will be difficult to mix into a cream. Turn the blender or food processor on. Slowly trickle in the “waters,” including the helichrysum hydrosol and the optional essential oil. As you trickle in the waters the mixture will slowly turn from a translucent to a solid cream. You may need to scrape down the edges and the bottom of the mixer to mix in any leftover wax and then re-mix. This recipe makes about 11 ounces of arnica cream. It is best stored in a glass container in a cool location. You can also add rosemary antioxidant extract to increase the shelf life of your arnica ointment. (You can find rosemary antioxidant extract at Mountain Rose Herbs.) Arnica is a low-dose botanical and should only be used internally with extreme caution. Be sure to wash all the items that came in contact with the cream very thoroughly. I like to use a paper towel to wipe off the extra cream then wash everything with lots of soap and hot water.