Honey of a How-To

Honey and Herb Skin Cream

2 tsp. dried mint

2 tsp. dried sage

2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 C. boiling water

1/2 oz. beeswax

2 oz. lanolin

1/2 C. wheat germ oil

1 tsp. honey

 
Combine herbs in a clean bowl. Pour boiling water over herbs. Steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, collecting liquid in a clean bowl. Allow to cool; discard herbs. Melt beeswax and lanolin in a heatproof glass set in
simmering water. Stir in wheat germ oil. Add herbal infusion by teaspoonful and stir until well blended. Remove glass from water. Add honey to tepid cream and carefully stir it in until blended.

Let cream cool completely. Stir cream thoroughly and transfer it to clean containers with tight-fitting lids. Store up to 3 months. Yields 10 ounces.

A Honey of a Hand Lotion

½ cup petroleum jelly (or an organic equivalent)

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons glycerin

1 tablespoon liquid lecithin (available in natural foods stores)

Melt the petroleum jelly over a double boiler. Add the remaining ingredients and heat for several minutes until the mixture is smooth and well mixed, Makes about 3/4 cup.

Petroleum jelly...Is compounded in various ways to suit different purposes. It is simply a mixture of beeswax and liquid paraffin, the proportions vary according to your requirements.

A thin version would be 10 gm Beeswax to 100 ml Liquid paraffin

A stiffer version would be 30 gm Beeswax to 100 ml Liquid paraffin

Warm both items SLOWLY in a double saucepan, waterbath or porringer... when the beeswax is not quite fully melted stir thoroughly but do not entrap any air, when there is no solid wax left, then pour into a suitable container and allow to cool.

The proportions can be adjusted over quite a large range... try it yourselves and then experiment with other ratios to see the effect.

Make It Yourself "Petroleum" Jelly

2 oz. beeswax or wax of your choice.

1 cup of the oil of your choice.

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler or in microwave. Stir in the oil Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until it is cool.