What the Heck is a Tincture? I had no idea when I first started making natural remedies. Essentially a tincture is an “alcohol tea.” Who doesn’t love alcohol and tea?! Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts made with herbs and different types of alcohol.
When I figure this out it got me thinking of all the times I heard my friends infusing alcohol with herbs and different products. Vodka is my go to, but I have heard of herbalists using brandy or rum for their tinctures. The alcohol pulls out the properties and oils of the herb leaving nothing but its goodness behind after you separate out the herbs. Below is a list of the many different uses or products of the tincture method. Vodka Tincture Method: Herb/Food Stuff Steeped in Vodka & shaken daily for 1 week to a month.
- Skittles Vodka – I heard red skittles are the best
- Beef Jerky Vodka – Try deer jerky if you can get your hands on some
- Lavender infused Vodka – Delish with a Lemon Twist & Honey
- Orange Oil – Used for scenting a home to furniture polish!
- Grapefruit Extract – I make my own
- Vanilla Essential Oil – Perfect gift for the baker in your life
- Essential Oils – Anything from Pine needles, Sassafras, St Johns Wort to Tea Tree & any flower!
- Medicine – CHECK YOUR HERBS FIRST! Never put dirty herbs into your tincture and be sure to know exactly what you are using, there is no FDA for the forest, never pick a plant that you don’t know unless you are with an experienced herbalist or have a pocket herbal with you.
Products of Vodka Tincture Method can be used in balms, syrups and many other homemade products for health, beauty & well being. You’ll see many of my pictures with bottles labeled “_____ Tincture,” I reserve this label for my essential oils in progress, cleaning solutions (also while in progress), and medicinal remedies. Once my tinctures like grapefruit or orange have been finished I label them as essential oils because I am most likely to use them as scents. If you use vegetable glycerin or oils for herb infusions, make sure to label them with the herb and oil used. it is VERY important to know what you are putting in or on your body, some oils are better than other too when it comes to specific ailments. Infusions and Tinctures will last up to a year and a little beyond, so be sure to label them and check them before each use to ensure quality. * DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, medicine man, shaman, or anything of the sort. I always do extensive research before I ever let any herb touch my skin. Be smart and do your homework. Any remedy or recipe discussed has been used or crafted for myself or my own family, and has been found to work for us.
