Homemade Herbal Products

Homemade herbal products are made for a wide variety of purposes including remedies and personal care products. Whether you use dried or fresh herbs is a personal choice, however, some herbs may be too strong to use when fresh and some may work best when dried, according to "Growing 101 Herbs That Heal." Different homemade herbal products require all or different parts of the herb, depending on the product and intended purpose.

Remedies

• Decoctions and infusions are medicinal strength teas unlike the teas made simply for drinking. A decoction is made from the bark, roots, rhizomes and seeds of the herb and gently simmered in water. An infusion is made from flowers, leaves and stems of the herb, covered with boiling water and left to steep. Herbs used to make a decoction include burdock root for liver support and dandelion root or chicory root for skin health. Herbs used to make an infusion include oat straw for the nervous system, red clover to boost the immune system and nettle as a total body tonic.

Infused Oils

• Infused oils treat a variety of skin conditions. The oils are used topically and applied to the affected area. Infused oils can also be used as a base to make creams, ointments, balms and salves. Infused oils are made in a 1-qt. glass jar with olive oil and 1/3 dried plant material. Herbs used to make infused oils include St. John's-wort for first-aid, basil oil to relieve indigestion, mullein flowers for ear pain and calendula flowers to soothe the skin.

Tinctures

• Tinctures are made with powdered or dried herbs and vodka. Different herbs are used based on your needs. California poppy and passionflower tincture relieves pain. Peppermint and dill relieve stomach upsets. Ginger and echinacea are used to fight off viruses.

Sleep Pillows

• Sleep pillows are filled with herbs for aroma-therapeutic benefits. The small herb-filled pillows relieve headaches, chronic insomnia, stress and anxiety. Lavender prevents insomnia, chamomile and hops are combined to induce restful sleep and coyote mint helps relieve sinus congestion.

Lozenges

• Herbal lozenges are made using a decoction or infusion, with marshmallow root added to make a paste. A tincture is added as well as a peppermint or spearmint essential oil. Depending on your medicinal needs, different herbs are used in the decocotion or infusion. Use ginger for heartburn relief, sage for a sore throat and echinacea to fight viral and bacterial infections.

Herbal Soaks

• Use a muslin drawstring bag to create a bath soak. Add the herb-filled bag when bathwater is running. Chamomile is added for a calming bath soak, oat straw helps relieve dry itchy skin, and a combination of roses and lavender promotes sleep. Use loose herbs to make a foot bath. Peppermint helps improve circulation and lemon balm, while passionflower helps relieve stress.

Skin Care

• Hydrosols are skin toners made by steeping and straining herbs. Herbs used include lavender, chamomile and rosemary. Herbs are also used in combination with many other ingredients to make a variety of skin care products such as skin scrubs.