The saga continues…

In the last episode, I was doting the virtues of calendula.

I continued to use calendula infused oil in many different recipes, beginning with a salve for dry cracked hands. As I continued to learn more about herbs, not just calendula, but others also beneficial to skin health, I began to try out different combinations to support my hubby’s eczema. He gets flares ups, mostly in the winter time, but then when he was going through some health issues (we’ll talk about how I used herbs to help support him during that time in another post), his flare ups got worse and began to spread and get very itchy. He needed some relief. I needed him to stop itching all night long and get some sleep.

Just plain calendula wasn’t quite enough in this case, so I set out to find some that would work for him. Finally, after many (many, many) different salves, over a couple years we found a combination that soothed the itch, and began to help the rashy parts fade as well. I used not just calendula, but other herbs such as plantain, burdock, & comfrey. Our anti-itch salve was born.

I wish I had thought to take before and after pictures of some of his rashes - but honestly some of them were kind gross looking and no one wants to see that. His form of eczema would lay mainly in his legs and arms. He had a stubborn patch last summer that was at his neck near his hairline.

Now, I have to disclaim that the most effective herbal medicine is the one that actually gets used. My hubby was not always compliant in using the salve, except when he was at home. He requested a more portable and less greasy way to help with his itchy skin and eczema. Here is the great thing about herbal medicine - it’s so versatile! You can use it internally, externally, in a tea, in a tincture, in a salve or lotion or spray! Oh my!

Back to my recipe book - and a little more research, I found a way to put the concoction in a convenient spray bottle using the herbal infused oils combined with some witch hazel and some aloe for good measure, give it a shake each time to mix it up and voila!. Spray bottles in all the places - one for the living room, one for his backpack, one by the bed - you get the picture. When you add in a tea to support internally, along with the salve and spray you get a bulletproof holistic treatment. And I didn’t have to actually stab him - since the itching, especially at night, finally subsided.

My husband’s eczema was also the inspiration for our Mojo Mugwort Nettle Crème de Terre lotion. You can find the anti-itch salve (and the Mojo Mugwort Nettle lotion) in our shop. The anti-itch spray will be available soon.