HAZELBRAND FARM
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Herb Allies & Actions

Here are some of the plants we use in Hazelbrand soaps.
At each plant comes into season on the farm (and some we purchase), we dig or gather and add to the oils to add a further layer of healing essence to our soaps.

OUR WEEDS, TREES AND THEIR USES, commonly reported *notes Chinese Five Element Theory of Medicine

 

Burdock: Infused tea of roots and seeds. *Bitter, sweet, cool specific to lungs, liver. Alterative, diuretic, diaphoretic, blood purifier, leaves and seeds strong surface purifier and used to treat skin disorders. Volatile oil is diaphoretic.

Chickweed: Infused tea of leaves, sweet, cool energy anti-inflammatory, demulcent, emollient, alterative, vulnerary. Internally treats blood toxicity, nutritive, good as salad.  Used externally in salves for skin inflammations.

Plaintain: Infused tea of leaves, or oil for salve. *Bitter, cool, gall bladder (with liver). Has mucilage, tannins, flavonoids, diuretic, alterative, anti inflammatory, astringent. External as poultice or salve for stings, bites.

Nettles: Infused tea of leaves, or added dry to soap. *Bitter, cool, lungs. Has chlorophyll, vitamins C,A, silicon, diuretic, astringent, tonic, nutritive Internal: A lung and kidney deep immune system tonic. External: stimulates hair growth, restores skin, good for hot skin conditions, itchy, drying.

Violet: Infused tea of leaves and flowers.*Cool, sweet, lungs, liver , demulcent, alterative, antiseptic, vulnerary

Internal: good for upper respiratory, coughs, hard lumps, moistens skin cells.  External: softens lumps and tumors, cools and soothes dry skin.

Yarrow: *Flowers added to soaps. *Cooling, astringent. Diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory.

Yellow Dock:  *Decocted tea of roots. *Bitter, cool for liver, alterative, blood tonic, laxative, specific for chronic skin diseases. Similar properties as ho shou wu (foti). Cooling soothing.

Sassafras: *EO from root, bark also tea. *Spicy, warm, lungs, alterative, diasphoretic, anti-rheumatic, alterative. ‘Specific for skin diseases, acne, skin eruptions.

Horsetail:   *Infused tea of leaves. *Bitter, neutral, kidney, astringent, diuretic, vulnerary. High in silica for hair.

Must come from clean soil, as it may accumulate heavy metals and pollutants.

Elder:  Infused tea from flowers or in oil. *Bitter, cool, lungs, liver, diaphoretic, alterative, stimulant, mucilagant.

External in salves for burns, rashes. Clears the skin.

Cranesbill (wild geranium): Root infuse in water. *Bitter, neutral, liver, astringent, vulnerary.

External use promotes healing of burns and cuts, stops bleeding.

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OUR GARDEN PLANTS AND THEIR USES, commonly reported

                             *notes Chinese  Five Element Theory

 

Aloe Vera: *Cold, bitter, liver, spleen, vulnerary, estrogenic.

Internal: laxative, tonic for liver and skin.  External: maintains beauty, lessens wrinkles, heals burns and injuries

Rosemary: *EO or infused leaf in oil. *spicy, coo, *liver   *EOs, anti-inflammatory, nervine, diaphoretic, astringent, antiseptic. Internal: tea good as aspirin for headaches, aches and pains.  External: Stimulates lymphatic drainage to clear toxins, tissue circulation and sluggish skin. Excellent for the hair. Can help cellulite.

Sage: *EO or dry leaves,*lungs, skin *antiseptic, stimulating, anti-inflammatory. Ideal for aging skin, infections and wounds.

Clary Sage: *EO  *spicy, warm, fragrant  *lungs. Euphoric, relaxing and aphrodisiac, revitalizes the scalp.

Lavender:  *EO or dry flowers.*spicy, fragrant, mildly bitter, cool  *lungs, liver  * aromatic, nervine, antibacterial

Lifts the spirits, relaxes, heals wounds, burns, good for mature skin, delays wrinkles, and all-purpose skin care for sun-damaged or cracked skin, bruises, itchy skin. Helps regulate sebum production for oily skin.

Marigold (calendula)  *dry flowers, infused oil or Tagates EO  *spicy, bitter, neutral  *liver, lungs * vulnerary, diaphoretic, alterative, astringent. Internally: Tea useful for skin eruptions (not during pregnancy)  Externally: Treats burns, injuries and irritations, poultice good for shingles, rashes, irritations.

Comfrey:  *dry leaf or root or infused in oil. *bitter, sweet, cold  *lungs  *Allantoin, mucilage, tonic, demulcent, vulnerary, astringent. Internal: tea taken to help wounds or sores heal, sooth lung problems.  External: Poltice or skin wash. Helps increase cell proliferation, very soothing.

Echinacea:  *leaves infused in water  *bitter, pungent, cool  *lungs, liver  *tonic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, blood purifier. Internal: used at beginning of cold or flu to jumpstart immune system. Also stimulates surface immune system. External: cools and soothes skin eruptions, poison ivy, bites, gargle for sore throat. Poltices to bring infections under control, stimulates cellular healing, slow healing sores, anti-inflammatory.

Peppermint, Field Mint:  *Dry leaf or EO  *cold  *anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, stimulant. Purifies sluggish skin and pores and can activate the skin. Good for oily skin, acne, itchy skin, dandruff, infections. Very cooling, check for sensitivity.

Chamomile, Roman *EO or dry flowers  *bitter, spicy, aromatic, neutral  *liver, stomach, lungs  *nervine, diaphoretic, antiseptic, vasoconstricting. Beneficial for skin and hair. Active ingredient azulene effective against infections, acne, rashes. Helps skin allergies, detoxifies skin

Lemon Verbena: *EO or flowers, rind of lemon  *cooling    *antiseptic, Good for oily, sluggish skin, acne, bright and uplifting to the spirit.

Marjoram: *EO or dry leaf and flowers  *warming, spicy, sweet  *lymph system, lungs  *antispasmodic, diaphoretic, tonic, stimulant Externally, the oil is used to relieve aches and pains, great for baths or massage, or to stimulate circulation.

Geranium: *EO from leaves  *stimulating  *antiseptic, astringent, deodorizing, toning, anti-inflammatory, cleansing, stimulates lymphatic system, adrenal stimulant. Balances oil production and delays wrinkles, good for sluggish, oily skin, helps with acne, eczema and other skin ailments.

Parsley: *EO or dry  leaves  *stimulating, spicy  *lung, stomach, bladder, liver  *antiseptic, sedative, diuretic

Cucumber: *fruit  *cooling  *nervous system, liver. Cooling and refreshing to the skin, adds moisture and “juiciness” to the skin. Blueberry:  *fruit   *Sweet, astringent, spicy  *liver, kidneys   *nutritive phytochemicals - flavinoids,  cooling yin tonic. Tomato: *fruit*cooling, astringent  *liver  *nutritive phytochemicals, toning and tightening for the skin.

Carrot: *Oil from seed or root, dry fruit *neutral   *liver  * stimulates cell renewal and sweat and oil glands, good for dry skin and dry hair. Best use is for mature skin.

Oats: *Milky seed pods or dry cereal  *sweet, neutral to warm energy  *lungs   *rich in vitamin B’s, nerve tonic, starch moistening to skin.        

 

                   

  Herbal Actions Specific to the Skin (Commonly reported)

 

Adaptogen: Works as a tonic, has a normalizing effect, brings extremes back to normal. Examples are goat milk for the skin, all bitters for the liver, oats for nervous system.

Alterative: Deep immune system tonic, a blood purifier, eliminates waste products, helps skin eruptions. Taken internally as tea: burdock, nettles, red clover, Echinacea. Surface immune system: includes comfrey, elder, plantain, aloe vera, marshmallow, nettles, burdock, Echinacea, red clover.

Antibiotics: Help fight infections. Surface immune system Includes most essential oils.

Astringent: Tones dull or oily skin. Witch hazel, rosemary, horsetail, lemon, blueberry, tomato.

Demulcent: Soothes and moistens from the inside and outside:

Internal: violet, chickweed, comfrey, licorice, burdock, aloe Vera

External: Violet, chickweed, comfrey, marshmallow, slippery elm, Irish moss, aloe Vera.

Diaphoretic: Induces sweating, remove toxins from skin, warming, stimulating. Internal and external: cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, elder flowers, yarrow, hyssop, peppermint.

Emoillient: Softening, soothing and protective. Includes oils such as almond, wheat germ, sesame, olive, flax. Herbs include marshmallow, comfrey root, slippery elm, chickweed.

Nervine: Calms tension and nourishes the nervous system. Good for both deep and surface immune systems. Oats, wild lettuce, St. John’s wort,  clary sage, lavender, chamomile.

Rubefacient: increases blood flow at skin surface, draws inflammation and congestion from deeper areas. Good for arthritis, joint problems, sprains. External: mustard seed oil, cayenne, black pepper, pine oil, thyme oil, eucalyptus, cinnamon.

Sedatives: Strongly quiets nervous system, includes anti-spasmodics and nervines. Commonly used internally as teas or tincture. Valerian, hops, chamomile, passion flower, catnip, skullcap. External: chamomile.

Stimulants: Increases the energy of the body, drives circulation, breaks up lymphatic obstruction, warms the body. Anise, cayenne, cinnamon, Echinacea, sarsaparilla, dandelion, ginger, yarrow, rosemary, juniper, sage.

Tonics: Improves the deep immune system. Commonly taken internally as a tea to heal skin from inside out: nettles, burdock, red clover, dandelion.

Vulneraries: Encourages healing of wounds by promoting cell growth and repair. Internal and external: aloe, comfrey, calendula, rosemary, marshmallow.

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HAZELBRAND FARM LLC
550 Jenkins Rd. Covington, GA 30014
770-787-7300