Yarrow

Yarrow has been used for thousands of years for skin healing.  Interestingly, these plants have been used on battle-fields since the time of Achilles through the Civil War to stop bleeding in wounds.  In modern times, herbalists continue to use yarrow for healing treatments, due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and pain relieving properties.  Yarrow contains silica, which helps to repair damaged tissue. This is one of the reasons why they say that yarrow can be beneficial for healing.  

You can prepare yarrow in a few different ways for the benefit of the skin, such as through steeping it in water for a wash, drying and powdering it for a paste or salve, or drying and infusing it in an oil for the skin.  I use yarrow on myself when I get minor skin irritations.  I like to infuse it in apricot oil along with calendula, which can also be beneficial in healing and soothing the skin.  Here is a recipe that I like to use on myself:

½ cup dried yarrow

1 Tbsp dried calendula

1-3 cups apricot oil (or any carrier oil of your choosing)

You have a couple of ways that you can infuse the oil with these botanicals.  You can either do the infusion over the stove on a double boiler or you can divide the mixture between two clean, pint jars with tight fitting lids and place in a sunny location for a number of weeks, just depending on how concentrated you want the oil to be.  If you do the stovetop method, you should simmer the ingredients together for about an hour over the double boiler, then remove from the heat, cover and let sit for 1-2 more hours.  Then using a strainer lined with cheesecloth, pour the infused oil into a clean glass container with the tight fitting lid.  The oil should last 2-3 months.

Please Note:  Some people experience allergic reactions to yarrow so it’s very important that you patch test your skin prior to using it.