Herb Robert Cream

Herb Robert is a dainty wild geranium that grows freely in gardens and the countryside, often as a common weed. It was traditionally used as a cure-all and this gentle cream can help soothe a variety of skin conditions, including bruises, thread veins and chilblains. It’s also worth trying for varicose veins. Compound benzoin tincture is also known, rather exotically, as friar’s balsam. See here.

To make the plant juice:

 4–5 handfuls fresh herb Robert (about 6–8 whole plants)

 2–6 sprigs fresh rosemary, each about 15–20cm long

 8 tsp manuka honey

To make the cream:

 16g beeswax

 8g emulsifying wax

 80ml olive oil

 6 drops benzoin or compound benzoin tincture

1 Place the herb Robert and rosemary in a large mortar with the manuka honey, and pound to a paste. Allow to sit for 10 minutes while the sugar in the honey draws the active ingredients out of the plants. Place the sweet paste in clean muslin and squeeze out the juice into a small bowl.

2 Take 1? tablespoons of the sweetened juice and put into a small pan. Heat quickly until it steams but doesn’t boil, then turn off the heat immediately. This process greatly increases its shelf life.

3 Melt the waxes in the olive oil in a glass heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water, then remove from the heat. Pour the warmed plant juice into the bowl with the melted waxes and oil, then add the compound benzoin tincture and whisk together. Continue whisking while it cools slightly to stop ingredients separating, then put in a wide-mouthed jar and refrigerate.

USE Apply to affected area 3–4 times a day as needed.

STORAGE Will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.