Herbs & Oils

This article examines the historical and cultural intersections between herbal medicine practices and witchcraft accusations in Europe from the medieval period through the early modern era, while introducing contemporary applications of herbal oils and salves.

This article provides an overview of essential oils, examining their extraction methods—including steam distillation, mechanical pressing, and solvent extraction—alongside their applications in magickal practice and practical safety considerations.

This article provides an introductory overview of salves, defining them as thickened oil or fat-based topical preparations traditionally used for skin protection, healing, and medicinal application. The text examines the etymological origins of the term, describes common ingredients and preparation methods—including herbal oil infusions and various thickening agents—and discusses practical applications such as drawing salves for extracting foreign bodies from skin.

This article provides an overview of tisanes, examining their commercial and herbal medicine definitions, preparation methods including maceration and infusion techniques, and the therapeutic properties attributed to various herbs commonly used in tisane preparation.

This article provides an introductory overview of herbal and fruit infusions, examining their historical use across various civilizations, the preparation methods involved in steeping plant materials in hot water, and the traditional properties attributed to commonly used botanicals such as chamomile, fennel, and hibiscus.