APOTHECARY ESSENTIALS
Your apothecary is your herbal haven! Fill your space with jars of infused oils, oxymels, balms, salves, store herbs and flowers, and all your herbal preparations.
But every apothecary requires some essentials
that every herbalist needs to make good medicine.
Below is a list of such essentials one must
always keep in their apothecary.
Read Disclaimer Here!
But What Does An Apothecary Mean?
The word Apothecary comes from Ancient Greece and is
used to describe a place where medicine is stored. Since not all
of us are pharmacists, home apothecaries store herbs and
equipment needed to create herbal remedies
Top 12 Home Apothecary Essentials
1. Labels
The most important thing for any herbal recipe is the label. I've made tinctures and didn't label them, thinking I'll remember the date and ingredients, but trust me, it will slip out of your mind. You can get basic blank labels to write on, or buy cute designs from Etsy.
Alternatively, you can also write directly on the jar, wiping it off with rubbing alcohol when required.
2. Mason Jars
Old glass jars work well too. You can make oxymels, teas, oils, salves and tinctures in mason jars. Your apothecary will always be filled with tiny and big glass bottles and jars. Its what makes an apothecary so precious.
3. Mortar and Pestle
Technically, a grinder could also work but it ends up mashing the herbs up completely. Adding a personal touch and using your own hands always works better for herbal medicine.
4. Dehydrator
This is one of my favorite apothecary essentials. Since it is such a versatile machine, you too will end up using it for everything. If you have your own herb garden, you will need a dehydrator to make all your herbal teas.
5. Carrier Oil
You’ll need to dilute your essential oils with a carrier oil like coconut or sweet almond before applying topically. You need an herb-infused oil to make salves and balms as well.
6. Vodka
You’ll need a bottle of alcohol at least over 80 proof (or 40% alcohol by volume) to make tinctures. You can make tinctures with vinegar as well, but making tincture with alcohol is always better.
To know what tinctures are, click here.
To learn how to make tinctures, click here.
7. Honey
It's always beneficial to have some honey handy in your apothecary. You can store pint-sized lemon-ginger honey all year-round for flu and digestive support. You can make multiple syrups with honey as well.
Get Recipe Here.
8. Vinegar
Vinegar is a powerful solvent used to extract herbal constituents. However since it is lighter than alcohol, it won't extract as much. But it's best if you're giving herbal medication to children.
9. Cheesecloth & Strainer
You will need either of these to remove solid herb material from teas, oils and tinctures. They are inexpensive and reusable.
10. Kitchen Scale
A kitchen scale is essential to measure concoctions, salves, dosages and more. Both analog or digital can be used for different purposes.
11. Amber Bottles with Droppers
Amber-tinted bottles protect herbal mixtures from direct sunlight. They are mostly used for small dosages like tinctures.
12. Pots and Bowls
While you may have tons of pots and bowls in your kitchen, always set some aside dedicated solely to herbs.
Disclaimer: Lily's Apothecary Essentials by Amyra's Apothecary is purely for information-giving and educational purposes and shall not be held responsible for any issues caused by the use of the above essentials. Please consult with a doctor or a herbalist before using any herb / preparation for any purpose.
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