Lotions and Potions---it ain't easy

(I'm not green, my nose is big, but not THAT big.  My butt however..ummm)

What to make an herbal lotion?  In Moscow, ID.....oh man, it is complicated.  Or perhaps I'm just making it complicated!

While I have not yet hit my "processes" part of the Herbal Forumlary class, it is coming up and I want to get some of them going now as they will take some time.  I need three. 

Here are some ideas
Make a tea...see if I can get a recipe I would actually drink
Make an infusion--use it in an asperer to purify the circle and in a bath for purficiation as well.
Make a bath satchel, to infuse the herb directly into the bath water
Make a tinture--an alcohol-based infusion that can be used to add to other stuff...hell, I don't know what I would use it for actually!
Make a beewax based salve for healing cuts and bruises
Make a lotion to ease skin inflamation and boo-boos.

I am going to try the tea. It will only take a few minutes so that is no problem.
Infusion again no prob
tinture....not really a problem it just takes a little time and I need to know what it is used for!  I can research that, of course
But I really want to try a lotion and there in lies the...ahem...rub.

Debi suggested using coconut oil which solidifies at room temperature.  I think the Lesley Bremness book had instructions for that sort of thing. I'll look when I have the book near by.  She assured me that coconut oil is available at the grocery store.  I've not seen it, but I've not looked for it either!

Then, at noon, I was a Michael replacing the .2 crochet hook I can't find now (grrr) and saw Shea lotion!  oooo, I remember reading about Shea lotion also working, so I bought the bottle hoping it would work. 

Then, about a minute ago typing this, a lightblub went off over my head.

EXPERIMENT!  Try it with Shea lotion and try it with Coconut oil and see which one I like better!  huzzah!  I'm liking that idea a lot.  I can also experiment with seeing what other fragrances to put with the thyme, if anything.

Whew.  I have a plan after all.

Shea butter and therefore Shea lotion comes from the Shea Tree of central Africa
Ugly little beasties aren't they.

Butyrospermum parkii

Coconut oil comes from the coconut..obviously!

AHHHH

Just makes me think warm thoughts

Coconut palm are

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiospermae--seeds
(unranked): Monocots[1]--only one leaf comes out of the embroynic plant
Order: Arecales--palms
Family: Arecaceae--no, really palms
Tribe: Cocoeae--coconuts
Genus: Cocos----this kind of coconut, not another kind :-)
Species: C. nucifera --this VERY SPECIFIC kind...ok--I don't want to take the time today to research it.  I'll edit later if I want.