Propolis tincture/I'm impressed!

[rwlaw]

Put up a batch of tincture and been waiting for a chance to try it.
Four days ago I tore a big hunk of hide off one of my middle knuckles, the kind where you have to go thru a box of band aids to get the sucker to heal.
I soaked the pad of the band aid with the tincture and changed it for two days when nesc. Then I kept an eye on it yesterday without putting anything over it, it's like the propolis sealed the sucker up and it's looking good (well as good as can be expected lol), with no sign of infection.
Like I said I'm impressed, cause I work with eave trough metal and flashing a lot and get knuckle wounds all the time. Well worth the time to make it.

[Jen]

Right On Rwlaw! I use propolis tincture for all kinds of stuff. And yah! that's part of the beauty of the tincture, that it seals over wounds. It also has more anti-bacterial capabilities than neo-sporin.

Where did you find your recipe?

[rwlaw]

I had read 25/75 prop to alcohol, then I read your recipe. So I used a third ounce to two third ounce of a grain alcohol called Diesel which is 153 proof, which has a better taste IMO than Everclear, course I'm a snob when it comes to that. My buddy and I used to take his dad down to the Greyhound station to pick up his shipments of, umm, "medicinal treatment" from his good ole boys in West Virginia 

[Jen]

How big is the bottle you made it in? or ounces per say

[blueblood]

I used olive oil with the last batch I made (have to look up the recipe).  My step-father had awesome results healing wounds on his arm that he was having problems with.

[Jen]

Interesting. How did he get the propolis to blend with the olive oil?

[rwlaw]

Jen, just a one ounce tincture bottle that I had laying around, kept shaking it till the pieces were dissolved (PIA).
Blueblood, please do post that recipe, I'd like to give it a try. I'm suspecting that it would be heated to blend the propolis, can't do that with a alcohol base, olive oil is a astringent in itself too.

[Jen]

Rwlaw- You may have read this already but I use my prop tinc for deoderant. This is the size bottle I used for my first batch, but I have smaller bottles as well. After your shower you just buff some prop tinc onto your underarms and it works all day. However, it doesn't stop perpiration. But in my book, our glands are supposed to sweat, it's a natural thing 

[rwlaw]

Jen, ain't it a little sticky when it's drying?  sorry, couldn't help it. 
I found a recipe for olive oil/ propolis, I would think it would be good for something that you would want to stay moist, a infected cut etc.
https://beepothecary.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/how-we-make-propolis-oil-and-tincture/comment-page-1/

[Jen]

Actually not at all rwlaw, the alcohol in the mix dries it right away, it lasts for one day, and should be applied right after a shower. Seems if I detect odor coming on and apply the prop deod, it doesn't work as well. But if you apply to a dry clean arm pit it works like a champ.

I also buff a few drops or so onto my arms and hands before getting into a hive. I like the idea of smelling like the hive instead of smelling like smoke 

Also, I might add that for wounds, it's been my teaching in the healing world, that you want to keep wounds dry, not wet. That's what I like about this prop tinc, it goes on wet, dries quickly, and seals the wound, which helps stop bleeding and oozing. 

Thanks for the link 

[Bakersdozen]

Here is a picture of my first attempt at making propolis tincture.  Did I weigh or measure?  Nope.  We will see what happens.  The ingredients are Everclear and propolis.  I have been keeping this in a dark place and shaking the bottle every day.  This is day 3. 


One thing I noticed about the Everclear, there is so much alcohol in it that it evaporates before your eyes.   

[Slowmodem]

One thing I noticed about the Everclear, there is so much alcohol in it that it evaporates before your eyes.   

Luckily, I usually get it swallowed before it evaporates.   

[Jen]

That looks great Baker    good color. How long has it been steeping?

[iddee]

""This is day 3.""

""How long has it been steeping?""

I would guess about half a week. 

[Bakersdozen]

That evaporation is known as the "Angel's Share".   

Jen,  What iddee said.  3 days. 

[Jen]

"""This is day 3."" ""How long has it been steeping?" "I would guess about half a week.

     I'll just ignore that thank you very much 

     When I make mine, it takes about 2 weeks to dissolve the propolis completely, and i get mine down to as close as coffee grounds that I can. The first time I attempted this recipe I read to drop a large pea size ball into the bottle, and the Everclear would dissolve it within 6 weeks. Didn't happen with mine, hence the very small grind