Tincture Forum

Topical herbal preparations are often where people first start experimenting with herbs, but they’re also easy to misunderstand or oversimplify. This post is meant to give a clear overview of oil infusions, salves, and balms, why people use them, and what kinds of discussions you’ll see in this section.

This isn’t a formula sheet or a recipe list. It’s context.

What these preparations are

Oil infusions are made by extracting plant material into a carrier oil over time. That infused oil can be used on its own or thickened with wax or other ingredients to create salves and balms.

Oil infusions are the foundation. Salves and balms are simply different forms of the same preparation, adjusted for texture, stability, and ease of use.

These preparations are generally used externally and are often applied directly to the skin.

Why people choose oil-based preparations

Oil infusions and salves are often chosen for their simplicity and direct application.

Common reasons people work with these preparations include:

• supporting skin, joints, and muscles
• working with herbs traditionally used topically
• avoiding internal use of certain plants
• creating preparations that are easy to apply as needed

They’re frequently used in a practical, everyday way rather than as concentrated internal remedies.

What oil infusions tend to be good at (and what they aren’t)

Oils are effective at extracting fat-soluble constituents, including many aromatic compounds and resinous materials. This makes them well suited for topical use where direct contact matters.

They are not effective at extracting water-soluble compounds, minerals, or certain other constituents. Because of this, oil-based preparations serve a different role than teas or tinctures.

Understanding what oils do well helps people choose them intentionally rather than by habit.

Common variables you’ll see discussed

There are many ways to make oil infusions, and discussions here reflect that variety.

Topics that commonly come up include:

• choice of carrier oil
• fresh versus dried plant material
• slow infusions versus heat-assisted methods
• infusion time and storage
• salve thickness and wax ratios

These choices affect shelf life, texture, scent, and overall usability.

Shelf life and spoilage

Shelf life is an important consideration with oil-based preparations. Oils can oxidize or spoil over time, especially if moisture is present.

Discussions in this section often focus on how people reduce spoilage risk, choose stable oils, and recognize when a preparation is no longer good to use. Conservative handling is generally favored.

Safety and considerations

Even though these preparations are used externally, safety still matters. Skin sensitivity, plant potency, and frequency of application all factor in.

You’ll see thoughtful discussion here around patch testing, strong herbs, and long-term topical use. External use doesn’t automatically mean risk-free.

What this forum section is for

This section exists to support real discussion around oil infusions, salves, and balms as they’re actually made and used.

That includes:

• sharing preparation methods and observations
• asking questions about texture, stability, or effectiveness
• talking through topical use over time
• comparing oil-based preparations to other forms

You don’t need to be experienced to participate. Careful observation and honest questions are enough.

A final note

If oil infusions or salves are new to you, this overview should give you enough context to understand the conversations in this section and begin exploring at your own pace.

From here, feel free to read existing threads or start one when a question or idea comes up. This space is meant to support steady learning through hands-on experience.

I am not new to this (Oil preparation) but also not much competent, I have been practicing oil infusion particularly warm oil maceration but never did make balms or salves. According to the topic I have seen that most of infused oil are for topical use but, as I know it depends on what compounds you want to extract for example if I want to extract curcumin from turmeric oil infusion can work since curcumin is non polar compound, and let's say I have used olive during infusion. Will it be not suitable for ingestion?

Innocentlaban wrote: Fri Feb 13, 2026 2:03 pm I am not new to this (Oil preparation) but also not much competent, I have been practicing oil infusion particularly warm oil maceration but never did make balms or salves. According to the topic I have seen that most of infused oil are for topical use but, as I know it depends on what compounds you want to extract for example if I want to extract curcumin from turmeric oil infusion can work since curcumin is non polar compound, and let's say I have used olive during infusion. Will it be not suitable for ingestion?

Oil infusions can certainly be taken internally provided they are made with edible oil (olive) and the medicinal compounds themselves are acceptable in ingested preparations. However, it should be noted that oil preparations are prone to rancidity and have a relatively short shelf life even for well-made product. Topical use has a broader scope in this preparation type.

Great to hear that