Foot fungus cream.

From: "Dr. Kelly" drkelly.icdc.com
To: herb.lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Herb] How can I make a cream or gel?
Date: Tue, 07 Jan 2003 23:38:58 -0500

Found ingredients that are finally protecting me from a lifelong battle with foot fungus. Base is petroleum jelly which I prefer not to use. Want jell or cream texture so it won't spill.

Ingredients are: camphor, tea tree oil, liquid lanolin, castor oil, eucalyptus and mint. How can I thicken this to a cream or jell texture?

From: Marcia V Grossbard ngbard.juno.com

If you add them to an ointment base or incorporate them into a salve they won't spill. If you want it to be somewhere between a creamy and lotiony consistency, use a small amount of tincture of one of your ingredients and whip it in.

Another possibility is find a source of powdered dry aloe vera, and use that as your base in very small amounts, because it is expensive and it is mortar and pestle-type time consuming labor.

From: "jim mcdonald" multiflorum.hotmail.com

I've found that adding lanolin to salves makes something that, -depending on the quantity you put in-, falls between a lotion and a salve. You can get lanolin from humanely treated/free range animals (they're just shorn & the lanolin extracted from the hair) through mountian rose herbs.

Ellingwood says of Lanolin: "As an ointment base, this substance is absorbed by the skin more rapidly than any other known base, facilitating also the absorption of the medicinal constituents of the ointment of which it forms a part."

I've -really- liked the salves I've made since I started using it.

From: "Kerry" jclarke1.mn.rr.com

Actually, in dealing with breastfeeding clients, I and other lactation professionals have found that the use of lanolin causes fungus (namely, candida) to thrive. Purified lanolin, under the trade name Lansinoh or PureLan, is commonly used by women with cracked, sore nipples. However, if she's dealing with yeast on her nipples, lanolin is not recommended, and can exascerbate the problem. I'm guessing that a similar problem might be found with foot fungus, and lanolin may want to be avoided in treating that particular condition.

From: Christa-Maria cmaria.triton.net

I would mix the ingredients with fresh aloe. Small amounts, freshly made up.

From: "K B" mt_turtle.email.com

UnPetroleum jelly is easy to make and it is a base for many other products.
1 ounce (weight) beeswax
½ cup sweet almond oil (or other oil(s)of choice)

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. Stir in the oil (s). Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool. Mix well (I use a little wisk) Stir in essential oils (up to 1 tablespoon in amount) This will resemble petroleum jelly in thickness. If you add greater amounts of EO's it may be thinner. You can make it a bit thinner, if desired, by stirring extra oil, a tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is achieved. Be careful not to over add - it gets thin fast.

I specify almond oil as this is the least allergenic of all oils, but I often use olive or a mixture. You can substitute any oils as long as the total equals ½ cup. Try a tablespoon of castor oil and a tablespoon glycerine and the rest sweet oil.

From: May Terry mterry.snet.net

K B wrote:
> Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. Stir in the oil (s). Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool. Mix well (I use a little wisk) Stir in essential oils (up to 1 tablespoon in amount)

I warm the oil then melt the beeswax in it. Then it's automatically mixed. This is especially easy if you're making the salve right after you've infused an herb.

This seems like a huge amount of EO for one-half cup of vegetable oil. I can't imagine using more than 25 drops or so in this amount.

From: "K B" mt_turtle.email.com

>This seems like a huge amount of EO for one-half cup of vegetable oil. I can't imagine using more than 25 drops or so in this amount.

I guess it depends on why you are making the cream...

To scent the product, to have a mildly therapeutic product for long term use, or to provide a strong therapeutic dose in the minimum amount of cream (usually for a short term use). From the original post, I thought the desired effect was to thicken the formula with a minimum of dilution...

From: "Dr. Kelly" drkelly.icdc.com

Thank you, everyone.

>I guess it depends on why you are making the cream..... From the original post, I thought the desired effect was to thicken the formula with a minimum of dilution...

Yes,the purpose was to thicken the oils to avoid dripping. LK