Part 5 and the last installment of The Botanical Extracts Series is on alcohol based extracts.
What Is An Alcohol Tincture?
Botanical extracts made with alcohol are known as tinctures. They are one of the most commonly used forms of herbal extracts and take a little longer to make than those made with oil, water or vinegar. They are also the most concentrated, so use with care.
Do Alcohol Tinctures Need a Preservative?
Tinctures are very stable and will last a long time when stored correctly. Alcohol is a self preserving system so no preservative is needed. Most compounds transfer easily into this medium but alcohol does denature proteins and enzymes, so if you are looking to include biological benefits from plants in your skincare, you may be better off with a water or vinegar based extract.
Are Alcohol Tinctures Safe?
If you use food grade alcohol, tinctures are safe to be taken neat orally, in tea or food. Alcohol Tinctures are absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream.
What Are The Uses Of Alcohol Tinctures?
Alcohol Tinctures As Fragrances
Alcohol extracts are very potent and some botanics can have powerful scents. Tinctures can be used to fragrance various products. Eg vanilla extract, coffee extract, various flower extracts, spices, etc.
Alcohol Tinctures As Flavourings
Ever wanted to make your own vanilla essence, almond or coffee essence? Well you can with alcohol extracts!
Alcohol Tinctures In Medicine
If you use food grade alcohol, you can make your own medicinal tinctures. You can use any food grade alcohol of at least 40% strength (so nothing less than a good vodka, otherwise go stronger if you can).
- Tinctures can be taken neat orally, or in tea or food. Please consult a medical professional for dosages.
- Tinctures are concentrates that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream so they are an effective way of treating various conditions.
Alcohol Tinctures In Skincare
Alcohol extracts are rarely used in natural skincare because alcohol can be drying when used in large amounts, but they do have a purpose in products for oily skin types as well as problem skin. Alcohols such as isopropyl and ethanol are wonderful at soaking up excess oil and drying out acne and problem skin.
They can be used as astringents and the addition of plant extracts makes them that much more effective.
If you aim for about 2% alcohol extract in your formulations, with the addition of a humectant, they should not have a drying effect at all. If you want the astringent property then you can go up to 5-8%.
Low molecular weight alcohols such as isopropyl and ethanol also make products feel lighter on the skin and aid in absorption into the skin. Products dry on the skin quicker, which is sometimes desirable in skincare formulas.
Things To Keep In Mind With Alcohol Extracts
- Alcohol tinctures will not be Halaal compliant
- Not everyone wants alcohol in their formulations due to religious, dietary or health/lifestyle reasons, so take this into consideration before formulating with your alcoholic tinctures.
- Alcohol does not dissolve the minerals and trace elements found in plants (vinegar extracts are able to do this).
What Type Of Alcohol Should I Use for A Tincture?
If you are going to be ingesting the tincture in any format (medicinally, in baking, etc) please only use food grade alcohol. The taste of your tincture may vary depending on what alcohol you use.
- You can use any neutral alcohol of 40% alcohol by volume or more such as vodka, grain alcohol, or one with more 'spice' such as brandy, bourbon, rum etc.
- You can also use a food grade ethanol.
- DO NOT use isopropyl alcohol or ethanol as these are not for internal use.
If your tinctures are for use in formulations, then you can use isopropyl alcohol or ethanol.
How Long Will An Alcohol Tincture Take?
Tinctures take a little longer than other extractions. Your typical tincture will need 6 - 8 weeks, but some may require more time, up to 6 months. The longer you leave to extract the stronger your tincture will be.
How Do You Store A Tincture?
Tinctures are very stable and can last years when stored correctly. Keep them tightly sealed in a cool cupboard out of direct sunlight.
Can You Dilute Your Tincture?
Once your tincture has been made you can dilute the alcohol with water to make a less potent extraction.
How Can I Use Tinctures In Cosmetic Formulations?
Tinctures act as:
- astringents
- fragrances
- carrying botanical properties
Tinctures work really well in products for oily or problem skin.
How Do You Make An Alcohol Tincture?
Here is what you will need:
- Glass jar, preferably with a metal lid, that is large enough for the amount of tincture you want to make.
- Fresh or dried botanicals of choice
- Alcohol of choice
Once you have decided which botanicals you will be using in your extraction, you will need to prepare them.
If using fresh leaves or flowers for tincture:
- Thoroughly wash before use
- Finely chop.
- Fill the jar ⅔ - ¾ full with plant material
- Fill up to the top with alcohol
If using fresh roots, bark or berries for tincture:
- Thoroughly wash before use
- Finely chop
- Fill the jar ⅓ - ½ full with plant material
- Fill up/ to the top with alcohol
If using dried leaves or flowers for tincture:
- Finely chop
- Fill the jar ½ - ¾ with plant material
- Fill up to the top with alcohol
If using dried roots, bark or berries for tincture:
- Finely chop
- Fill the jar ¼ - ⅓ with plant material
- Fill up to the top with alcohol
Standard Completion:
- Tightly seal your extraction jar
- Store it in a cool, dark place
- Shake it up daily
- Keep an eye on the alcohol level. If you see it dropping, simply top up your alcohol back to the original level
- After 6 - 8 weeks your tincture will most likely be ready.
To filter out the plant matter, have a glass bottle, funnel and cotton filter ready.
- Place 3 layers of cotton filter gauze on top of one another (if you have used a fine powder you may need an extra layer or two to catch everything) and line the funnel
- Pour the extraction through the filter-funnel setup into your bottle
- Seal up, label your tincture and then store in a cool cupboard
