How to Make an Herbal Tincture for Seasonal Allergies with Mullein and Marshmallow
Inside the article: Learn about these two powerhouse herbs for the respiratory system, mullein (Verbascum thapsis) and marshmallow (Althaea officinalis). You’ll also discover how to make an herbal tincture with these herbs or a beautiful herbal tea blend for tea lovers!
For years, every single Spring and Fall (and sometimes Summer, with the Cliffrose blooming), my nose would go CRAZY. My sinuses were either plugged or draining like a river. My eyes itched, and frankly, I used to pretty much hate life during these spring and fall months.
Seasonal. Allergies. These symptoms also happen with any old bad cold too! I'm sure, unless you have a very special immune system, you have experienced what this feels like.
But then....I found HERBS! I discovered how to make my own herbal medicines that work WAY better than the chemical garbage over-the-counter drugs in the stores. This tincture I'll share with you today is one of the first ones I ever made for myself and family, and I’ve heard over and over and over again from hundreds of students and clients how well it has worked for them, too.
My husband and I rely on this combination any time we get that itch in our noses, the sinus headache in our brain, and the river running down our face. (EWWW....I know---Just keeping it real, my friends!)
Continue reading below to learn more about the herbs in this blend and also how to make the tincture, dosing, and using it.
But first,….
If you’d like to watch my video on this tincture and discussion of the plants involved (mullein and marshmallow) on YouTube, you’ll find it at the bottom of the article! Enjoy!
FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This 12 page guide on 10 common herbs and a handy cheat sheet for when to use them is perfect for your home apothecary or kitchen! Download yours now by clicking here!
It’s nearly time for seasonal allergies, and I’ve got an herbal remedy for you! This tincture is easy to make and only requires two herbs. Home remedies are often the best way to go. If you want to soothe inflamed sinuses and calm a runny nose, you’ll want to get started making this tincture to day. You can also use the blend in tea form as well, in case you can’t wait for the tincture. #herbal #homeremedy #naturalremedy #allergyseason #itchynose #runnynose #inflammation #sinus #congestion #tincture #healingharvesthomestead
How to Make an Herbal Tincture That Supports Allergy Symptoms and Sinus Issues
Making a tincture is really very easy. Just click through the link to find out more about how to make a tincture. And feel free to ask questions in the comments if you have any! I try to reply within a day or so.
Meet Team Mullein & Marshmallow!
This picture is of Mullein (Verbascum thapsis):
Wildharvesting Mullein
And this is Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis):
Here is a Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) growing in my yard.
What is Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and Why Does it Work?:
Mullein grows very tall (or short, if the conditions are not ideal). This lovely plant has very large leaves with a fuzzy outer layer. I love Mullein, and I now have it growing profusely in my yard! It is an expectorant, demulcent, antispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, anodyne, and vulnerary. It is mainly used for lung and bronchial congestion, coughs that are spasmodic in nature, irritated sore throats, and lymphatic build up.
The whole plant is useful! In the case of this tincture, I only use the leaves. However, the flowers are useful for making mullein flower oil (you can even find this ready made in very good health stores), and the roots can be used in tea form for diarrhea and cramps, as well! More on those uses later. I'm focusing on an allergy, stuffy nose, breathing remedy here.
It was first introduced to me by my stepmother many years ago. She was experiencing a very bad bronchial attack, and her allopathic medications had not been working. She insisted my Dad drive around in the country of southern Utah until they found some Mullein plants. She made some tea, and shortly thereafter, her symptoms were finally relieved!
Mullein is a true biennial plant, meaning it has a two year lifespan. The first year it grows a little rosette (see pictures) of leaves. Sometimes and with some species of mullein, these rosettes can actually be quite large. The second year, a strong, tall stalk shoots up from the middle of the plant and tiny popcorn-like flowers pop out throughout the month of usually July.
I like to wild harvest my Mullein from sustainable places in our local area. Mullein is one of those incredible weeds with some amazing medicinal qualities that grows practically everywhere. If you don't feel comfortable wild-harvesting (or just don't want to), I suggest purchasing your Mullein through Starwest Botanicals, which is where I purchase the majority of my herbs.
If you go through Amazon, then the Frontier brand is really great too! Mountain Rose Herbs is another great bulk herb online shop.
Mullein: First year rosette.
Mullein, mature plant the second year. (The flowers are often prepared for ear infection remedies).
What is Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), and Why Does it Work?:
Like Mullein, the whole Marshmallow plant is useful. In fact, the flowers are edible, just as hollyhock flowers are (they are related plants and have nearly the same chemical make up, so feel free to substitute). I like to put them on salads and surprise my friends!
The Marshmallow leaves are what I use for this tincture, so I will focus on those. The leaves of the Marshmallow plant are demulcent, expectorant, diuretic, and emollient. This means they’re exceptionally soothing to the mucus membranes in the upper respiratory as well as lower respiratory system. They help the body to expel excess moisture while also being moisturizing to the entire system. It’s really quite a plant!
The wonders of marshmallow are due to the mucilage it contains. This is a slimy substance that supports the important mucosal linings throughout our body.
Fun fact: it was the original ingredient candy makers used to make marshmallows back in the old days before big business turned to synthetic chemicals and adulterated what was once a lovely natural candy. It's what made the candy fluffy and soft!
What this means for your sinuses, is that in combination with Mullein, you've now got an incredibly soothing, anti-inflammatory preparation for your crazy sinuses!
Like Mullein, if you just don't want to grow your own or forage for your Marshmallow, check out Starwest Botanicals. They have an incredible selection of medicinal and culinary herbs, as well as tea blends all ready to go.
Ready to learn about using herbs for your wellness? Take the FREE 5-Day Herbal Foundations email course and start making home remedies today! Just click here to enroll for free.
This is marshmallow (Altheae officinalis). It grows tall, rangy stems with these lovely small pink flowers. If you have hollyhocks growing, you can use these the exact same way, as the chemical makeup of both plants are nearly identical.
Meet Team M&M (Mullein & Marshmallow!
Together, Mullein and Marshmallow are a great team! I use this pair of herbs 1:1 (one part to one part) to make a tincture that is just AMAZING for allergic reactions (runny eyes, runny itchy nose, and sinus congestion. It's also helpful for lung congestion.
While mullein goes to work supporting the upper respiratory system, marshmallow goes to work to soothe and calm inflamed sinuses. Just amazing!
The ratio above is only for the herbs—equal parts marshmallow and mullein. I’m just clarifying because I generally use the folk method of tincturing my herbal preparations, so the ratio above has nothing to do with the ratio of total herb to alcohol.
The very first book I ever read, many years ago, about creating herbal preparations was Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Guide for Beginners. This book changed my life! I think it should be in everyone's home who is interested in taking a natural approach to healing. Rosemary's book is where this tincture originated!
How to Make Allergy Tincture to Relieve Sinus Congestion
NOTE: You can also use these herbs in a strong herbal tea while your tincture is processing.
For more information on tinctures, see my article, "What is a Tincture, which explains more about how to make your own tinctures.
Ingredients:
Dried Mullein
Dried Marshmallow
Grain Alcohol, at least 80 proof. Personally, I like to use organic Vodka, but some herbalists use other alcohols. It needs to be drinkable---NO rubbing alcohol, in case that needs to be said.
A Mason Jar or other jar you can seal tightly.
Directions:
Fill a jar halfway with 1 part Mullein and 1 part Marshmallow, even amounts in other words.
Then simply pour enough alcohol in the jar to completely cover the herbs and all the way to within an inch of the top of the jar.
Seal the jar.
Place it in a sunny window. (Some herbalists will say to place in a dark cupboard. I have always used the sun to help infuse the herbs' constituents into the alcohol completely. Never had a problem that way.
Shake it daily and send it some love!
Do this for at least four weeks. It can stand longer---I have left processing tinctures for up to a year, with no negative side effects (although I do remove the tincture from the sunny window after four to six weeks, as the plant matter will be spent.)
The way this kind of herbal extract works is the alcohol (solvent) extracts the helpful plant chemicals, which all work together in synchrony to heal.
When you feel your tincture is ready (four to six weeks), just strain out the herbs (at this point the spent herbs are known as the marc). Then just bottle it into amber glass dropper bottles.
What I don't put into the smaller dropper bottles, I just store in a glass mason jar (labeled with the contents, the date it was bottled, the length of time it was infused, and the ratio of herb to alcohol (by volume, as I don’t use the weights method). Store the bottled tinctures in a dark, cool place.
**At the very least, remember to write the name of your tincture on the label. Trust me. It doesn’t matter that you are SURE you will remember what is in that jar a few months from now. You won’t. AHEM. Ask me how I know. :-)
The shelf life of tinctures is about 2-3 years, however, people have found old tinctures from the past that were decades old and still good! I commonly use my own tinctures I made over five years ago, and I find them to be as potent as ever. Alcohol is a terrific preservative!
Final Thoughts on Mullein and Marshmallow Tincture for Seasonal Allergy Relief
This was one of the first tincture formulations I created many, many years ago, and I was just amazed at how well and quickly it worked for me. As an allergy sufferer for decades of my life, I found that consistent use of this tincture actually healed my body in terms of the decreased strength of the allergy symptoms I experienced. These days, I rarely need to take it, except for the worst allergy times of the year. YAY! :-)
Many of my students and clients have also had similar experiences with this tincture combination of herbs. If you find a 1/2 tsp dose amount isn’t sufficient, it’s perfectly fine to increase the amount, as both of these herbs have no safety indications. This is a tincture that’s even safe for little ones. If using with small children, adjust the dosing accordingly.
You may be interested in my course, Ditch the Drugstore! You’ll create and organize your customized home apothecary that can literally substitute just about any over-the-counter drug. Many students have also been able to come off of their prescriptions too (medical supervision recommended).
Click to learn more about the School of Botanical Arts & Sciences (SOBAS)! Herbalism with a Christian viewpoint.
I hope you’ll experiment with this simple tincture! You can also make a wonderful tea with the herbs as well, if you prefer this method.
Here are a few other articles that are related that you might enjoy! And, there are over 500 more on Healing Harvest Homestead website! So…please go explore! You may also be interested in these related articles, so come back to them if you are!
7 Amazing Natural Remedies for Congestion (Plus My Homemade Vapor Rub Recipe)
BEST Essential Oils for Soothing Sinus Congestion
Two Roller Bottle Recipes for Sinus Congestion, One for Adults and One for Children
How to Prevent a Cold/Flu Naturally,
What Herbs & Remedies to Take if You Feel a Cold or Flu Coming On,
Also, here is an article for children specifically: How to Boost Your Child's Immune System.
Are you interested in learning more about using herbs for your health? Do you want to save money and learn how to use the plants God gifted us with that grow right in your own area for wellness? Take a look at my school, Healing Harvest Homestead School of Botanical Arts & Sciences!
You may also enjoy the Confident Herbalist Tribe, where you’ll find herbal masterclasses on medicine making, formulation, plant deep dives that include phytochemistry, best preparations, recipes, growing/identification/foraging, and more.
You’ll also have access to the MOST amazing student group for support and friendship. I’m in there daily, and I do live question and answer videos on zoom as well. It’s a great place to learn herbs!
Find out more here: Healing Harvest Homestead School of Botanical Arts
Hugs, Health, and Self-Reliance,
Heidi
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Download your FREE Herbal Remedy Guide for 10 common herbs and a cheat sheet on when to use them. It’s a perfect resource for your kitchen or home apothecary! Click here to download yours now!
**For a video of the tincture making process and discussion of the plants involved, watch my YouTube video below—-and please subscribe! It’s an older video, and I was just learning, so please forgive the quality. :-)
RESOURCES:
The Beginners Guide to Herbal Medicine by Rosemary Gladstar
The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra
Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech
The Complete Herbs Sourcebook by David Hoffmann
Study Materials from the Science and Art of Herbalism (Sage Mountain)
Want to really learn about herbs? The Confident Herbalist Tribe is a wealth of herbal masterclasses in the plants, herbal medicine making, phytochemistry, recipes, growing/foraging, harvesting, and TONS more. You get access to a student community that is absolutely amazing. For more information, click here.
Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor. I’m a certified professional aromatherapist and clinical/community herbalist. The information in this article, elsewhere on my blog, in my shop sites, in conversations, and on labels is for informational purposes only and not meant to cure, treat, diagnose, or prevent any medical condition. Since herbs are not regulated, these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.