One of my first aid kit must-haves is a rose-infused vinegar in a spray bottle – which is great for sun burns and even poison ivy rashes. A rose-infused vinegar is useful in the herbal apothecary for topical skin infections, abrasions, burns and rashes. The astringent nature of both the rose and the vinegar can help quell the redness and inflammation of affected skin.

To prepare this astringent first aid spray you will need:

2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 TBSP fresh or dry rose petals
Small canning jar
Small spray bottle

1) Combine the vinegar and rose petals and let extract for two weeks in the refrigerator.

2) Strain off the mixture and store in a jar in the refrigerator to use as needed for a wash or skin soak on burns.

3) The rose petal vinegar can be put into a spray bottle to easily mist sunburned skin or poison ivy rash for those hard to reach places.

In a pinch? No time to gather roses? Steep chamomile tea bags in vinegar for a few hours, then strain and add to a spray bottle. There are times the ingredients don’t need to be top shelf for top relief (but having top shelf for cocktails, that’s another matter).

 Order my newest book, “Midwest Medicinal Plants” to learn how to wildcraft this and other wild plants?