Our Cannabis crop was so large this year, we are needing to find things to do with all of it. Our first project has been to create a pain relief lotion. And, we are pleased to say that it works great, even though we are still working to refine the recipe.
For our first batch, we used about 1/2 oz of dried cannabis finely ground, 1 cups of olive oil, 1 cup of coconut oil, a sprig of fresh ginger and a sprinkling of clove and a bit of beeswax.
This was a general recipe we found online that did not have detailed measurements. As a result, we were just sort of making it up as we went along. As we make future batches we will refine the recipe to continue to improve the result. But, even this quick, thrown-together recipe is pretty nice. It goes on smoothly, is not too oily, thanks to the beeswax, leaves the skin feeling amazing and is very effective at easing pain. So far, we have used it on a strained back and an arthritic knee with great results.
When applied topically, Cannabis generally does not result in any psychotropic effects, because it is absorbed slowly. It does, however, result in a localized sensation that feels very pleasant and lasts for several hours. It is also great at reducing inflammation. At the same time, the ginger and clove create some nice feeling of gentle heat.
With this first batch, we discovered that the amount of beeswax used changes the consistency quite a bit. We will use a bit less of it next time, while increasing the amount of ginger and clove.
Once we have finalized a more detailed recipe, we will publish here.