Liquid Cayenne

[Ms Monnie]

I'm looking for a liquid cayenne extract that I can use externally and internally. I've been taking powdered cayenne in capsules for a while and I find it really helps with circulation, which is also why I want to use it topically on my scalp in an essential oil mixture (similar to moonchaser's). The powder is too grainy and heavily coloured to use easily externally, and it always has to be washed off again. I posted this on the mane board because I think it's a little more important which type of extract I use on my scalp than anything else (I may also want to use it in lip balms, hand creams and muscle rubs), all the preparations I've seen so far are alcoholic tinctures and I'm not keen on the idea of that.

I'm also in the UK.

Any ideas?

[ChloeDharma]

Would an oil extract be ok for you? You can make an oil infusion by steeping cayenne in whatever oil you fancy for i think 4 weeks, i saw a recipe.....i know it had 25g of cayenne, but i cant remember how much oil.....maybe 100ml? I'll try finding it and get back to you......but an oil you could use on food.....think like that infused olive oil with chilli in it that you get for pizzas, or in anything really especially of course as a scalp oil.

[Ms Monnie]

Ooh yes, that sounds like something I could make use of. Do you remember how they suggested filtering the powder out?

[Kirin]

I've infused oils before, but only for cooking. I'm not sure of the amounts you would need, but adding the powder into a bottle of oil (glass bottle) and setting in a sunny window sealed for a few weeks does it.

To seperate it out, usually the powder will do one of two things, float or sink, if it floats you scrape it off, if it sinks, you pour off the top.

[ChloeDharma]

You could get some cheap coffee filter or muslin or anything with a fine weave to it and pour it through then it'll catch the cayenne. If you do this make sure you let me know how it turns out hun xxx

[biggeorge]

Just be somewhat careful if you purchase an extract, as they can be concentrated and extremely hot. I worked for a company that developed a molecular distillation process to concentrate the capsicum in cayenne. This concentrate was actually used as a topical anesthetic; it was so hot it would numb the nerve endings for a period of time. The intermediate concentrations would cause pain upon contact with the skin.

[Lexie]

Cayenne is extremely hot on the skin. My bird ate dried cayenne and it burned my fingers just holding them for her--didn't help that she was nippy too at that age. I tried it on my scalp once and it made my entire body so hot that I was covered in sweat. You'd think I just got through an hour of aerobics in the desert. Of course, I made a paste with powdered cayenne, so that's likely to be quite a bit hot compared to infused oil.

[Ms Monnie]

I will try be very sure that my dilution wont harm me. I'm grateful for your concern biggeorge and Lexie :D. I've only used cayenne once in a shampoo, it basically made everything very red (the suds and my bathroom I mean, not my skin) and dripped into my eyes and stung a little, I imagine this experiment will be much more controlled.

I love using it internally because I have hands and feet that have been described as "like a corpse" and when the capsules dissolve I get a little warm feeling in my chest which then radiates and strengthens my circulation. It has so many other health benefits too (see here (http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/cayenne.html), there's a lot to wade through but you get the idea). I think it's one of the essential things to have for a medicinal kitchen cupboard along with things like ACV and honey.

I will definitely let you know Chloe what the outcome is. It might be a while before I have any results, especially if I macerate for four weeks or so.

[ChloeDharma]

I was thinking, you could heat the oil so that it infuses faster.....the cold infusion method is more to preserve the oils properties, but if it's only really the Cayenne that you want from it then it might be the better option.
I need to be taking cayenne internally too, i have circulation issues and get that "corpse" limbs like you described.

[Growin' It]

What about seeing if you can get a cayenne sauce from the 'sauces' section of the supermarket? I've got one, and it was located near the BBQ sauce and Worcestershire.

[lavenderblue]

Ooh yes, that sounds like something I could make use of. Do you remember how they suggested filtering the powder out?
why use the powder to make the infusion, why not make the infusion out of whole cayenne peppers?

[Lexie]

I use cayenne on and off. I'm anemic, so my fingers, toes, and nose tend to stay cold. Between beets and cayenne, I'm good. I've recommended it to my mother probably a hundred times by now, but her b.p. is so low that when she takes it, she can't even sleep. It's kind of funny because her nose gets cherry red. :D

ETA: Oh, just an idea because this is how I make tea with herbs so I don't have to strain. I just wrap the chopped/powdered herbs in a non-bleached coffee filter and pour the boiling water over it, then let it steep. Just need to pull it out carefully, but there's much less effort doing that than straining it for me. You could probably just tie the wrapped filter with twine, but I never had any, so I just creased it on every fold to keep it in form.

[Ms Monnie]

why use the powder to make the infusion, why not make the infusion out of whole cayenne peppers?
Because I know where to get the powder, I'm not so sure about the whole peppers.

[peachy.pudding]

May i ask what its supposed to benefit in what way?

[Ms Monnie]

Cayenne helps to encourage circulation, on the scalp that can mean better growth.

[ChloeDharma]

Ms Monnie.....how are you getting on with this?

I had another idea....it was actually for making Amla oil but i figure it'd work for any herb.....you could use a crock-pot/slow cooker (you can buy them in argos for just under £20) to heat the oils with the herb in, that'd mean you can get using the oil much quicker. :)

[Nynaeve]

This is pretty interesting. I'll probably be checking back here to see what you do!

[Ms Monnie]

Well, it's not very interesting so far. I've got a little less than 25g of cayenne powder in 100mls of grapeseed oil with one tablespoon of blackseed oil (for good luck?). It's in a glass bottle by my windowsill in order to catch the sun and has been for only a day or so, yet already the oil has become a deep blood red! I'm going to test it in a wee while to see how strong it is, I figure it will be easier to dilute it than to make it stronger so I'm not worried that it's so deeply coloured.

[Sunnie1]

I too just finished making a mixture of cayenne pepper and oil (evoo). I must admit that at the time I made it I didn't realize that I needed to let it sit (at least 10 days or longer) for it to actually work...I also applied the entire mixture to my hair and not to my scalp only. So I am now waiting for my new mixture to incorporate so that I can apply it to my scalp only.
Please update with any new information as to how this is working for you. I sleep on my right side and have noticed quite a bit of thinning and I am hoping that this mixture will aid in regrowth.

Sunnie

[Natalia]

Hmm ran across this by accident but it loiks interesting. I would love to make a cayenne infused oil for pain relief and circulation.

[truepeacenik]

Natalia, try chili oil from any food store. Easy to find in CA, usually with the Asian condiments. But I've steeped lightly crushed dried pods in oil to make my own.
My cayenne is still fruiting!

The heat of the chilie is in membranes and seeds. The dried flesh is all color.
I'd get fresh anything hotter than jalapeño, use the flesh in cooking and the membranes and seeds steeped in a hair-friendly oil.

[Natalia]

Natalia, try chili oil from any food store. Easy to find in CA, usually with the Asian condiments. But I've steeped lightly crushed dried pods in oil to make my own.
My cayenne is still fruiting!

The heat of the chilie is in membranes and seeds. The dried flesh is all color.
I'd get fresh anything hotter than jalapeño, use the flesh in cooking and the membranes and seeds steeped in a hair-friendly oil.

Great idea! Wish that had occurred to me yesterday my dad just got back from the ethic market. I don't think I have powder on hand but I do have pods I just bought for making pickles. They are only labeled as chili peppers think that's good enough? If so how many dry pods per cup? I think I will do mine half chili half ginger. Not going in my hair though my feet are constantly frozen and the colder it is the bluer my toenails get. Id like to see if it helps my circulation any.

[truepeacenik]

Yes. Likely "chili peppers" and also "chile peppers" are a mid heat pepper, like Anaheim or Hatch.
Use the seeds and all.

Chili oil is in the Asian section on almost any market. Smallish bottles around the size of Tabasco, usually.

In a pinch, I've added scotch bonnet sauce to oils for pre-shampoo scalp oiling. Go light, but it is obvious it's there.
Don't do this with an open spot. Ouch.

A cup of oil? I'd say at least ten peppers, heated in the oil, held there for a few minutes, then cooled.
Maybe better to make a quarter or half cup to start. (Food recipes often are one ounce chilies to a half cup of oil)
You might still see the reddening. Maybe pulling just the seeds would curb that considerably. I'd roughly chop the seeds CAREFULLY.
I get chilies in my eyes regularly and it is not fun.

[Natalia]

Yes. Likely "chili peppers" and also "chile peppers" are a mid heat pepper, like Anaheim or Hatch.
Use the seeds and all.

Chili oil is in the Asian section on almost any market. Smallish bottles around the size of Tabasco, usually.

In a pinch, I've added scotch bonnet sauce to oils for pre-shampoo scalp oiling. Go light, but it is obvious it's there.
Don't do this with an open spot. Ouch.

A cup of oil? I'd say at least ten peppers, heated in the oil, held there for a few minutes, then cooled.
Maybe better to make a quarter or half cup to start. (Food recipes often are one ounce chilies to a half cup of oil)
You might still see the reddening. Maybe pulling just the seeds would curb that considerably. I'd roughly chop the seeds CAREFULLY.
I get chilies in my eyes regularly and it is not fun.

Awesome info thank you! That's a great starting point for me :). I was going to put everything in the crockpot on low so I don't have to worry about scorching it. I don't mind much if its colored as long as it gets the capsicum in there. Ouch for chili's in the eyes :( oh dear

[truepeacenik]

Yeah... My mom is horrified at how calmly I take it. She's unaware of my more spectacular chile accidents.

Oh, and any mucus membrane will burn. So wash hands before the loo. :brains:

[Natalia]

Yeah... My mom is horrified at how calmly I take it. She's unaware of my more spectacular chile accidents.

Oh, and any mucus membrane will burn. So wash hands before the loo. :brains:

Oh lordy yeah probably better she doesn't know :p. And lol oh yes id wash after applying im too prone to touching my face forgetting about it before the loo would be terrible!

[Natalia]

Well feeling better today so I decided to throw the chilli's and oil into the crock pot. :). I broke them open and sprinkled the seeds into the bottom but I threw they "husks" in as well. If it starts getting too dark looking I can skim them off and leave the seeds to cook. I started them at 3:30 put it on high to get it going and I will turn it to low at 4pm and let it go till dinner or bedtime depending on how it looks.

[Lilelfen1]

You should be able to buy different types of hot pepper oils at your local Indian shoppe for incredibly cheap. :)

[sally_neuf]

Good luck :flower: I love cayenne, I used to take it a lot in food (over fried eggs yum) or teas to help me get warmer, but my stomach was not happy with the idea :(