Last Updated on June 1, 2025 by Nico
This mugwort tincture recipe is simple to make and uses only two ingredients. Mugwort tincture can help regulate the menstrual cycle, reduce pain, and more.
Alongside yarrow, mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris l.) has a long history of use in traditional medicine to help regulate women’s menstrual cycles and help with pain relief. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine in multiple applications, including in moxibustion therapy which can help turn breech babies. Historically, the plant has also been used to protect against evil spirits and negative energies.
Mugwort is a bushy plant with lobed leaves and small, pale yellow or reddish-brown flowers. It is part of the Asteraceae family and is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Dried or fresh herbs
You can use either fresh or dried mugwort to make this tincture.
- Fresh mugwort: Fresh mugwort will have more of the plant’s essential oils which will make the tincture more potent and increase the medicinal properties in the final tincture. You should use higher-proof alcohol if you use fresh plant material to offset the increased water content in the fresh mugwort.
- Dried mugwort: Dried mugwort will have fewer essential oils because the plant isn’t as fresh, but it will still work great and you don’t have to worry about using a higher-proof alcohol.
Foraging mugwort
If you are harvesting fresh mugwort from a garden, you can use the leaves and stems in your tincture. I recommend harvesting it in the morning before direct sunlight reaches the plant. This is because, like many medicinal herbs, mugwort’s essential oils will dissipate when it gets very hot or direct sunlight. If you harvest the leaves before it gets too hot, your tincture will have a more potent concentration of the plant’s volatile oils and medicinal benefits.
Benefits of mugwort
Promote menstrual health – Mugwort can help support a healthy menstrual cycle and may ease menstrual cramps, regular the menstrual flow, and reduce overall menstrual pain.
Lucid dreams – Mugwort can bring on more vivid dreams and help you remember the dreams you have more clearly.
Better sleep – Mugwort has been used to improve sleep and has a calming effect.
Improve digestive health – Mugwort has historically been used to ease bloating and digestional discomfort. It can also be used for appetite stimulation.
Help with stress and anxiety – Mugwort has a calming effect on the nervous system and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Mental clarity and emotional balance – Mugwort can enhance mental clarity and help keep an emotional balance.
Improve blood flow – Mugwort has been widely used to support healthy blood flow and help improve poor blood circulation.
Cleansing – The herb is used in herbal medicine for its cleansing properties which come from its historic use in spiritual practices but also its impact on digestion.
How to make mugwort tincture
Tools
An airtight container with a tight-fitting lid – I use a glass mason jar with parchment paper between the metal lid and tincture or extract to prevent the alcohol from corroding the metal.
Small amber glass bottle with a dropper top – I like these
A fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or coffee filter
A small funnel
A knife, food processor, or mortar and pestle – for chopping up fresh mugwort
Supplies
Fresh or dried mugwort – Here’s a source for dried mugwort
80-proof grain alcohol (or 40% alcohol) – If you want to avoid alcohol, you can swap out the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. I buy this bulk raw apple cider vinegar and this glycerin. If you’re using fresh mugwort, consider using a high-proof alcohol, which will be more effective at preventing spoilage from the water content in the plant.
For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.
Instructions
If you’re using fresh mugwort, the first step is to use a knife, food processor, or mortar and pestle to chop up the fresh leaves. We do to this maximise the surface area that is exposed to the alcohol.
Add the mugwort to a clean glass pint jar. If you’re using fresh mugwort, fill it ¾ of the way full. If you’re using dried mugwort, fill it ⅓ of the way full, to leave room for the leaves to expand as they absorb the alcohol.
Cover the leaves with alcohol. I prefer to use 80-proof unflavoured vodka because it keeps the flavor of the tincture neutral.
Add a lid to the jar and shake it to make sure everything is completely submerged. Date and label it and set it in a cool, dark place for 6-8 weeks. If you used dried mugwort, top up the alcohol after a day to make sure that the leaves remain covered.
Try to shake the jar every day or so to make sure everything is covered in alcohol.
After 8 weeks, use cheesecloth or a mesh strainer to strain off the tincture.
Use a funnel to add it to your amber glass dropper bottle (I used a 4 oz dropper bottle).
Date and label it and that’s it!
How much mugwort tincture to take?
- For sleep or lucid dreaming: You can take 10-15 drops about 30 minutes before bed.
- For digestion: You can use 10-20 drops before meals to stimulate appetite or help with mild digestive discomfort.
- For menstrual cramps: You can try 15-25 drops, up to three times per day.
Important Notes:
- Start small: If you’re new to mugwort tincture, begin with small doses to see how your body reacts.
- Pregnant people: Mugwort is not recommended for pregnant women, as it can stimulate the uterus.
How long does mugwort tincture last?
Like many homemade alcohol-based herbal tinctures, this tincture has a long shelf life if stored away from direct sunlight. I like to use the tincture within 1-2 years and store it with my other tinctures and herbal extracts in the pantry.
How to use mugwort tincture
Directly – Add the dosage directly under your tongue for the quickest absorption. Hold it there for 30 seconds and then swallow.
Diluted – Add the dosage to a cup of water or one of your favourite herbal teas to dilute the flavour.
How to make this without alcohol
You can simply swap the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. A vinegar-based tincture or an extract made with glycerin isn’t as good as alcohol at extracting the beneficial compounds or preserving them. I like to consume vinegar-based extracts within about 6 months and glycerin-based extracts within a year.
Disclaimer – I’m not a medical professional and do not intend to offer medical or health advice in any content I create. I offer information for educational purposes and, as always, get your physician’s advice or the advice of your healthcare provider before trying a new herbal remedy. There are always possible unintended consequences of trying a new herbal remedy such as an allergic reaction or unexpected side effects like interactions with other medication or another medical condition.
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How To Make Mugwort Tincture (Herbal Recipe)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you’re using fresh mugwort, the first step is to use a knife, food processor, or mortar and pestle to chop up the fresh leaves. We do to this maximise the surface area that is exposed to the alcohol.
- Add the mugwort to a clean glass pint jar. If you’re using fresh mugwort, fill it ¾ of the way full. If you’re using dried mugwort, fill it ⅓ of the way full, to leave room for the leaves to expand as they absorb the alcohol.
- Cover the leaves with alcohol. I prefer to use 80-proof unflavoured vodka because it keeps the flavor of the tincture neutral.
- Add a lid to the jar and shake it to make sure everything is completely submerged. Date and label it and set it in a cool, dark place for 6-8 weeks.
- If you used dried mugwort, top up the alcohol after a day to make sure that the leaves remain covered.
- Try to shake the jar every day or so to make sure everything is covered in alcohol.
- After 8 weeks, use cheesecloth or a mesh strainer to strain off the tincture.
- Use a funnel to add it to your amber glass dropper bottle (I used a 4 oz dropper bottle).
- Date and label it and that’s it!
Notes
How much mugwort tincture to take?
- For sleep or lucid dreaming: You can take 10-15 drops about 30 minutes before bed.
- For digestion: You can use 10-20 drops before meals to stimulate appetite or help with mild digestive discomfort.
- For menstrual cramps: You can try 15-25 drops, up to three times per day.
Important Notes:
- Start small: If you’re new to mugwort tincture, begin with small doses to see how your body reacts.
- Pregnant people: Mugwort is not recommended for pregnant women, as it can stimulate the uterus.
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