GENERAL STORAGE
If you store upright and out of heat and sun, your tinctures will last many years, although the rubber top of the dropper bottle may degrade in 2-3 years, depending on care.
TAKING TINCTURES
Dosage/Dropperfuls: Squeeze the rubber bulb as much as possible to squeeze the air/liquid out of it, insert the tip into the bottle well beneath the liquid level, and release. This creates a “dropperful”, (even though the dropper is only half full). The “dropperful” measurement we use is approximately 20 drops, which is also the equivalent of approximately 1 ml. 5 ml = 1 tsp
Ingestion Methods: Some of the tinctures we make have grain alcohol as a base (it helps extract the most medicine from the plants), so be prepared for this on your tissues. Try a few drops on the tongue, or underneath it. This will give you a better sense of the herb, both in taste and effect. The longer you hold the alcohol in your mouth, the faster the herbs will find your blood. This method of direct to the tongue and holding/swishing is best for acute or immediate needs like headaches and emotional distress.
Most folks get their tincture dose by diluting it into water or another liquid. A shot glass is easy way to take them.