About this formula

Cicada molting is a lesser known but highly respected medicinal herb for the skin.

Cicada (pronounced se-KAY-da) is cool like mint with a unique affinity for the skin. It is after all, the skin of the cicada. Quite often, parts of living animals are used for the same parts in the human. So cicada molting benefits the skin.

Key point is that it helps to detoxify the skin. Repeated needle pricks can push some gunk underneath the skin where it can fester and become problematic. Cicada helps to push that gunk out. This is all energetic, it isn’t like you’ll need to shower the gunk off.

Cicada has another function too. It is really good for hoarse voice when you have a cold or flu. It is very likely that the volume that these bugs express with their mid-summertime chirps was the inspiration behind the idea that this bug has some natural voice volume support.

Other herbs found in this formula are commonly used to stimulate immune responses to skin-deep wounds. These herbs include such garden favorites as honeysuckle flower, violet, wild chrysanthemum and dandelion. I wasn’t really trying to formulate based on familiar ingredients, it just turned out that way. These herbs are often used for acne and other skin problems.

Ingredients

Chan Tui 蟬蛻 chan yi, cicada molting Periostracum Cicadae

• Chan Tui is the hard skin (exoskeleton) of the cicada. In Nebraska, we called these the “weee-oooh” bugs. They’re very loud, but more importantly, the skin of this bug has a detoxifying and cooling affect on the skin in the human. That’s what it is doing here, making you cool and toxin-free.

Jin Yin Hua 金銀花 honeysuckle flower, lonicera Flos Lonicerae Japonicae

Zi Hua Di Ding 紫花地丁 violet, viola, Yedeon’s violet, Yedo violet Herba Violae

Ye Ju Hua 野菊花 wild chrysanthemum flower Flos Chrysanthemi Indici

Pu Gong Ying 蒲公英 dandelion, taraxacum Herba Taraxaci Mongolicae cum Radice

• These herbs are all cooling and detoxifying. They’re all known to stimulate the immune response in the body to promote a healthy response to any problems due to the needle pricks.

Jie Geng 桔梗 balloon flower root, platycodon root Radix Platycodi Grandifolii

• Jie Geng is commonly used as a “guiding herb”. This means that when you use herbs that affect the entire body, but you’re really only aiming for the skin, you can add herbs such as Jie Geng to guide the potency of this formula directly to the skin. Is that cool or what?

Si Gua Luo 絲瓜絡 loofah, luffa, dried skeleton of vegetable sponge Luffae Fructus Retinervus

• This is natural sponge – and you thought the locust skin was weird! This particular herb is said to stimulate the circulation of blood in the skin. That’s what it is doing here too, when there is injury to the skin (thanks to the numerous needle pricks), the outcome can be compromised blood flow in the immediate area. This herb helps support that superficial blood flow. Blood is what carries all the yummy goodness of the rest of this formula to where it needs to go. So, think of this herb as a taxi that takes the cooling herbs to the skin. (The guiding jie geng would be the taxi’s GPS system, to extend this analogy.)

• DOSAGE:
  Eagle Herbs is now supplying a 2 gram “little spoon”. (Please wash and dry before using.)
  An “average dose” is 10 grams per day of the granules. This means 5 “little spoons” or 20 capsules each day. Each capsule is 1/2 gram. 
  A Big Dosage for Short-lived but intense issues: 3 little spoons (12 capsules) twice a day.
  A Smaller Dosage for Lingering low-grade concerns: 2 little spoons (8 capsules) twice a day. 
  If you are very sensitive to medicines: start out low (1/2 little spoon or 2 capsules) once per day, and raise the dosage each day.
  We find that people find the right dosage for themselves. We don’t know your body weight, your sensitivity etc… So take what feels good for you and you get the results you are looking for. Many people get great results with taking less.