1 cup oil (I prefer a 50/50 split between herb-infused olive oil and sweet almond oil)
1/4 cup beeswax
Essential oils (optional, usually around 50 drops if included)
Use a slow cooker (or double boiler) to heat the oils to around 100-140F. Add the beeswax, let melt. Stir to incorporate. Add essential oils, then take the mixture off the heat and pour into the container(s) of your choice. Let cool. That’s it!
Notes for the basic salve:
- Oil extract or oil base (depending on whether using herbs or essential oils)
- Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc. The less refined the better.
- Wax
- Beeswax most common
- Carnauba wax (hard wax found in buffing waxes for cars)
- Emulsifying wax (derived from cetostearyl alcohol, mixes oil and water together for something more like a pump lotion)
- They are produced by bacteria, plants and animals for purposes of buoyancy, as source of metabolic water and energy, biosonar lenses (marine mammals) and for thermal insulation in the form of waxes (in plants and insects)
- Paraffin wax (derived from petroleum, used in hand waxes and tea light candles and is generally not advised to use for salves due to some carcinogenic ingredients.)
- Candelilla wax (used during demonstration, harder plant-derived wax from the leaves of the candelilla shrub)
- Herbs
- Calendula, comfrey, plantain, red clover (pain and wound salve).
Calendula: Has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties; is a natural disinfectant. Also soothes skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and can speed the healing of wounds.
Comfrey: Is a deep tissue healer; can soothe damaged muscles and bone trauma. Contains allantoin, which is a substance that assists in the regeneration of skin cells. Speeds up healing of bruises and scrapes.
Red clover: Increases circulation, reduces inflammation when applied topically. It contains phytoestrogens, so it may have some use in reducing menstrual cramps or alleviating some symptoms of menopause.
Plantain: Antimicrobial, antiseptic, and analgesic (slightly numbing). Reduces inflammation and irritation from cuts and scrapes, and can also neutralize common insect bites.
- Herbal oil extracts can be prepared over the course of 6 weeks or within 6 hours via crockpot method (crockpot method can be less effective but more time efficient, and special care must be taken not to burn the herbs – keep a candy thermometer on hand and monitor to make sure it stays between 100-140F).
- Essential oil salves vs herbal salves:
- Essential oil salves have stronger scents that can act on smell receptors (ever smell something that brings back a memory?) and encourage the nervous system to respond in a certain way, topically has a milder effect as much of the volatile compounds evaporate upon application.
- Herbal salves have constituents that are highly fat-soluble and permeable through the skin; they enact healing on a physiological level first and may not smell as pleasant.
- Combination salves (i.e. diaper rash cream or eczema lotion)
- Essential oils added to the end product of an oil extraction (for instance, calendula/comfrey + lavender and eucalyptus creates the perfect combination for a rash ointment, and eucalyptus leaves in an extract with added ravensara and camphor oil creates something much like Vicks VapoRub for adults).
- Preservatives
- Vitamin E oil or rosemary extract – will not last forever but it can last up to a year or two at room temperature when stored correctly.
Tips and Tricks
a) When filling small containers such as lip balm, use a disposable plastic medicine syringe (like the ones you get with infant medicine) to avoid spillage.
b) If you aren’t sure if the consistency of your salve is too soft and oily or too hard and waxy, simply dip a spoon into the warm mix and then stick it in the refrigerator for about a minute. It should firm up to approximately the consistency it will have when completely cooled, and you can adjust oil/wax ratio as needed.
c) To make a homemade sunscreen, soften up the healing salve with a little more coconut oil, then add non-nano zinc oxide.
d) To make homemade Halloween makeup, soften up the healing salve with coconut oil, add arrowroot powder until you get the right consistency (spoon in the fridge trick). Then add either beetroot powder for magenta, turmeric for yellow, powdered chlorophyll for green, etc.)
e) To make homemade antiseptic ointment (such as Neosporin), add far less wax so it has more of a gel consistency. Use herbs such as plantain and calendula in the herbal infusion, then add tea tree oil for its antimicrobial/antiviral properties, and perhaps skin-healing essential oil such as frankincense, lavender, or vetiver.
f) To make a homemade baby bum balm, add lavender and eucalyptus to the basic healing salve.
g) To make a skin-conditioning salve, calendula and comfrey oil are favorable. Frankincense oil will boost the effects, and sandalwood powder is incredibly nourishing for the skin cells (and may help combat acne and eczema).
h) To make a body butter, melt plant butters such as cocoa butter or shea butter in the Crock Pot instead of the thinner oils. Add a small amount of the herbal oil of choice to the melted butters, and you don’t need to add wax. Just add some essential oils, let it cool completely, then whip it up with a hand mixer until it forms stiff peaks (like meringue). Keep in a cool location, as high temperatures may cause the oils to separate.
Essential Oils Infosheet
Essential Oils Infosheet.pdf [2.37MB]
