Make Your Own Salve

By The Petite Plantation - February 24, 2018

My salve making ability has come a long way and I have a lighter, more moisturizing recipe to share with an easier, less-mess method! This recipe can be adapted to include which ever essential oils you wanted or even using infused oils with calendula, plantain or goldenrod, which ever you fancy!

Salves have been created by homesteaders and herbalists for hundreds of years to help heal various skin and muscle issues such as infection, spasms, cuts, abrasions, and rashes. And although we could simply run to the drug mart to pick up a modern cream, I prefer the romance of making it myself because I know exactly what goes in it and what I leave out, like preservatives, fragrances, and other chemicals or toxins I just don't need absorbed into my body through the skin.

Add 10 drops of each for a salve good for all SKIN THINGS!

What's in this DIY Salve:

ORGANIC COCONUT OIL is becoming a household staple because of it's versatility from cooking to skin care. It is perfect for homemade salves because it is moisturizing and contains lauric acid which acts as an antibacterial agent. It also helps to slow the evaporation of the essential oils so they are able sit topically on your skin longer.

SHEA NUT BUTTER is high in Vitamin E and A, has anti-inflammatory properties and is high in fats to thoroughly moisturizer the skin and maintain a healthy Hydro Lipid Barrier.

LOCAL BEESWAX helps keep your salves stable and from becoming a liquid in warmer temperatures. Ok, so it doesn't have to be local but you should definitely support your local bees and beekeepers!

CPTG ESSENTIAL OILS are of the highest quality out there and are free of preservatives, fillers and additives. They can have many different benefits to your body and skin so choose which will work best for the salve you are creating. A common concoction has Lavender, Frankincense and Tea Tree to help relieve a variety of skin irritations.

How I make a salve:

Usually when making salves you require a double boiler or a make shift double boiler that involves a pot with water and another heat safe container inside but when using beeswax, the salve becomes stubborn to clean off. I came up with a new solution for the mess and it works wonderfully.

Add 10 drops of each for a MUSCLE RUB!

After shredding of grating my beeswax block, I place all the ingredients in a canning jar where the salve will stay! Genius, right! I thought so! I use a canning rim on the bottom of the pot and out just enough water to warm the outside of the salve jar. I place my full jar of salve ingredients on top so the jar doesn't crack from direct heat and melt is over medium heat. I make sure the water doesn't boil and shake the jars but essentially, I can set up and do other things in the kitchen!

Rims prevent the jars from breaking from direct heat.

Once all the beeswax has melted I use a jar lifter from my canning supplies and place it on the counter. I let it cool for 5 minutes before adding my essential oils because the heat could ruin those volatile compounds that make them FANTASTIC!

I stirred my salve occasionally with a metal chopstick.

All Purpose Salve Recipe

1/3 cup of Organic Coconut Oil

1 tablespoon of Beeswax Pellets

1 tablespoon of Shea Nut Butter

30 drops of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, you can get them here.

Skin Thing Salve

10 drops Lavender

10 drops Frankincense

10 drops Tea Tree

Achy Muscle Salve

10 drops of Wintergreen

10 drops of Lemongrass

10 drops of Peppermint

Sleepy Time Salve

10 drops of Cedarwood

10 drops of Lavender

10 drops of Frankincense

To super charge your salve, infuse herbs in your coconut oil by steeping them. You could use Calendula, Lavender, Plantain, or Goldenrod among many others!