How To Make Herbal Salves

An herbal salve is a mixture of natural oils, waxes and herbs melted together and then cooled to a thicker consistency. Salves can be used for a number of remedies, from chapped lips to small wounds, dry skin and healing purposes. There are many varieties of herbal salves and as many variations as your creative mind can muster. Salves are easy to make but do take patience and several ingredients. Be sure to label your salves properly in order to avoid allergic to reactions some may have to certain herbs.

The first step in creating an herbal salve is to gather your ingredients. All of the ingredients will be all natural, some of which have organic options from which you can choose. The two main ingredients every salve needs are oil and beeswax. The oil can be anything from olive oil to coconut oil or sweet almond oil. You will also need either shea butter or cocoa butter. Now gather your dried herbs and essential oils extracted from plants. Use cheesecloth to create tea bags for your herbs. The herbs and essential oils you will choose for your salve really depend on your needs. This how-to will walk you through a simple healing balm which can be used as an all-purpose herbal salve.

Begin by heating two cups of extra virgin olive oil in a small crock pot. Immediately after pouring oil, infuse a bag of calendula herb, which contains anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. After ten minutes or so you'll want to add in a teaspoon of comfrey root extract, which helps heal tissue and close wounds. Next, add in 10-20 drops of peppermint oil for relaxation and a refreshing, tingly sensation. You'll also add 5 drops of plantain for its antifungal properties and 5 drops of rosemary oil for the aroma and a vast array of healing properties.

Before adding in the beeswax and cocoa butter, be sure each is finely chopped so that they will melt easier. These will make your salve soft and easy to apply to the skin.  Add in two cups of each. It takes around 30 minutes for the beeswax and cocoa butter to completely melt. When they've melted, remove the calendula bag and wait for the oil to slightly cool. You can then filter out the comfrey root through a cheesecloth. From here you can pour the mixture into small containers and can use them at your discretion. Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the herbal salve to cool before using.