Cocoa Mint Cracked Heel Balm
Natural herbal cracked heel balm recipe from the book, Healing Herbal Infusions by Colleen Codekas. Made with herbal infused liquid oils with melted cocoa butter, beeswax, and stimulating peppermint essential oil. Apply as often as needed to soften dry feet and repair cracked heels.
The recipe creates about 6 ounces (180 ml) of balm. This makes two decent sized pots but feel free to double or triple the recipe to make more at a time.
The recipe creates about 6 ounces (180 ml) of balm. This makes two decent sized pots but feel free to double or triple the recipe to make more at a time.
Servings 2 pots
Cost $15
Equipment
- clean, dry, and sterilized containers (tins or glass jars)
Ingredients
For the Infused Oil
- ¼ cup dried calendula flowers 5 g
- 2 Tbsp dried marshmallow (Althea officinalis) root 5 g
- 2 Tbsp dried peppermint leaves 5 g
- ¼ cup coconut oil (refined) 60 ml
- ¼ cup olive oil (light colored or pomace) 60 ml
- ¼ cup sweet almond oil 60 ml
- 1 Tbsp castor oil 15 ml
For the Balm
- ½ cup infused oil 120 ml
- ½ oz beeswax 14 g
- 1 oz cocoa butter 28 g
- 8 drops peppermint (mentha piperita) essential oil Optional
Instructions
- Combine the calendula, marshmallow root and peppermint with the coconut, olive, sweet almond and castor oils in a half-pint (236-ml) jar. Cover the jar with a lid and shake to mix well. Put the jar in a cool, dark place to infuse for 4 to 6 weeks.
- When you are ready to make the balm, strain the herbs from the oil using a fine-mesh sieve. If the coconut oil has solidified in the oil infusion, gently heat it by setting the jar in a pan of
warm water to melt the oil before straining. - Measure out 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of the infused oil, saving any excess oil for later use if you wish. Put the oil into a double boiler on medium heat. You can create an easy double boiler by floating one pan inside another pan filled with water. Add the beeswax to the oil and continue to heat until it has completely melted.
- Next, add the cocoa butter, and when it has melted, remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in the peppermint essential oil. Carefully pour the mixture into jars or tins. Let the balm cool and set up for 3 to 4 hours before use.
- Apply as often as needed to soften dry feet and repair cracked heels. This foot balm is safe to use on children ages 1 year and older following a patch test. Omit the peppermint essential oil for those under age 13.