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5 from 6 votes

Herbal Healing Salve Recipe

A therapeutic healing salve made with homemade extracts of calendula, plantain, and comfrey. Makes approximately three 300ml (10.14 fl. oz.) of product that you can pour into tins or pots. Once cooled and solidified, you can use it on your hands and body to condition and heal the skin.
Keyword calendula recipe, comfrey, plantain, skin care recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 3 100ml (3.38 oz) pots
Author Tanya Anderson
Cost $10

Equipment

Ingredients

For Making the Infused Oils

Herbal Healing Salve Recipe

  • 225 g herb-infused sweet almond oil 1 cup
  • 28 g beeswax 1 oz

Instructions

Make the Infused oils

  • There are two ways to make the infused oil for this recipe: as individual infused oil for each of the herbs or a compound oil using all the herbs together in a single jar. It's up to you, but making a compound oil is easier. If you want to make excess calendula oil, comfrey oil, and plantain oil for other recipes, then make them individually. The instructions below are for a compound oil.
  • Begin making the infused oil at least four weeks before making the salve. If you're using homegrown herbs, ensure that they were harvested at their peak and are now fully dried out. Any moisture in the herbs can impact the shelf-life of your salve.
  • Loosely fill a pint-sized jar half-full with dried calendula flowers, plantain leaves, and comfrey leaves. Use equal amounts of each herb.
  • Pour sweet almond oil over the herbs and up to a quarter-inch from the top of the jar. Seal it, shake it, and place it in a warm place out of direct sunlight. If you'd like to put the jar on a window sill, ensure it's in a paper bag to protect the oil from UV light. Light causes rancidity in oil, spoiling it.
  • Give the jar a shake daily, and after three to six weeks, strain the oil from the plant material using cheesecloth draped over a sieve. Discard the plant material and pour the oil into a new clean jar.
  • You will likely have more infused oil than you'll need for this recipe, but it has a shelf-life of one year or the best-by date of the oil you used. Whichever is soonest. Store in a dim place at room temperature.

Make the Herbal Healing Salve

  • Fill the larger of your pans with water and bring to a boil.
  • Measure the beeswax in the smaller pan and float it inside the pan of boiling water. This evenly distributes the heat and is important since beeswax should never be melted over direct heat.
  • When the beeswax is melted, pour in the herb-infused oil. Stir with the spatula until the oils are just melted. Take the pan off the hot water and set it on a cloth or potholder.
  • Pour the balm into tins or containers* and allow to cool. It will take around four hours to come to room temperature. During this time, don't cover the containers as it can cause condensation on the inner part of the lid. Put lids on after the balms are completely cooled and firmed up.
  • You can use the salve immediately. As for shelf-life, it can be up to one year or the closest best-by date of the ingredients you used. Check for these on the back of all your bottles and remember that fresh oil is always best when cooking or making beauty products.

Notes

* It's better to use a few smaller containers than one large jar. Why? Ease of use, reduction in dirt and potential contaminants over a period of time, and weird oil hardening. If you pour this entire batch in a large jar you'll probably find that it doesn't solidify with a smooth surface. There will likely be a big pit in the middle. It doesn't affect the product, but it doesn't look great either.