A salve is an essential part of every Herbal First Aid Chest. The oily medium is good for carrying the fat-soluble properties of the herbs deep into the skin and surrounding tissues.
What is a herbal salve used for?
For abrasions, bruises, strains, dry skin, chest rub and lip balm.
To see if the salve will set to the right consistency and has enough beeswax in, take a teaspoon of the hot oil, place it on a saucer and put it in the fridge. If it sets after a few minutes then you are ready. If not, add a little more beeswax.
Place beeswax in a double boiler and gently warm over low heat until the beeswax melts. Add herbal oils and stir over low heat until well-mixed. Remove from heat and add the essential oil(s). Quickly pour warm mixture into prepared tins, glass jars, or lip balm tubes and allow to cool completely.
Place beeswax in a double boiler and gently warm over low heat until the beeswax melts. Add herbal oils and stir over low heat until well-mixed. Remove from heat and add the essential oil(s). Quickly pour warm mixture into prepared tins, glass jars, or lip balm tubes and allow to cool completely.
Add the dried plants of your choice to a mason jar with the oil. Infuse the plants with your method of choice: Sunlight (long) infusion: add dried plants to a sterilized mason jar filled with oil and let it infuse in a warm location/in sunlight for at least 1 to 2 weeks. The longer the better.
The first step to homemade herbal salves is to make your herb infused oil. It's best to use dried herbs rather than fresh, since the lack of moisture helps keep the salve from spoiling. If you only have fresh herbs, allow them to wilt on a paper towel for a few hours prior to using to remove excess moisture.
Salves are solid combinations of oils and a wax such as beeswax or soy wax. Creams and lotions, as you're likely familiar with, vary from thicker to more light in texture, and combine oils with water to create a hydrating topical treatment.
It's easy to adjust the consistency of a salve by adding a bit more oil to make it more spreadable or more beeswax to thicken or harden it. Homemade salves without any preservative agents will last about 6 to 8 months at room temperature out of direct heat and sunlight.Refrigerated, they'll keep for a year or more.
To make: Combine about 1/3 cup crumbled dried self heal with about 3/4 cup oil of your choice (olive or sunflower works well for salves). Leave uncovered and set the jar in a saucepan with a few inches of water; heat over medium low for 2 to 3 hours.
Plain, high-quality carrier oils like sweet almond, olive or jojoba oil will nourish and moisturize skin on their own. However, you could also infuse dried herbs in oil before making salve to combine the healing and therapeutic benefits of both!
Salves tend to be more oily and thinner in consistency, while balms are more thick and waxy. Salves can be better for moisturizing dry skin or treating specific conditions, while balms are better at sealing in moisture and creating a barrier against environmental irritants for general skincare.
Add the tea tree oil, vitamin E oil, lavender oil, and lemon oil, stirring with a wooden spoon. After the oils are thoroughly mixed, pour into a small sterilized container, and let it cool until solid. Add a lid and label it with the contents and the date!
Salves are generally made of organic beeswax and infused herbal oils with essential oils to make a semi-solid ointment. You can use base oils such as organic coconut, olive, sesame, sunflower and sweet almond oil and also consider fats like cocoa or shea butter too.
Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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