How to Make a Gentle Healing Salve

Remember when I made my plantain infused oil (and dandelion infused oil, calendula infused oil, and comfrey infused oil) in the spring, and I promised to come back in fall/winter with some awesome DIY projects for you to make with your new oils? Well, I did not forget that promise. 

Partly because I’m looking at these beautiful jars of super amazing infused oils and I just HAVE to use them in somehow. 😉

The problem was that I didn’t know which type of DIY project to make first. Talk about being overwhelmed. Do I make a beauty cream? Some homemade lotion? A neosporin-type all purpose salve? Ahh…I want to make them all, but there is so little free time these days. 

Fortunately, my beautiful cousin (and friend!) is pregnant and due to have her baby any minute now. I am determined to put together a lovely basket of healthy supplies (both homemade and bought) to help her out during those first weeks of new baby-hood. These are supplies to help her heal her body, spoil herself, and also take care of both her and her baby’s needs. One of the items is my homemade Gentle Healing Salve.

So I’m writing today with my recipe for How to Make a Gentle Healing Salve. 

Let’s talk about the ingredients:

Shea Butter: Shea Butter (I use this one) is loaded with vitamins A and E, which strengthens your skin, boosts collagen levels, and repairs old skin damage. It also contains fatty acids, which improves skin moisture retention and elasticity. This is the perfect skincare butter to use for a gentle healing salve. It will help with scars, skin damage, and elasticity and it’s incredibly gentle, even for acne-prone skin. If you want to use a different skincare butter, check out my information on Skincare Butters.

Plantain Infused Oil: I added Plantain Infused Oil because it’s anti-inflammatory, helps improve inflamed/irritated skin, and soothes skin. You can read more about it and learn how to make your own plantain infused oil here. I’ve given instructions for both the slow method of making infused oils and the quick method.

Calendula Infused Oil: Calendula is a gentle skin healer, gentle enough even for babies. I’ve written more about calendula here, and someday I’ll finally remember to take photos of my calendula infused oils and then I’ll write about it, since I’ve been making calendula oil for a few years now. Basically, calendula is rich in compounds that nourish, hydrate, and support skin healing. 

Lavender Essential Oil: this essential oil is gentle enough for babies and is wonderful for your skin. Bonus: it’s also an essential oil that is known to support relaxation, so you can use this salve on both mother and baby and find some relaxing benefits with it.  Grow your own lavender with these seeds.

Rosehip Oil: I haven’t made a post on carrier oils yet, but here’s a great one to learn more about carrier oils. Rosehip oil (like this) is known for improving skin elasticity, softening and smoothing your skin, calming inflammation, and reducing scarring.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E (like this) is used to prevent rancidity in cosmetics, and it acts as an anti-oxidant in creams, lotions, baby products, cosmetics and more.

Beeswax: I use the beeswax pellets (like this) for more accurate measuring. Beeswax helps make the salve a more solid texture.

Gentle Healing Salve Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Shea Butter (like this)
• 1/4 cup Plantain Infused Oil (my recipe)
• 1/4 cup Calendula Infused Oil (or double up on the Plantain Infused Oil)
• 2 tbsp. Beeswax pellets (like these)
• 20 drops of Lavender Essential Oil (I use this one)
• 1 tbsp. Rosehip Oil (like this)
• 1 tsp. Vitamin E (like this)

Directions:

1. In a double boiler (I just use a glass measuring cup (like this) in a sauce pan), heat up 1/2 cup Shea Butter, 1/4 cup Plantain Infused Oil, 1/4 cup Calendula Infused Oil, and 2 tbsp. Beeswax pellets. Stir constantly, until the beeswax has completely melted and the liquid is clear (aka no little chunks of beeswax left).
2. Remove from the stovetop and place on a heating pad. Wait 30 seconds or so for the mixture to slightly cool (you don’t want it getting hard but you also don’t want it boiling anymore because boiling heat can harm the benefits of the rest of the ingredients).
3. Add 20 drops of Lavender Essential Oil, 1 tbsp. Rosehip Oil, and 1 tsp. Vitamin E. Stir it all together until well blended.
4. Immediately place the liquid into your preferred glass jars (I used these). Cool completely, then cap and label.
5. This recipe made 2 half-pint glass jars of Gentle Healing Salve.

Notes:

• Don’t want to use Shea Butter? Here’s a list of other great skincare butters.
• Don’t want to use/make infused oils? Don’t want to use Rosehip Oil? Here’s a list of other carrier oils.

How to Use Your Gentle Healing Salve:

This is just a few ideas of how to use this Gentle Healing Salve. I specifically made this gentle healing salve so that my cousin could use it on both herself and her newborn baby. However, I kept a jar for myself as well, and I’ve included some ways that I plan to use it, too:

• Stretch Marks and Scars
• Cracked/Sore Nipples
• Diaper Rash and Baby Bottom Balm
• Relaxation and/or massages (for both baby and mama!)
• Skin irritations (eczema, rashes, etc.)
• Face Moisturizer
• Skin Moisturizer
• Cracked skin
• Bug Bites
• Sunburn

Addicted to making your own natural remedies?

**Learn how to make Sore Muscle Salve

**Learn how to make your own Lip Balm

**Learn how to make your own Headache Salve

**For more inspiration, check out the book: Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, by Rosemary Gladstar

**For more inspiration, check out the book: Do-It-Yourself Herbal Medicine

**For more inspiration, check out the book: 101 Easy Homemade Products for your Skin, Health, and Home, by Jan Berry

Note: Due to the current atmosphere of fear and paranoia, let me repeat a common phrase: “I am not a doctor. Please learn about these ingredients on your own before making it….” Make sure to try it out on a small patch of skin to see if you and/or your baby have any skin reactions. Then Read. Learn. Continue on your incredible path towards self-sufficient natural living. Repeat. Enjoy life.