Earlier this week I shared with you a few of my favorite herbs for the Spring. Today I want to give you a recipe so we can all put those herbs into action…and build our herbal medicine chests for the coming season! This Herbal Miracle Salve is a must have for my house Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
It’s packed full of antimicrobial, antiviral, antibiotic, and anti-fungal goodness and I created it out of my desire to treat a broad-spectrum of skin ailments. Based on the properties of the oils and herbs used in this balm, it has the power to heal:
-eczema
-psoriasis
-topical thrush
-inflammation
-itching
-slow-healing wounds
-cuts, scraps, and bruises
-bug bites and stings
-burns
-rashes
Now if that doesn’t sound like a Spring and Summer must-have, I don’t know what is 🙂
Properties of the Herbs
Making this salve requires the infusion of a few herbs into good-quality olive oil.
- Calendula This is one of the best herbs to use when attempting to treat ailments of the skin – such as cuts, burns, inflammation, bruises, minor open wounds, scrapes. Phytochemicals that are present in this flower work hard against bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
- Plantain Plantain is an awesome plant and it’s actually a common weed that grows nearly everywhere. It has incredible medicinal properties and can heal a variety of different skin issues such as: eczema, psoriasis, bee stings, insect bites, poison ivy. Learn to identify this plant in the yard and you’ll never have to buy it!
- St. John’s Wort The “feel good” herb is often known for it’s use in treating mild depression; however, when St. John’s wort is used externally it is wonderful in homemade salves for the treatment of bruises, wounds, and especially good for treating sunburn.
- Oregon Grape Root I love Oregon grape root! It’s broad-spectrum healing properties – anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antibiotic, and anti-viral — make it the perfect addition to this salve.
Herbal Miracle Salve: The Recipe
Ingredients
*Use organic ingredients whenever possible. I have linked to the products I use as an example.
-1 1/4 cup organic olive oil (this is the only olive oil I use in my remedies)
-0.3 ounces dried calendula flowers
-0.3 ounces dried plantain
-0.2 ounces dried St. John’s wort
-0.2 ounces dried Oregon grape root
-1-2 ounces beeswax
Essential Oils, Optional
I love using essential oils that hold broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Generally I add to this salve essential oils of lavender, lemon, tea tree, clove, cinnamon, and/or thyme. I add them at a concentration of 5-10% the total salve. (I highly recommend the organic essential oils from Mountain Rose Herbs…check out their extensive selection of oils here.)
Method
1. Weight the dried herbs using a kitchen scale.
2. Prepare the oil infusion. You can do this one of three ways:
- Cold Infusion. In a glass mason jar, cover the weighed herbs with 1 ¼ cup of oil. Stir to combine, and allow oil and herb mixture to steep for 4-6 weeks.
- Hot Oil Extract. In a glass mason jar, cover the herbs with 1 ¼ cup of oil. Stir to combine. Place the glass jar in a pot on the stove, or in a crock pot, filled with a few inches of water on lowest setting (Be sure to put a towel on the bottom of the pot.). Infuse the oil and herbs for 4-8 hours, a day, or up to 3 days. Note: Watch the pot and add water as it evaporates.
- Alternatively. According to Rosemary Gladstar, you may also do it this way; “Place the herbs and the oil in a double boiler and bring to a low simmer. Slowly heat for 30 to 60 minutes, checking frequently to be sure the oil is not overheating.”
3. Strain the oil and herb infusion through a cheesecloth. Squeezing to extract as much oil as possible. Be sure you collect at least 1 cup of herb infused oil.
4. In a saucepan, over very low heat, melt 1-2 ounces (depending on how hard you’d like your salve) of beeswax. I suggest starting with the lesser amount of wax and adding more if needed. Note: To check if the mixture is the right consistency, because the salve hardens as it cools, Rosemary Gladstar again suggests placing a “tablespoon of the mixture in the freezer for just a minute or two. If it’s soft, add more beeswax; if too hard, add more oil.”
5. When the consistency is to your liking, remove saucepan from heat.
6. Once cooled slightly, add essential oils if using.
7. Pour the salve into your containers of choice (These are my favorite salve tins).
Notes
For the herbs that I can’t grow myself, I love to purchase them in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs or a local health food store. Mountain Rose Herbs is also my go to for medicinal-grade essential oils!
-Please watch my salve-making video tutorial for additional help in learning how to make medicinal salves.
-I generally do not add preservatives. Without the natural preservatives, your salve should be shelf stable up to 5 years.
-Click here to purchase beeswax or search for it locally here.
WHY HERBS?
+Because they work gently and effectively.
+Because you can grow many yourselves, right outside your front door or even in your kitchen.
+Because it’s our birthright to use the gifts of nature with respect and wisdom.
+Because up until relatively recently, at least in the western world, herbs were an integral part of taking care of ourselves.
Health doesn’t come from plastic bottles. Vitality grows naturally from the way you live your life. Deep down, people already know this.
If you want to learn more about herbs as medicine and as food, and if you’re just too busy to enroll in an in-person program, join the Herbal Academy of New England for a comprehensive and convenient online herbal course you can complete anywhere and anytime!
Learn what your great ancestors knew about the natural world and begin to build your own apothecary.
Start classes anytime! Click this link to learn more and register.
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Do you have any recommendations for people who might not be able to get all the North American herbs? We live in central Europe, and sometimes it is hard to get a hold of some of the less common ones…
Hi Kara, I could bring some 🙂
… because we’ll most likely move to Sweden this summer (temporarily).
Lucky you! Thank you for thinking of me, though I’m not sure bring plant material over is legal. (Don’t quote me on that though). I was just wondering if there might be a more local equivalent that anyone knew about. Good luck with the international move. We’ve done them several times, and they are always both stressful and worth it.
calendula is just marigold flowers, check for that otherwise im sure there are some good sites that will ship to youre area
Hello Kara,
I am in the UK and I use a company called Baldwins. I will give you the link below. I have been able to find most of the items… and others I order online and have sent to me from the states.
here is the link
http://www.baldwins.co.uk/aromatherapy
best of luck
Alex
I would love to make this for a dear friend with a 1 year old son with a terrible, all over his body, rash. I think it would feel wonderful on his tortured skin….
With two kids, it would be great to have this salve on hand for all the scrapes and scratches they manage to get.
I would love to have this kit because I want to get away from using neosporin (sp) for the scrapes that we will get in the summer.
I too have a little one at home and skinned knee season will be here in a few months and this salve would be great to have around. Thanks.
This would be such a great item for our family to have – during this time of year, we are outside with neighbors, cousins are coming over and we tend to travel. Something so easily to take with us (or grab) that is all-natural (knowing it would be good for whomever is around and in need) would be fantastic!!
I don’t have a website to use the Rafflecopter widget, but thanks anyway. I want to make this salve for me, if I can find the herbs, I have torn the skin off my arms and hands, I have an itch that comes and goes, dr’s have prescribed many ointments but they don’t work. I sleep with gloves on so I won’t dig at my arms while I sleep. This comes and goes, nothing helps really, so would love to try this. Thanks for the opportunity
I’m just now gathering the courage and knowledge to try some natural remedies. This seems like a great recipe for a beginner to start with!
I’d love to have this kit for my daughter, who suffers severe eczema. We have tried tube after tube of prescription creams (I’ve got 5 different tubes in my medicine chest!) and none of them seem to work very well. I’m getting desperate to find something to help her (She’s always itchy!) I would really love to try this, and I would feel much better about using this because it is natural and doesn’t contain steroids like the prescription creams.
Have you checked to see if she has a gluten allergy?
I agree…when I eat gluten…i have a fine raised itchy red rash on my elbows and forearms. When I stay 100% away the rash goes away!!
Thank you for sharing! I keep thinking, people have been doing this for hundreds of years using herbs for medicinal purposes, why can’t we?!
LOVE your blog! This is awesome. Thanks so much for all your posts. Lana in MI
This would be an awesome addition to the kit I am putting together. Our Ladies Homestead Group is doing a herbal first aid swap this month! I am making Feverfew capsules for headaches. Trying to click on the widgit to enter and it brings me to their main site to register,is that correct? Thanks!
Ahh figured it out. 🙂
I’ve used the first two in balms but never the last two and never heard of the Oregon grape Root. Thanks for the info and the giveaway.
I’d love to win this kit! I need to make some of this salve…been on my to-do list to make something like this for a LONG time! I just never made the time to buy the ingredients. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to have this for my boyfriend who is always hurting himself!
This would be so useful at our house!
Thanks so much for the recipe! LOVE your blog!! This sounds perfect for my baby and preschooler. Spring is right around the corner and this is exactly what we need.
this looks great!! I have a 2 year old. Defiantly on the “to make” list
I would love to win the kit! I’ve been wanting to start making your salves and stuff but it seems a little expensive to make the plunge 🙂
We’re moving in May and I don’t want to bring many non-herbal products to the new house, this would give me something to put in my cabinets straight away!
I would love to have this around as I’ll be working with a farming group this summer, as well as foraging a lot of my own stuff, so I’ll probably have a lot of bumps and scrapes to use it on!
Love to have the kit.. esp nice to have the work done for you the first time :_)
I made the lip balm & love it , except I think I made it a bit too hard.. will have to remelt & add a drop more oil.
very informative blog.. enjoy it so much.
lisa
I would love to win one of these kits! We are trying to move to all organic/natural in our lives and this would be a great help! Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!
I am in the process of converting all my medicines and household cleaners to be non toxic, this would great to have and learn how to make!
Good luck everyone 🙂
This kit sounds awesome. I’ve wanted to make a salve like this for a while, just haven’t taken the plunge to buy all the necessary herbs & beeswax.
I am SO allergic to poison oak,ivy, etc. This sounds like something I need to try! I hate to use weed killers but if I touch it at all I’ve got it for weeks! I’ve even gotten it when my husband is the one dealing with it and I don’t go anywhere near him till after he has a shower, and his clothes were washed by him!
i’d love to get into using more herbs.
I would love to win one of these kits. It is my mission this year to make more things that we use instead of buying them. I am certainly going to try this recipe and grow as many of the herbs as I can myself. Thank you.
I’m trying to make the switch to natural remedies but it is a little overwhelming. A kit would make my first project so much easier. Thanks for the giveaway!
I think learning about herbal remedies is very important and this kit would help me do that. I would love to win a kit. Blessings!
I would love to have this because it sounds awesome. I have been using more natural cleaners, shampoos, toothpaste etc the past year. I have saved a lot of money and got rid of a lot of toxins.
I don’t have the patience to do the recipe, so would love to win it!!! lol
What a great post! Thanks for sharing!
I already make a salve but would like to try yours. I am really big on “try before you buy”. I like to know what it is supposed to look and feel like or if I’m even going to like it before I invest in the ingredients.
Just wondering if you’ve ever used coconut or grapeseed oils in your salves. Thanks!
I have a small container of this currently (a friend gave me some). I use it for diaper ointment. It works so much nicer that store bought diaper cream. It goes on so smooth and wipes off the hands easy. 🙂
I would love to win this kit to add to my growing supply of home made remedies! I have not yet worked with herbal infusions and this would be a great kit to learn from. You have a wonderful blog I enjoy experimenting with your recipes!!
I would love this kit for my sensitive skin family!
Ann
Trying to convert my family from convential medicine to a more natural lifestyle. Thank you for all the tips and would love to have this kit.
This looks amazing! I’m always interested in trying something home made. My son has Eczema all over his legs and it gets pretty bad around this time of year. He uses a thick lotion but he hates it. I’d love to see if he’d like this!
That looks like a definite spring try! I’ll have to see if I can find the herbs anywhere…..Although if I won one of the kits, that would work too! Thanks for doing such a neat give-away!
my friend gave me some awhile ago and it is amazing! glad i stumbled across the recipe!
This is such a great idea…but a bit intimidating for this beginner! But I’m sure it will be well worth it!
Thanks for the giveaway! With four kids in the country, we’re always needing salves. This would be great!
I really think this kit would help my 4 year old daughter. We are struggling with controlling her eczema with traditional cream and prescription medicines.
I am working on building our natural medicine chest…this would be perfect!
I’m so stoked about finding your website! The miracle salve looks awesome, and I’m especially excited about to learn about the Oregon grape root. Thanks for sharing such valuable information and for the chance to win your kit!
I’m turning my home into the “Joi makes everything to save us money” project. I love herbs and oils and all thing that heal. I’m constantly looking for things to make that heal my family and the people I love most. I’d love to make this for my god daughter who has eczema. I don’t have lots of money. But I can at least give her some relief from it.
I would love to win this kit because I have three very active kids who are always getting bumps, scrapes, and booboos. Lol
As I move further along with our frugality and preparedness, this would add so much. Also, as someone who tries to use the most natural products for my family, it would be wonderful to make these items rather than scrimping to buy them.
I’d love to eliminate my petroleum-based salves and have one natural, all-purpose salve to have on hand. Thanks for the great information!
I’m so glad to have found this! I’ve always grown herbs, and wanted to stock my own medicine cabinet from my garden, but didn’t know how. This will be a great starter recipe! And the kit would be excellent practice while I’m waiting for the herb garden to put out it’s spring growth 😉
I would love to win this kit. I have a son whose eczema we just can’t get a handle on. I had to break down and use unnatural stuff again this week because he was to bad. I hate doing that and really have been trying other natural products. I would love to give this a try.
I’d love to try this kit. I’m new to the world of herbal medicine! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I think it would be great fro when the kids are under the weather, and I like to make things myself.
With a accident prone family it only makes sense to have this salve
Would love to win this Herbal Salve kit. This would be so good to have on hand with summer coming up. ou know, bug bites, bee stings, scrapes etc.
I would love to try my hand at making this salve!
3 boys + Summer activities = need for this salve!
Our family is trying to reduce the ammount that we rely on commersially available remidies and this is right up my ally. I am pinning it to make later, but if I could have all the supplies that would be a bonus! 🙂 Love your blog and all your wonderful ideas.
I made something similar with a friend years ago, but moved and have lost touch with the friend.. it would be an awesome way to get started again!
I have six kids and our first aid kit has become almost like an accessories much like my purse or shoes;) I would love to have this especially with soccer season coming up.
I have eczema and make my own salve with many of the herbs listed. I’m not familiar with the oregon grape root or it’s properties. Would love to try this out….
I would love to get back into making natural items. it has been years since I made such things.
This would be wonderful at our house as we’re trying to cut out chemicals.
I LOVE this blog. I have been experimenting with essential oils and would love a chance to work with the herbs. I love the natural remedies and appreciate your teachings! Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks so much for the wonderful herbal recipes that you give! I would love to have this kit because with the kit I would make it with the Oregon Grape root 😉 I have all of the other ingredients,but the Oregon Grape root is one that I would have to order…ordering tends to get shoved to the back on priority.
Very interested in making my own medicines, it’s very overwhelming and baby steps are necessary. This would definitely be a great baby step! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
I am hoping to expand my knowledge about herbs this year. I am using a lot of essential oils right now, and have been enjoying it. Would love to win this kit!
I’ve been wanting to start a homemade medicine kit! This would be a perfect start!
We have always just used the plants directly. Being able to make salves for our medical needs without having to wait to collect what is needed would help so much. Thank you for the education and the chance to win. 🙂
With 4 kiddos and others always around we go through a lot of meds. It would be wonderful to try making some but I’m learning about herbs. Thanks for the information on your blog!
I love the idea of moving back toward things our grannies used and made with their own hands. Thanks for all this great info!
I’d love to use this to get away from using commercial products. Thank you for the recipe, very inspired to try!
I have really been enjoying your sight! My husband and I are just starting to establish our homestead and the information that you provide has helped me tremendously. This salve is going to be a must have in my home as we have a lot of work to get the place in shape!
I looove making my own products. my bathroom is starting to look more like my kitchen everyday!
love your site!!! I use something like this for my beautiful grandchildren 🙂
I’d love to win…make many of our health and beauty products already and have experimented with a calendula salve. But your recipe contains many ingredients I don’t have, so winning would be a great way to try it before purchasing a bunch of new stuff. Thanks for the opportunity!
I love your recipes for homemade things. I just purchased your PDF booklet on homemade cleaners and am making some up today. I would really like to win this salve making kit! Thanks for the chance!
I am a trying to learn about living more naturally. I have lupus and feel that many of the chemicals and things I have used in my daily life are not helping to keep it under control and am doing all I can to find more natural replacements. This kit would be the perfect first step in learning to make my own remedies.
Regardless of if I win, or not…..I just love your blog! I have learned so much from it already and enjoy reading every post! Thanks to you, I think my family is on the right path to a more simple life! Thank you for sharing with all of us!
This would be a new venture for me! I am experimenting this year with more natural and frugal things. I am planning my large garden and planning on going chemical free with it. I made my own all purpose cleaner and LOVE it! I am working toward healthier for my family and this is something I would love to experiment with! Thank you for being SO willing to share recipes! I really appreciate that!
I’m trying to build my natural home medicine cabinet and I would LOVE to win this!
our pediatrician is very big into herbal treatments for my five kids however i know nothing about it!! This kit would give me much needed knowledge and experience!
I would love to win this kit as I have just recently started making my own personal care and cleaning products and would like to add this to the adventure of products that I can make for my family to use!
Due to very serious health reasons is why we started growing our own food, including raising our own meat! Because we took such drastic measures I have gotten off about 30 – 35 pills a day to incude diabetic meds and shots; acid reflux meds; high blood pressure meds; and cholesterol meds. S
So winning this kit would be one more step into the direction of taking charge of our own health “naturally”.
Thanks for having this drawing and the opportunity to win ! ! !
I would really love to have this kit. I could have used it last night for my daughter’s scraped and swelling knee…I ended up using 3 different products and it would have been nice to have them all in one!
I am a new follower and I am in love with all of the things you do. I am not a mom yet, but once we start having kids I plan on being a stay-at-home mom. We do try to be frugal in some areas. As soon as I get lower on my detergent, I plan on making your homemade detergent.
I would love to win your kit. I am new to the make-it-yourself items and a little scared I am going to do it wrong. I almost do not know where to get started. I feel like if I won the kit, it would be a great way to start living more frugally. I recently went to the store and bought some seeds for peppers to try to start my own garden. I am a teacher and graduate student and I did not want to overwhelm myself.
We bought many of our cleaning products at the dollar store when we found name brand items there. After we use them up, I plan on using your recipes to make our own. I am very excited about this change to try these new things. Thank you for the opportunity!!
Good tutorial! I was always told to use fresh ST. John’s Wort for salves/oils. Have you seen a difference in the quality/effectiveness? I love lavender and Melaleuca EO’s in my skin salves too. So nice. This is the eczema salve I make, sounds like we use similar bases 🙂 http://naturallivingmamma.com/2012/01/28/ellies-eczema-salve-improved/
I am slowly entering the world of make it yourself….I would love to try this. A grandson that lives with me has terrible eczema especially hard on him in the summer with all the swimming. I would love to eliminate his pain. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Oh I would love to win this kit, so I can make it! We are working hard to eliminate all chemicals from our lives, but I admit I haven’t even touched our medicine cabinet yet.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Awesome, I would love to start working with Salves, this would be a great start.
I would like to win this kit so I can get started on making my own home supplies. My husband and I are turning our lives into frugally sustainable like you and your family! We have 2 kids, ages 7 and 5. My 5 year old is a boy. With summer coming up we usually stock up on bandaids and antibiotic meds. Not this year, I will be making it! We also use your recipes for laundry soap and dish washing soap. Already on a roll, why stop now.
Thank You.
What a perfect salve to have!!! I’d love to have this kit…I JUST made an order at the Bulk Herb Store yesterday but didn’t order some of that. Darn it. 😉 And with my three very rambunctious kids and the outdoor family that we are, I know this will be a much used salve…whether I win the kit or not.
I would love to have this kit because for the last couple years we have been slowly transitioning away from chemical laden products and now we are ready to jump the last hurdle and start making our own. I cant think of a better first time project than this wonderful salve! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
This is an awesome article! I love the giveaway too. But I am also wondering about your shampoo bar. Does it leave your hair feeling the same as after commercial shampoo, or dry or greasy… I have been using a DIY shampoo that is coconut milk, castile soap, olive oil and essential oil. My hair is long and needs conditioning, but I don`t like how greasy this shampoo leaves my hair feeling. My husband has short thick hair and also finds it leaves his hair feeling greasy. Any thoughts or ideas…. Thanks|
I think I was supposed to say why I wanted this kit… Well I am trying to convert to a natural medicine cabinet, personal care and cleaning supplies and it is a lot of work and can get expensive at the beginning when you are on a budget. This kit would help!
This looks like a wonderful salve! It would be perfect for me because I have two young very active children who are always getting little scrapes and bumps of some sort!
Another great post! Where do you get the containers you use? I have some books on hold to learn the different plants that grow in our area. So much to learn! I love it!! Adding making this salve to my Pinterest board and my list of things to make! Thanks so much for all your wisdom. Hugs!
I would love to have this kit! I am very interested in making my own salves, but have never done it before, so there is the element of the unknown that hinders me a bit! Having a ready to make kit would be great!
This is great! Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
I would love a chance to win this kit. I will be trying this recipe for sure. I really want my family to use more natural products, this looks like a good addition to our medicine cabinet.
My daughter is on a swim team and swims daily. She has already been stung twice by bees at the pool. This salve sounds wonderful for helping take the “ouch” away! Thanks for posting!
I’ve made the calendula salve before…good stuff! I like the idea of adding different herbs, especially plantain. We have lots of it in the backyard and I usually use it fresh, by itself, for bug bites. It works great on ant bites. Thank you for the great herb ideas 🙂
This is a great way to enter the salve making world and a helpful way to become a bit more comfortable with it all rather than going at it alone. Thanks!
Oh I would LOVE to win this! My mother and I love to make herbal remedies and have made a healing salve very similar to this one, but have friends who would love to make it as well (we had bought a kit for ours elsewhere a few years back). use it so often, another salve would be great for us and to share with our friends…or even make it inot a salve making day with them!!! What fun that would be! 🙂
This would be great for my family of 6 especially since we have toddlers and a preschooler who will get into things and get bumps, scrapes, bruises and cuts. We try to go all natural with everything we give or use on them and this definitely fits the bill.
Whoa!! Terrific competition for the Medicinal Salve give away. I’d love to try your kit, don’t trust myself to identify the wild herbs (weeds!), I once made a strawberry rhubarb pie with “wild rhubarb” that was TOXIC!!!
I would love to win this kit because I’m accident prone, and my allergies are in the form of itchy hives. I’m always searching for ways to make or buy things without any harsh chemicals.
I’m slowly trying to green my home and this salve would definitly fit the bill, thanks for the giveaway.
I’ll have to look more closely to see if I have Plantain growing around the farm. I would love to make this salve to see if it helps my daughter’s excema and very dry skin. I bet it would. I’ll also be able to use my collection of essential oils!
This sounds so neat. Thanks for all you do!
I just found your site and love all the information you have here. We have lived in a remote area for several years now and I am tired of wasting my weekends driving 3 and half hours to the closet grocery store to do our shopping. We moved here to simplify our lives however it seems as if all we did was complicate things because we have been unwilling to let go of the conveniences of city life. My goal for this year is to make our dream of a simpler life come true. With the information I have found on your site I have purchased everything I need to make my own house hold cleaners and laundry detergent which is what I will do this weekend. My next goal is to convert to a natural medicine cabinet. Also with your sites help I have planned an herb and kitchen garden to plant in the spring. With continued guidance from your site I think our simpler life dreams are finally on their way.
I keep meaning to get back into herbal medicine, I love the build your medicine cabinet posts. Once the kids are grown I’d like to go back to school to become an ND.
This would be perfect to have on hand this summer.
Wow! I didn’t know that it’s that easy! I really want to make my own salve. But I am not sure if those herbs are really available here. 🙁
I’m soo joining this generous giveaway! It would be really great if I’d win this kit! 🙂
What a nice give a way! With seven kids ( and one on the way! ) in the home, I deal with a LOT of scrapes and bites ….so I would LOVE to be able to try this! We’re trying to get away from buying these kinds of products and going to more natural methods.
I use lots of herbs already (for my herbal teas mostly) but also for salves and oils… I never used Oregon grape root so far – thanks for posting this recipe!
Our younger son had (still has a little eczema – I use lots of calendula infused olive, grapeseed and coconut oil… The infused coconut oil seemed the best for him.
You really do an awesome job with this site – I love it 🙂
I would love to try this. I am just now educating myself on essential oils.
Although I use some herbs and have made some salves, I haven’t ever tried using St. Johns Wort or Oregon Grape root. I would love to try it!
Thank you for all you share on this site and for the wonderful giveaway!
That kit sounds awesome, would love to win it. We live on an old farm and the kids are always getting scrapes and bumps.
I would live tobtry out this kit. I have always wanted to try doing this sorta thing but need. That push to start. This would be awesome considering me and the kids have some sensitive skin. Btw Love your blog. Thank uou for your time
Will love to see what this can do for my little man’s nasty eczema – we’ve tried just about everything we could think of already. Thanks for all the info and chance to win! Would be nice to have without having to make it myself lol!
I would love to try this kit. We are slowly working on transitioning to a natural lifestyle, and winning the kit would give us a little boost in that directions without breaking the budget.
I would love to have this kit, because I have a severe food allergy and I am constantly itchy.
I would LOVE to have this kit because I’m totally into herbal medicine and am planning a huge medicinal herb garden this year! ~~Canning Granny
I would love to in this kit because I need a good start to being into herbal medicine. 🙂 I have four children who would benefit greatly from this relief of their nasty eczema!!!!
I’m just getting into natural remedies and medicines…would love to try this salve! I’m super sensitive to most topical products, and really need to find all-natural remedies for my sensitive skin.
I too, always have trouble with breaking out with something ~ from who knows what, when I’m out working in the garden. This might just be the answer to my prayers! Would love to win this giveaway, and thanks for offering it!
I’d love to have this kit because my hands get so dry they hurt and in the summer I tend to break out in rashes on my face, neck, and other sensitive areas. Oh, and I can’t wait to make it on my own!
Thanks for the ideas….will add this to my medicine cabinet.
I have made a lot of stuff like this. Just made a lavender and echinacea one, it is amazing. I would love to try this one. Thanks! Love your site.
I’m a new follower and love your blog. I would love to win this kit and I plan to try to make other items on your blog. Thanks for a great blog.
Being in Ministry pretty much full time has promted us more than ever to watch pennies and cut corners where possible. Add in an intense desire to be able to do things the “old way” and you have why I would love to be able to have this kit. Thank you for everything that you do for us.
I have been desiring to buy the kit but on disability income I have to plan all my expenses, thank you for the giveaway opportuniy!
My hubby inspects homes and every once in a while he steps into a home environment that triggers his eczema. He always feels it when he enters the home, but the outbreak won’t show up on his skin for a few days. I’m going to make a batch of this to keep in the car (so he can use it right away) and at home. Hope it works!
I would love to have this kit and to try and make this. My Grandma was a big person and believer in salves she had 2 or 3 that she liked for different things and bought from the Rawleigh Co. I found someone who sells Rawleigh and bought some of the salves that she use to get and they are made of herbs, oils and cocoa butter and parafin. They work better than any product I have tried to their equvilent fm the drug store. Would love to be able to make my own.
This sounds so perfect for our family! I have been trying to find more natural cures for all our ailments and with 3 young children we have a lot of skin issues this would help. Thank you so much for doing the giveaway.
Hi I am very interested in learning more about this! Thanks!
Living in the dry desert, with a toddler that loves to explore, I think this balm will get used daily. Thanks for the recipe and giveaway!
I’m looking for a natural diaper rash ointment for my 9mo granddaughter, who has very sensitive skin. Would this be too strong for her? It sounds like it would be wonderfully healing for any knd of rash.
This would be great to learn, my soon was just diagnosed with so many allergies! Have to find new ways of doing all sorts of things.
Thanks so much for the generous giveaway! I need to learn how to make this salve so I can have it on hand for poison ivy season! Both the hubs and I contact it regularly. Also, we are about to get a beehive, so I’m sure we’ll need it for that, as well. Blessings from Bama!
We use something similiar from Burt’s Bees, but I would love to make my own! I’m learning so much from your site and am so excited about this! Thank you, Kat
I am starting to build my own medicinal herb stock and would LOVE to try this!
Really glad to see this post. I’ve messed around with a few salves myself, but most of them have just been based on calendula. I still absolutely LOVE the healing properties of that alone. It really is amazing what we can use right out of our backyard to heal ourselves better than something on the store shelf. I think it’d be great to win a giveaway so I could create something even more beneficial than the salve that I am running out of right now 🙂 It’d be perfect timing!
I’ve been on medication for so many years, and I want to get off some of my medication. I’m interested in going natural and healing holistically. This salve looks wonderful!
This is one of the easiest items to make! I make it and my kids use it on everything. They use it for their lips, hands, cuts, dry skin, and more.
I’ve really wanted to try this!
Ooooh! I made a jewelweed salve last year and that worked wonderfully! I’ll have to give this salve a try. I am really loving learning about natural healing and eating.
Have been thinking of doing this forever.
I have been following your wonderful blog for about 3 weeks now…I found you on Pinterest (my go-to place for everything these days!!) and I am SO IMPRESSED & INSPIRED by your homemade remedies, recipes, & sustainable suggestions!! I would LOVE to receive the DIY healing salve, as I have suffered for years with psoriasis and have not been able to find anything that seems to help the situation, and prescription medication is NOT in my best interest in any way shape or form, so I continue to spend time and money trying to find natural alternatives that will aid my circumstances. I would LOVE to try yours!! 🙂
With Blessings….Deanne
Great recipe! I have made some salves before, but have never used Oregon Grape root before. I’d love to have this kit, and do a side-by-side comparison on my husband, who has genetic eczema full body, with full-on cracking skin, bleeding etc if he does not put lotion on all over, including scalp 2x day every day. I am always looking for the perfect formulation that will slowly heal, as well as ameliorate his condition, and this is a different combo for us.
To the lady in Sweden: all those plants she mentioned are easily found all over Europe, including Sweden, except for the Oregon Root, of course. They are actually natives there. I was born and raised in Europe, and am very familiar with the area. Get familiar with the plants by Googling up their descriptions, photos,e tc, and go on walks in Spring and Summer, and wildcraft them. That’s what I used to do when living there. I have done plenty of that in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Northern Germany. You can also add lichens, that are so prevalent in your area, since they have amazing anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. =)
I have been slowly working on making my own medicines. This would help my endeavors so much! Thanks for all you do!
Oh, my eczema and dry skin would love this kit. And it would start me on the road to making salves, something I have been putting off. love the recipe thank you!
I love DIY projects and this looks like it’d be useful!
would love this – the more I can make the more icky store stuff I can throw away!
I would love to win this kit because I have 6 kids that have all kinds of issues I need to tend to, and I don’t want to use the chemical laden store brands.
This is such an awesome giveaway! Thanks for all these recent posts on herbal meds 😀
I would love this kit because I am really trying to start making more of these kinds of things for my family- so far its pretty much just soap 🙂
Oh My, would I love to have this kit!!! I have a 4 year old boy and this would be awesome to have around the house!!!
I would be so happy and thankful to win this kit!! My goal this year is to be as all-natural and self-sufficient as possible, and this would be a great addition!!
I would love to have this kit! I am trying to build my herbal medicine cabinet and this would definitely help!
This would be helpful around the house this year.
I really want to increase my knowledge of natural herbs and salves to add to my medicine cabinet!
PS–sorry, I don’t have twitter. 🙂
Looks like a great alternative to all of the store-bought products. Where do you buy your containers that you show it being stored in?
I have been searching for help for extremely dry skin and eczema. Over the counter and prescription creams have not helped. Plus, I’m trying to make my own items from scratch and I was so glad to find your blog. Thank you for all the wonderful information and recipes.
Great tutorial! I’m looking forward to making this not just for myself, but as gifts.
Thank you for the great information and all the amazing recipes!!
Thanks for all these recipes. I am slowly building up my supplies to make some of them. I am most anxious to try your recipe for the shampoo bar and your tooth powder.
I have several skin issues and would really like to see improvement in the condition of my skin health. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
I would love to have this to try on my daughter and son who both suffer from eczema.
This kit seems to be a natural way to take care of my family’s health.
I’ve been researching all natural substitutions for all our standard medicines – this would solve a lot of problems. Thanks for sharing your recipe – I’d love to win this giveaway.
I would love this! I’m learn how to use herbs in our home.
Thank you!
Have just come across your blog through marathonmom.com and am really enjoying your video tutorials. My husband and I have 6 children, ages 6, 5, 5, 4, 2, and 1. Would love to win this and learn more about making our own medicines!
Just found you via pinterest. This would be a great new at home treatment.
This is great! I love your blog and look forward to your emails (one of the few emails I actually DO look forward to in my inbox!) I am crossing all my fingers and toes to win one of your kits 🙂
yaaay! thank you for such a considerate give-away! i’d love to start making home treatments but hesitate to “dive in.” this would be a great way to get my toes wet…
I just threw away almost everything in my medicine cabinet! I had to keep some stuff until I’m able to replace it with the herbal equivalent, but I can’t wait to get started on the recipes! I NEED this kit to get me started out with a basic medicinal staple…I’m almost overwhelmed at all the other things I still need to make, and my shopping cart at Mountain Rose Herbs is getting pretty expensive!
My favorite all natural herbal salve is no longer readily available. That is the third product I have come to rely on that is no longer available. So instead of relying on someone else providing me what I need for my family’s health want to be more self-reliant in this area. Then I will always have what I need on hand.
Wonderful giveaway – would love to win!
my daughters and I have been talking about making a salve – having your kit would get us started.
(I found this site from a friends facebook post of your article about going paperless.. )
For someone like me with chronically dry skin, this sounds like it would be wonderful!
Thank you so very much for this website. I have raised my kids using alternative methods instead of the MD route for 35 years. I’ve always been interested in learning about herbs and foraging. I am however, very limited in my knowledge on salves, tinctures etc. My interest has now turned into a passion especially with the bleak future ahead of us. I would very much like to win one of your kits. It would help me greatly on my road to learn how to make my own medicinals for me and my family. I simply can’t thank you enough for teaching me these things that I’ve had such a desire to know about for so long. I now have grandkids that I can help by using natural medicinals that won’t hurt them. I really love your site. Thank you again.
This kit sounds awesome! Would love so much to win it! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
would love.to win!
I have always turned to natural remedies but have never made any thing topical yet. I am just now gathering essential oils. Thanks for the giveaway! Love reading the blog.
I need to make this. I was just noticing last night how lizard like my hands were!
I would love to try this! My husband is a farmer and is outside all of the time over the summer and is constantly getting scrapes and cuts and bug bites, so this would be a great natural product to use!
I would love to try this! Thanks for the chance!
Currently going in for surgery in a few days and this looks like a wonderful scar healer. Thanks for the ideas and recipe!!!
I have a child with extreme ezcema and we have tried everything to clear it up. I abhor the steroids creams we have had to use in the past and am constantly searching for natural alternatives. This kit would be a great for us to try a natural rememdy. Thanks for your blog. I check every morning for a new entry and enjoy it over my cup of coffee.
I am exploring the prepping world and this is just one of the many skills that I would need in order to be more self-sufficient. What better way to learn about it than having a kit for the first time so I’m sure to get it right as I learn best hands on 🙂
I would love to try this salve. We do a lot of camping, and this would be great to have with us.
Thank you for posting this recipe! I would love to learn another skill to put into use for our medical kit!
I am so interested in learning about herbs and making my own medicinal salves. Thank you for the chance to win!
I’d love to try this for myself and have friends who could also benefit. Little one’s are always getting scraped and scratched. Even if I don’t win, I’m sure I have a trip to the health foods store to collect my supplies. Don’t know when that will be… Love this, and thanks for all your great information.
I would love this kit! I have three kids, another on the way, and we spend a lot of time outdoors. My hubby is starting a lawn care business and I know we could all use some tender loving care from the balm!
I always have cuts all over my hand (old accident and glass shards working their way out still combined with dry skin and slow healing body). This would be great if it works. Maybe I won’t have to wear those stupid latex gloves every time I cook (3x a day) or do messy crafts (at least twice a week).
So glad to have come across your website – love it! My son gets eczema on his toes and I’m hoping this salve will help. Winning it would be a great bonus. Thanks!
I’d love to win this so that I can (hopefully) impress my husband with my skills and encourage him to let me invest more of our $ into making our own “stuff” instead of having to buy mediocre crap. 🙂
I love your blog/website……….have shared it with several friends…….plan to make several of your recipes…..this one especially. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!! Keep sharing…..May God Bless you richly for your care and concern for others.
I’d LOVE to try this out. I hope I win the kit – I’ve got psoriasis and really want to see how much this can help!
I love things like this!! Not only for the medicinal value of it, but for the crafty/homemade value as well. Nothing says love like medicine you’ve made yourself.
I am very new to this and would love to try before buying everything!!!
I am a great fan of yours, love natural foods and remwdies, and jusr happen to have some St John’s Wort growing in my herb garden as Imwrite this!
I have super sensitive skin and store bought stuff
Makes it worse! I’d love to try this out!!
We love these sort of things and my son has some exzema I’d love to treat with it.
Would really like to find some plantain in my backyard!
What a wonderful prize! This would be such a wonderful way to beat the many skin maladies brought on by our super dry weather! I am very weary of using products with ingredients I can’t even pronounce- I would LOVE to have a homemade, all natural remedy!
My husband has eczema and has tried a variety of methods to manage it. Nothing has worked so far. I am definitely trying this! Thank you!! I love to that it is an all natural remedy!
I am so happy that you are doing this giveaway! I have a grandson that has eczema and I would love to get this for him!
I would love to try it before I buy it. What a great opportunity!!
I would love this kit! We spend a lot of time outside- 4 littles and lots of bites, bumps, bruises, and scratches!
Awesome! I love DIY recipes…and I really love that this one will practically make itself if you use the cold infusion method! That’s what a busy mom wants to read! Thanks so much for sharing!
Would love to try and make my own salve..what a wonderful giveaway
My hubby has eczema so this would be wonderful to try.
We spend most of the summer camping and hiking and doing frugal activities with our four kids. Trying to raise them to not be addicted to technology and quick fixes.
Making the salve would be a great activity and a useful thing for us to have on hand.
Thanks!
We spend so much time outdoors that injuries are a routine occurrence so we need a salve to help with the suffering, even the melodramatic pain.
I have been wanting to make more natural products for a while now…I just needed a good shove…THANKS FOR THE SHOVE!
Homemade is always best…. always know what is in it! :^)
I love this! Such a great idea! I’d love to have this kit because I have been wanting to learn how to make more things like this! Also, my brother has super sensitive skin and I think something like this would be good for him 🙂 Thanks for the chance!
Just love the herbal salves 🙂
I would love to win a kit to learn how to make the salve and gain confidence to go ahead and buy the ingredients to make other similar homemade items that I’m afraid to invest in.
I LOVE healing herbs!!
We’re trying to switch to natural products…with four young kiddos, this would be such a nice push in the right direction!
WIth 4 kids I can see this getting a lot of use! I would LOVE to be given the chance to win one 🙂
What a generous prize and a great start to making healing balms! I’d love to win and learn more about the herbs.
This is very similar to the very first salve I ever made. Loved it. I need to make it again 🙂
With summer coming up I could really use this for myself and my children!! Thanks for sharing.
I am going to have to give this a try. The past two years, I have had a horrible rash develop on my lower legs and it has kept me form hiking, biking, and other summer activities. I would really like to enjoy summer this year.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I would love to try one of these kits. I have made salve one other time and really want to do it again soon!
Thanks again!
Such a great idea. Thank you so much to the recipe!!! It’s great to be able to make homemade, medicinal salves with ingredients you know and understand. I have always preferred using the more natural route for curing aliments, but my son has really inspired me to do more. I know he doesn’t get any scrapes or bumps any time soon. . .but I must admit I can’t wait to make and use this. 🙂
thank you so much for great information and hope that I can win and do my fisrt salve.
I would love to win this herbal salve kit. I’ve just been introduced to some holistic approaches to better health by a great lady (Tara Hudson @ http://www.delaterreapothecary.com and she recommended your website to me. So glad I found it! 🙂
Thank you for making easy homedade projects stay easy. This salve would be great for all my husbands cuts and bumps while renovating our home. I love your website.
Great post, so helpful!
I love LOVE anything having anything to do with beeswax 🙂
I get this rash in the summer time that no doctor has been able to identify, so I’d love to go a natural route and see if this knocks it out! Thanks!! 🙂
This is soooo AWESOME! I’ve just started making my own items and have run into a slight problem…..I can’t find any beeswax pellets….or beeswax of any kind actually.
I would love to win this kit. Just one more thing to add to my arsenol of homemade goodies. I’m so addicted!!! 🙂
I love trying your recipes. I don’t have the herbs on hand, so the kit would be great to have!
I LOVE anything that has to do with natural health and beauty and cleaning products. They are God’s gift to us and I want to utilize them as much as I can.
Andrea, your efforts give meaning to the term, “Home Maker” in our modern time! I cannot tell you how much joy and help your site and articles have given me and, my family! There is an essence to creating, providing and doing it all independently and, you capture those virtues and help the rest of us find them for ourselves. I have found a purpose and passion, being frugally sustainable. Because of you, the word, “Frugal” is no longer a word to dislike, it’s a word that means independence, empowerment and a conciousness.
I genuinely love your blog! I’ve recently been “making the switch” to all things natural and homemade and have used (and Pinned) many of the recipes on your site. Thank you so much for the helpful information and step by step processes. It’s made a somewhat overwhelming lifestyle change much easier. It’s so important to me to give my son the best chance he can possibly have, and eliminating all of the additives, preservatives (and basically poisons) that are in our commonly used products is an essential part of giving him that healthy advantage. I’ve stayed glued to your blog and your Facebook page gleaning helpful hints, excellent recipes, new information and informative new websites that are all making this an enjoyable change! My son gets to help in the creation of these products and then gets to use what he has made, and the joy he gets from seeing his hard work put to good use is priceless! I would love to try out your Herbal Miracle Salve! Having a boy around naturally leads to the need for some sort of topical cure-all for the many (and usually inexplicable) scratches and scrapes he ends up with! Thank you for the time you dedicate to: 1.) Making my life easier and, 2.) Saving me tons of money! I wish I could hug you, but I’ll have to settle with just saying thank you! You don’t know what an incredible help this website has been! You’re amazing! God bless you and your family!
Hi Dee Ho! Would love to learn more about making these salves. Thanks!
I love your blog…only recently discovered it but so many great ideas. I ordered the ingredients to make this salve today! But, I would love to win!!
An herbal salve would be great to have on board in the summer, easy to carry and use on my boys!
Can you use something other than bees wax? Maybe shea butter or coconut oil?
This sounds like a wonderful salve. Any salve with calendula in it is good in my book. lol Thanks for sharing this great info with us!
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing it on Wildcrafting Wednesday! 🙂
~ Kathy
Can you use coconut oil for this instead of olive oil? Or do you recommend the olive oil because of a special quality?
I loved your article post.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
This is the perfect recipe since many of my family members and I suffer from eczema and psoriasis. Thank you for the chance to win.
Was so excited about this post that I went and ordered all the supplies. …Well in the last week I’ve had more cuts, bruises, bug bites, you name it, than I’ve had all year! LOL. Can’t wait to get started on my home remedy. Thanks for sharing!
My Grandmother was a naturalist. This salve is very similar to hers. She used Lanolin instead of beeswax, but the herbs are the same. I wish I had been able to participate in the contest for the free kit, but alas I am too late. I plan on ordering the herbs as soon as i can. Thank you so much for sharing!
Can you substitute Lemon balm for the oregon grape root??
If you don’t have Oregon grape root use comfrey instead. I make a salve that has comfrey, plantain, st john’s wort, and yarrow infused oil. Use it for everything, even burns. Can be used on animals also as it’s not dangerous if ingested. Love it, started making it 12 yrs. ago and always have some on hand.
Ok, so your going to laugh, but I am still learning. I found some plantain in my yard and I was so excited. I am not sure what to do with it. Should I let it grow or bring it in and dehydrate it? Sounds like a great thing to have around. Thanks so much for your wonderful blog!! I am learning a ton and I can’t wait to learn more!!
Hi Andrea, I have a quick question. My son is almost 6 months old and has the beginnings of ezcema on his trunk. Do you think this would be a safe salve to use on his skin? I was thinking of possibly using or substituting chamomile for one of the herbs. What do you think?
Can I opt out of putting the Grape Root in the recipe or is it possible to switch it up with another herb? I have everything but the grape root on hand.
Thanks!
Thisis a new recipe and i just know, i hope this recipe delicious…
thanks
Miss Andrea, Thanks for this recipe! I made it a few days ago and LOVE it for my psorisis! My recipe is a little sugary. Do you think I maybe had te olive oil mixture too cool when I added the beeswax? Thought I would see if you had ever had this problem??
I find a good rule of thumb is one cup of infused oil to one ounce of beeswax is the right consistency. It’s right every time. I use comfrey instead of grape root, but will try adding the grape root too for antimicrobial properties. Thanks!
HOoing to try this soon- farm living and 4 teens.. with 16 animals as pets…
You posted
“-I like to use essential oils of clove, lemon, eucalyptus, cinnamon, rosemary, lemongrass, and lavender.”
Do you use all of them in the same salve recipe??
Can the olive oil be replaced with coconut oil?
If using the essential oils do you use all? Also how does 5 – 10% compute 1, 2 drops, teaspoons???
I would also like to know if the olive oil can be replaced with coconut oil?
I ended up using Lavender essential oil. I added coconut oil as well as Manuka Honey to a single jar to try it out. I have another salve I make (for diaper rash) and I used coconut oil for it. I would think you might have to adjust how you infuse the coconut oil with the herbs so that is why I added it afterwords.
Hi, I am new to this blog and so far I love it & especially love the Miracle Balm Recipe. I have been trying to print it from my computer, but it is only printing the reviews and not the recipe. Is there anyway you could set it up to just print the recipe?? Just wondering. Thank you so much, Joanne
thank you for this offer, the ingredients would be a blessing.
Can you safely use this on dogs?
Do you use dried plantain or dried plantain leaves? Thanks for the recipe.
Heather,
She is talking about a weed, not a fruit. I was under the impression that plantains were the banana.
Here is a site that has a good picture of it. You’ll probably recognize something like this in your own yard.http://www.organic-lawn-care-guide.com/broadleaf-plantain.html
How much salve do you end up with in the end? So excited to make this! I just need to know how many containers to buy and if I should plan on doubling the recipe… Thanks!
Love this idea. However, I am somewhat intimidated by making my own product. Will I have access to the right herbs? Will I have to by bulk, more than I need? I really want to have some of this at home, would love to try it on hubby’s mild psoriasis. I guess I just need encouragement!!!! Where do I start? I’m bookmarking this site, everything is right in line with my philosophy!!!
I’m soooo allergic to beeswax but would love to make this salve with an appropriate substitution. Any suggestions ??
My suggestion would be to leave out the beeswax and use this remady as an oil instead of a salve.
Good health,
Diane
Would this salve be safe to use on a 9 month old baby?