My first attempt at making an herbal medicine was not what most people would consider to be a great success. The recipes I had ripped out of a magazine kept repeating the words “simple” and “easy.” So, I, with all my newfound herbal wisdom, decided to try making two things at once-a salve and cough drops. Yet twelve hours later, after cursing the words “simple” and “easy,” I was still standing over the stove in my 100-degree kitchen waiting for the cough drops to heat up to a gazillion degrees. The salve pots were scorched beyond recognition and the kitchen could have used a professional cleaning.

Oddly enough, I look back at that day with great fondness. My experience started me on a journey into herbalism that has developed into my passion. It opened my eyes to the amazing beauty that this planet holds and the resources that she offers us (if we only approach her with respect). So, I would like to share a simple and easy (really!) way for you to experience what it is like to heal yourself with herbs.

Wintertime Salve
When making any medicine, your first job is to decide on its purpose. Oils and salves are useful for distributing your medicine through the skin. And since we are heading into the dry skin season, I thought it might be nice to make a salve to replenish the lost moisture.

Ingredients: For this recipe, I would like to use some herbs commonly found in these mountains; most of which are considered weeds, but all carry powerful medicine. Plantain (Plantago major), Chickweed (Stellaria media), Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis) are all cooling and soothing herbs that decrease inflammation and promote healing of the skin. Four wonderful herbs to begin your journey into salve making.

I like to gather my own herbs whenever possible. When the situation permits, I gather barefoot, just to get a little bit closer to the earth. But, if gathering your own herbs isn’t feasible, then supporting the local herbal businesses is a great way to give back to the community and get top quality herbs.

Preparation: Now that you have your herbs, place equal parts of each herb (ex: 1 oz. of each) into a clean glass jar. If you are able to use fresh herbs, wash them first and make sure they are completely dry before putting them in the jar. Leaving water on them can encourage mold and bacteria growth. Next, cover your herbs with the oil of your choice. (Olive Oil is a good all-purpose oil, but if you are planning on using the salve on your face you may want to use something lighter, such as Sweet Almond or Apricot Kernel Oil.) Cover with enough oil for the mixture to slosh when shaken, and be sure that there are no herbs poking out of the oils as this can also encourage the growth of mold and bacteria. Now, place the lid on your jar and put it in a warm area; a windowsill is great. Be sure that it is a place that you will walk past during the day because for the next six weeks you should shake your herbal oil at least once a day (yes, for six weeks-that’s why we are getting started early, so we will have salves made for the holidays!)

6 WEEKS LATER – Strain your oil using tightly woven cheesecloth. The resulting herbal oil is wonderfully healing and can be used on the skin as a moisturizer or massage oil. To make this oil into a salve, you will need small jars to pour your end product into, a double boiler, two spoons (one should be metal) and beeswax chopped into small pieces with a sturdy knife. (Just watch those fingers!)

Putting It All Together: Place your metal spoon in the freezer (don’t worry, we will come back to it later). Set up a double boiler by pouring a few cups of water into a big pot. Then place a large non-metal bowl (glass works best) inside of the pot. The herbal oil is then heated indirectly in the bowl by the boiling water. Pour one cup of your herbal oil into the double boiler bowl and heat on low to medium. You don’t want the oil to boil. It just needs to be warm enough to melt the beeswax. Add 1/3-cup beeswax (the smaller the pieces, the faster it melts) to the warm oil and stir until melted. Then take the oil off of the heat. Now, remember that spoon in the freezer? Take it out and dip it quickly into the oil. When you take it out, the salve will quickly harden on the spoon. This is an easy way to test the consistency of the salve. If it is too hard, add more oil; too soft, add more beeswax. If you want to use any essential oils, for the aroma or for healing properties, add them after you have taken your salve off the heat.

Finally, pour the oil into your salve jars and let it harden before putting on the lids. Label your final product as soon as it has hardened so you don’t forget what is in your salve. And….VOILA! A wonderful herbal healing skin salve! I hope you enjoy this recipe and wish you well on your herbal journey!

Maria Muscarella has studied herbalism at the North Carolina School of Natural Healing and obtained her BS in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is also the owner of Full Circle Herbs, a supplier of handcrafted herbal products.

Contact this writer: writer@newlifejournal.com

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