Today we’re going to make a salve to put on those inevitable cuts and scrapes we all get. We’ll focus on the wonderful benefits of three extracts: Calendula, Comfrey, and Goldenseal.
It seems like my hands take the worst beating with scrapes, chapped knuckles, cracked cuticles, and even deep cracks in my thumbs. (Why do my poor thumbs get such awful cracks??) I wanted this salve to provide an emollient effect to keep the skin supple while also offering the benefits of the herbs in the extracts.
Calendula is noted to support healthy skin and has been used topically for centuries. It has been shown to help wounds heal faster, and it appears to fight inflammation, viruses, and bacteria.
To make our extract, the calendula petals are combined with a pure fractionated coconut oil to obtain the highest quality extract available.
Comfrey leaves have a long history of being used to support healing. It’s one of the first herbs I think of for that use. Our Comfrey Leaves Extract is emollient, healing, anti-inflammatory, astringent, promotes tissue repair, and is moisturizing to the skin. Perfect!
Goldenseal is a popular herb for healing skin ailments such as irritations and infections. In extract form, it’s very easy to add to a skin care product.
Because I want to take full advantage of the beneficial properties of the three extracts, I’m going with a high usage rate. Our maximum recommended usage rate for extracts is 10%. I’ll use Beeswax to thicken the salve and Olive Oil as the base. To round out the formula, I’ll add a touch of Lanolin, which is such a skin-loving ingredient.
What You’ll Need
SuppliesOlive Oil |
EquipmentScale |
Three Extracts Salve
75% Olive Oil
7% Beeswax
3% Lanolin
5% Calendula Extract
5% Comfrey Leaves Extract
5% Goldenseal Extract
50-gram Test Batch37.5 grams Olive Oil |
12-ounce Batch9 oz Olive Oil |
 Adding extract to melted oils. |
 Filling tins with salve. |
Instructions
Weigh Olive Oil, Beeswax, and Lanolin into a microwave safe container or double boiler. Gently heat until fully liquid, stirring frequently. Add extracts and stir well.
Pour liquid into tins and allow to harden before putting on the lids. Label and enjoy!
Notes
This is not a super stiff salve. It is very easy to scoop out of the container and spreads readily. I like it!
