Can We Make a Salve Without Beeswax? 4


It’s definitely salve season, and we set out to make one without using beeswax.

Veggie-ful Green Salve uses Carnauba Wax instead of the usual Beeswax, which makes it a vegetarian salve. You may recognize the name Carnauba from wax used on cars! But it’s not just for cars anymore. This vegetable wax is from the Carnauba palm that grows in northern Brazil, and it’s a terrific choice for lip products as well as anyplace you need a stiffening or thickening agent.

An important fact to know is that Carnauba Wax has twice the stiffening power of Beeswax. When substituting Carnauba Wax for Beeswax in an existing formula, reduce the amount of wax by half.

Aside from the Carnauba Wax, this excellent salve contains two extracts to promote healing: Comfrey Leaves and Chamomile. We’ve also added Neem Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil, and Lavandin Essential Oil.

Join me in the workroom as we craft this vegetarian salve that we’re sure you’ll love!

What You’ll Need

Supplies

Castor Oil
White Cocoa Butter
Palm Oil
Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Carnauba Wax
Avocado Butter
Comfrey Leaves Extract
Chamomile Extract
Neem Oil
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Lavandin Essential Oil

Equipment

Scale
Microwave-safe container
Silicone scraper
Pipettes
Spoon
0.75 oz Screw Top Tins

Formula

29.25% Castor Oil
9.75% White Cocoa Butter
14.62% Palm Oil
27.3% Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
11.7% Carnauba Wax
4.88% Avocado Butter
0.5% Comfrey Leaves Extract
0.5% Chamomile Extract
1% Neem Oil
0.25% Tea Tree Essential Oil
0.25% Lavandin Essential Oil

100-gram Test Batch

29.3 grams Castor Oil
9.7 grams White Cocoa Butter
14.6 grams Palm Oil
27.3 grams Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
11.7 grams Carnauba Wax
4.8 grams Avocado Butter
0.5 gram Comfrey Leaves Extract
0.5 gram Chamomile Extract
1 gram Neem Oil
0.3 gram Tea Tree Essential Oil
0.3 gram Lavandin Essential Oil

10-ounce Batch

2.93 ounces Castor Oil
0.98 ounce White Cocoa Butter
1.46 ounces Palm Oil
2.73 ounces Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
1.17 ounces Carnauba Wax
0.49 ounce Avocado Butter
0.05 ounce Comfrey Leaves Extract
0.05 ounce Chamomile Extract
0.1 ounce Neem Oil
0.03 ounce Tea Tree Essential Oil
0.03 ounce Lavandin Essential Oil

Instructions

Weigh Castor Oil, White Cocoa Butter, Palm Oil, Soybean Oil, Carnauba Wax, and Avocado Butter into a microwave-safe container. Melt using short time bursts, stirring after each heating, until mixture is liquid.

Weigh and add extracts, Neem Oil, and essential oils. Stir well to combine.

Pour liquid salve into tins and allow to harden before adding lids.

Notes

This vegetarian salve will knock your socks off! It has a great consistency, and it smells pleasant. Use it on all the little scrapes and cuts and dry cuticles that are inevitable in spring.

We’ve made up a bunch of samples to share, and they are headed to the warehouse. Want one? Be sure to request it with your next order!

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About Denise

I'm a crazy goat lady who got into making my own soap with goat milk, found MMS to order supplies, and now I get to combine my love of creating skin care products with a job to pay the feed bill. I live in Alaska and greatly enjoy the unique aspects of my northern home - summer days when it never gets dark and the Northern Lights dancing above in winter. Favorite scents include Wild Mint and Ivy, Rhubarb & Sugar Cane, and Eucalyptus Spearmint.

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4 thoughts on “Can We Make a Salve Without Beeswax?

  • Jennifer Gale

    If I wanted to swap out the palm oil for high melt point shea butter, and different essential oils for the tea tree, neem, and lavandin, would clove, orange, and lavender be a good swap? (I just personally can’t stand the smell of tea tree, and as it’s harmful to cats, I’d rather avoid it when possible)

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    • Denise Post author

      Hi Jennifer. You could use any essential oils you like in this salve. We chose the ones we did for their beneficial properties. The Neem oil in this formulation is not an essential oil, however, so if you want to avoid it in your formulation, swap it out for another liquid oil. Also, be aware that clove oil can cause skin irritation, so you’ll want to keep your usage rate very low. Hope this helps!

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