Neem Salve

I make lots of salves for the little bumps and scrapes that are an inevitable part of life, especially on a farm. Though I’ve pondered it, I’ve not made anything with Neem Oil before.

Fruit from the Neem tree (Margosa Tree) contain kernels that are rich in oil. From these seeds, a unique, cold-pressed oil is expelled. This oil contains constituents that are beneficial to skin care. Scientific research has confirmed that neem seed oil is non-toxic to mammals and may be a very effective organic antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral agent.

Neem Oil has been used for centuries in India as a medicine to aid in the healing of topical skin disorders such as rash, psoriasis, eczema, burns, and acne. Our Neem Oil is organic and virgin. It’s good stuff!

The base of the salve will be Beeswax and Shea Butter. Neem Oil will be a smaller percentage, and I’ll add some Goldenseal Extract, as it’s a popular herb for healing skin ailments such as irritations and infections. I’ll also add Calendula Oil Extract. 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

Off we go to the workroom to craft this salve.

What You’ll Need

Instructions

Weigh all ingredients but the extracts into microwave-safe container of the top of a double boiler. Heat gently until all ingredients are melted. Stir well, then add the extracts.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, pour salve into the screw-top tins and allow it to cool and harden completely before adding the caps.

Ingredients before melting.

Melted salve poured into tins.

Notes

Neem Oil is a very strong smelling oil with a distinctive greenish color. I kept the usage rate on the lower side for this salve, as I don’t want people to be put off by the smell or appearance of the salve.

This salve turned out just beautiful! The scent is very neutral – no hint of the strong Neem Oil. Hooray!