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Basic Recipe:
1 cup herbally infused oil 1 – 2 oz. Beeswax 10 capsules Vitamin E Oil ½ tsp. each tea tree and lavender essential oils
In a small pan, gently heat herbally infused oil and beeswax until barely melted. Cut or poke vitamin E capsules open, and squeeze vitamin E oil into beeswax/oil mixture. Remove from heat, and add essential oils. Pour a tiny amount of salve mixture onto waxed paper or into a container to cool. Test it for thickness – if you’d like it to be harder, add more beeswax. If you’d like it to have a thinner balm, add more oils.
When you’re satisfied with consistency, pour balm into clean, sanitized jars and let cool. This all-purpose salve can be used for cuts, scrapes, splinters, diaper rash, burns, rashes, or for dry skin.
To make a herbally infused oil:
In a saucepan, combine dry herbs and a vegetable oil (we like extra virgin olive oil, but just about any kind will do). Specific proportions are not important – use a few generous handfuls of herbs and use enough oil to cover them. Heat over lowest possible heat for several hours – three minimum, we usually try for 12 or 15.
Alternatively, use a crock-pot on “low” setting. Strain out herbs and use your herbally infused oil to make balms, or as a massage oil, bath oil, or as a great winter moisturizer.
Some Herbs to try: chamomile, comfrey, sheep sorrell, turkish rhubarb, St. John’s Wort, calendula.
Loring Windblad has studied nutrition and exercise for more than 40 years, is a published author and freelance writer. His latest business endeavor is at: http://www.organicgreens.us