Making Herbal Ointments at Home
Herbs, Olive Oil and Beeswax to Make Skin Healing Ointment
Nov 3, 2009
Herbal ointments are made from herb infused oil and wax, usually beeswax. The oil helps the herb to be absorbed by the skin. Herbal ointments can be used for massage, to treat dry skin, or to heal cuts, scrapes, or insect bites. Ointments are stored in the refrigerator, where they remain somewhat solid. When herbal ointments are applied to the skin, the warmth from the body melts the ointment into an easy to spread herbal oil.
Making Herbal Ointments
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of olive oil
- 4 ounces of dried herb
- 1 cup of grated beeswax
Directions:
- Chop the dried herb using a spice mill, coffee grinder, food processor, or traditional mortar and pestle.
- Place the dried herb and olive oil in a heat-safe glass dish. Do not cover the herbal mixture.
- Warm over low heat, stirring regularly. The temperature of the oil should remain between 100 and 125 degrees. The herb should remain at this temperature to infuse in the oil for three hours.
- Allow the herbal oil to cool.
- Strain the herbal oil through cheesecloth and discard the spent herb.
- Measure the herbal oil.
- Add one ounce of beeswax for every one cup of herbal oil.
- Warm the oil again until the beeswax melts.
- Any other ingredients desired in the herbal ointment can be added at this point. Vitamin e, honey, and essential oils are common ingredients added to herbal ointments.
- Pour the herbal ointment into a glass jar. Label the herbal ointment with the contents and date of preparation. Cap the container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The herbal ointment will harden as it cools in the refrigerator.
Herbs Commonly Used for Herbal Ointments
Many herbs work well for skin care and as preparation of ointments. Following is a list of herbs which are well suited for use in skin care products.
- Calendula – used to treat cuts and scrapes, insect bites, acne; also softens skin
- Lavender – used to treat cuts and scrapes, boils, acne, burns, insect bites, rashes, external yeast infections, general skin care, insect repellent, perfumes; also softens skin
- Comfrey – used to treat cuts and scrapes, bruises, eczema; also softens skin
- Chamomile – used to treat puffy eyes
- Black Walnut Hulls – used to treat cuts and scrapes, sores, poison oak and ivy
- Plantain – used to treat insect bites
- Chickweed – used to treat cuts and scrapes, psoriasis
- Fragrant flowers such as lavender and roses can also be used to make pleasant smelling herbal ointments.
Storage of Herbal Ointments
Herbal ointments should be stored in the refrigerator in glass container with a tight fitting lid. Benzoin is an herbal tincture that can be added to homemade herbal skin preparations as a preservative. Benzoin can sometimes cause skin irritation, so do not use it on sensitive skin, or for herbal ointments to be applied to cuts or scrapes.
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