Aromatic Salves

Making a Balm or Salve
Tina Sams
Essential Herbal Magazine

 
Making a balm or salve is simply using beeswax to harden a quantity of oil to a desired consistency.  I think of a balm as a soothing slather, and a salve as a bit more medicinal. Otherwise, they're the same thing.
Choose base oils that will complement the purpose of the salve.  It is entirely possible that you’ll choose more than one.  The base for a luxurious balm for dry winter skin might include things like cocoa butter, jojoba oil, calendula infused oil, or just go all the way and try the Dry Skin, or Mature Skin Sampler combined with coconut  or even simply olive oil.

When you’ve decided on your salve base, weigh or measure oils.
(Normally we weigh ingredients, but balms and salves are very forgiving, so it isn’t so critical) 
Let’s say there are 8 ounces of the base oil. Gently heat the oil until it is liquified (or warm.) 


Add one part beeswax beads (by weight, preferably) to 6 to 8 parts oil, and heat slowly to melt the wax.  For 8 ounces of oil, use one, up to one and a half ounces of the beeswax.

If adding essential oils to the salve, now is the time.  No more than 10 drops per ounce of salve, so 8 ounces (I don’t count the wax) of oil means up to 80 drops of essential oil.  Stir, and pour into containers.

Once you’ve got the idea, you can make any size, even single a 1 or 2 ounce jar. 

Take one oz of Balm of Gilead,  St. Johns Wort, Arnica, Trauma oil, any of the infused oils, and warm it with just over ½ tsp beeswax or ½ ounce of cocoa butter. And add up to 10 drops of your favorite pain relieving essential oils from Marge, and you will have your magic, miracle salve for any ouchies, ooochies, bumps, bruises and things that go hurt or keep you awake in the  night!

That’s it!  There’s a lot of room for creativity and fun in making balms and salves.

Marge's comments: Tina is the founder editor of The Essential Herbal Magazine and my go-to for all things herbal.  (Check out her teas, and her Ache Away salve.  Or use her expertise to make your own.)  AND.. I am thinking of a pain balm..   3 oz Trauma oil, 1 oz Poplar Balsam Infused oil.. with some Kunzea ambigua, and some Helichrysum and a bit of Ginger CO2.  Maybe some Sweet Marjoram for the anti-spasmodic effect. Or... MANGO-GINGER for inflammation? oh yes!

A Lavender Comparison

A Lavender Comparison, for the chemistry geeks among us. A comparison of our current batches of Lavandula angustifolia. (There isn't ROOM to add in the Lavandins, sorry!)

Now.. if you are looking for relaxation, for something to induce sleep, you might choose the Lavenders that are highest in Esters.  If you want a Lavender for skincare, perhaps in an antibacterial acne blend?  The high Linalool in our English Lavender might be your best choice.

Have fun! (And thank you to Lynnette Crouse of AromaSenseApp for compiling the data for me!)

                                                          Lavender Comparison Chart:

	Avice Hill	Bulgarian	Maillette	Wild High Alt
Linalyl acetate	49.40	37.78	35.37	29.71
Linalool	14.08	29.31	37.63	27.69
Terpinen-4-ol	6.64	2.81	n/a	5.76
trans- Caryophyllene	4.73	n/a	n/a	n/a
Z-beta-Ocimene	4.38	n/a	1.13	4.48
Lavandulyl acetate	3.99	4.15	n/a	5.74
1-Octen-3-yl acetate	2.59	0.83	1.03	1.12
3-Octanone	1.64	1.44	2.06	1.01
E-beta-Ocimene	1.53	n/a	0.71	3.20
beta- Farnesene	1.41	n/a	2.45	2.19
Esters	57.90	40.13	40.60	38.27
Monoterpenols	21.78	35.55	40.89	37.00
Monoterpenes	7.30	9.60	3.89	10.83
Sesquiterpenes	6.51	9.91	8.42	9.45
Oxides	2.67	1.03	0.10	0.82
Ketones	1.95	2.28	2.85	1.45
Other[7]	1.91	0.81	2.24	2.17

Population	English	CO2
38.88	28.86	35.10	Linalyl acetate
25.11	37.04	25.40	Linalool
2.97	0.25	3.50	Terpinen-4-ol
3.81	n/a	n/a	trans- Caryophyllene
n/a	1.09	n/a	Z-beta-Ocimene
4.79	0.33	3.30	Lavandulyl acetate
0.95	1.56	n/a	1-Octen-3-yl acetate
0.50	1.73	n/a	3-Octanone
n/a	n/a	n/a	E-beta-Ocimene
1.87	0.83	3.90	beta- Farnesene
47.10	34.50	38.40	Esters
31.49	45.44	29.50	Monoterpenols
8.59	6.82	7.90	Monoterpenes
7.08	5.29	3.90	Sesquiterpenes
2.22	1.61	0.60	Oxides
1.15	2.15	0.20	Ketones
0.58	1.00	0.00	Other[7]

These figures apply to current batches only, and are subject to change with each distillation

Copyright Nature's Gift, Inc.  2018