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Chickweed Salve © Millie Fodor
2 part Chickweed
2 part Plantain
1 part Comfrey Leaf
Olive oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Notes - If 1 part equals 1/3 cup then you will need 12 - 14 ounces of oil and about 1 ounce
of beeswax.
Use this salve to soothe itching caused by insect bites and rashes, and to aid healing of minor skin
irritations.
Directions for Making Salve
To make salve, we extract the beneficial properties of our herbs in
oil, then add beeswax to harden the oil.
My recipes are based on the Simplers' Method of calculating proportions.
These recipes require you to use parts rather than a specific volume of each herb. This technique allows you to easily adapt
the recipe. If you want a small amount of salve you can choose one tablespoon as your part, if you want a large amount of
salve you might choose 1/2 - 1 cup as your part. The amount of oil needed is enough to completely cover the herbs, plus an
inch of oil above the level of the herbs. The tricky part of this is determining exactly how much beeswax is needed to harden
the salve. You can approximate the proportions based on the following equivalents. One pint of oil will need about 1 1/2 ounces
of beeswax, or one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax. There are about 5 teaspoons of beeswax in an ounce.
If you intend to make your salve using freshly collected plants, you will want to clean them. Do this by shaking
them to remove dirt then spread the herbs out to allow them to air dry for several hours ( until wilted ) to reduce the moisture
content. Fresh chickweed, for example, contains a lot of moisture and this water content could cause your salve to spoil quickly.
To begin your salve, measure the desired amount of herbs into an enamel or stainless steel pan, or into a crock pot.
Cover the herbs with oil. Use enough oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil above the level of herbs.
Heat the herbs and oil over a low heat for several hours ( about 3 hours). If you are using roots you should heat the
oil longer( about 5 hours). I strongly encourage you to use a crock pot for heating your oil because it operates at a controlled
low temperature which is less likely to be a fire hazard. If you don't use a crock pot then use a double boiler.
After
heating, cool your oil for awhile. Set up a strainer lined with cheesecloth then pour the oil through to strain. When most
of the oil has filtered through the cheesecloth, pick up the cheesecloth, keeping the herbs enclosed, and squeeze as much
oil as possible from the herbs and cloth.
Add beeswax to the oil and heat it until all the wax is melted. To test
to see if your salve is hard enough, put some on a spoon and set it in a cool place for a few minutes. If your salve is too
soft, add more beeswax.
If you are using essential oils or Vitamin E you can blend them in now. Finally, pour your
salve into containers and label.
St. John's Wort Salve © Millie Fodor
1 part St. John's Wort
1
part Calendula
1 part Comfrey leaf
1 part Plantain
Olive Oil
Beeswax .
Vitamin E
Great
all purpose salve. Use for insect bites, itching, wounds, burns and on fungal infections.
Baby Salve © Millie Fodor
1 part St. John's Wort
2 part Calendula
1 part Comfrey leaf
1 part Comfrey root
1 part Plantain
Olive
Oil
Beeswax .
Vitamin E
Goldenseal Salve © Millie Fodor
1 part Goldenseal Root
1
part Comfrey Root
1 part Calendula
1 part Echinacea
1 part Myrrh
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Use this salve to prevent infection and aid in the healing of wounds.
Black Walnut Salve © Millie Fodor
2 part Black Walnut
2 part Chaparral
1 part Myrrh
1 part Burdock
1 part Echinacea
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Optional - Tea Tree Oil - 10 drops per ounce
This salve is primarily used to fight
fungal infections such as, eczema, ringworm, and athletes foot.
Dreamtime Salve © Millie Fodor
2 part Mugwort
1 part Rosemary
1/2 part Spearmint
1/2 part Calendula
1/2 part Sage
1/4 part Lavender
Olive
Oil
Beeswax
Vitamin E
Apply Dreamtime Salve to your temples at bedtime to encourage imaginative dreams.
Eucalyptus Salve / Chest Rub © Millie Fodor
30 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
40 drops Camphor essential
oil
15 drops Wintergreen essential oil
1 ounce Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Beeswax
Melt the beeswax in
the olive oil. Remove from heat and add the essential oils. Stir, pour into salve container and label.
Eucalyptus
salve is used to relieve respiratory congestion.
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