homemade healing herbal salves
taking skincare back into your own hands!
Over the weekend, a small miracle occurred.
I spent an entire 16 hours totally and blissfully alone. No husband, no kids (all of whom I ADORE, let’s be clear)… this time it was just me, myself, and I.
For better or worse, I’m an introvert to a T and the only way I can really reset and recharge is time alone. And recently I did the math, and before this past weekend, I hadn’t had a day/night truly by myself in… over 4 years? So yeah, my little introverted self was kind of overdue for a brief solo stay-cation. And because Matthew has roughly one million hotel points from his work travel, on Sunday I got a free stay at a hip hotel in downtown Durham. Did I miss my family like crazy and stare at their pictures and text/call multiple times? Yes, yes of course I did.
But also! I shopped at cool vintage stores, spent a blissful two hours at a sauna house, drank a margarita while reading a new book in bed at 6pm, watched a rom-com on Netflix, and slept a whole uninterrupted 8 hours without any toddlers waking me up at 5am.
It. Was. GLORIOUS.
I know none of this has anything to do with my normal farming / cooking content, but it’s a glimpse of real life and a reminder that, as cliche as it sounds, you really do have to fill up your own cup if you want to keep pouring into others. And that can look like a hotel stay-cation OR it can be as simple as a 20 minute walk/run, or writing in your journal, crafting, going roller blading, or WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT.
And as someone who hates asking other people for help, a heads up that you might have to ask for an extra hand in order to step away for a bit. But I’ll bet that the people in your life will be thrilled to show up for you – all you have to do is ask.
A reminder that if you have any gardening or cooking related questions, I’m here to help! Send in your questions to our private community HELP LINE, where I’ll always personally answer within 24 hours. There’s no question too big or small. :)
Okay, time to get cooking and dig into this week’s new (skincare) recipe – healing herbal salve – available for paid subscribers.
PS – Time for a giveaway! Next week I’m sending a tin of my homemade salve to one of my wonderful paid subscribers… I’ll randomly select someone on Sunday evening (March 23rd). Just join as a paid subscriber by Sunday to be automatically entered in the giveaway!
In the spirit of self care (!) I’m mixing it up this week and sharing my recipe for a truly magical healing herbal salve. I’ve been making this salve for about 8 years and I use it every single day, morning and night! I religiously apply it all over my face + hands twice a day, and I use it anywhere that I get a cut, scrape, burn, or rash because it is so incredibly nourishing and healing. It’s been a total game-changer for my skin and I’ve also seen the wonders that it has worked for others.
In a nutshell, this salve is made from organic coconut and olive oil that is gently infused with dried medicinal plants grown on our farm (calendula, comfrey, and plantain). The infused oil is then blended with local beeswax and fortified with Vitamin E oil and high quality essential oils (my go-to essential oil combo is tea tree, lavender, and frankincense). I’ve never shared my exact salve method + recipe before, and I’m hopeful that this will inspire folks to take more control over what we’re putting on our skin (aka the largest organ on our bodies)!
And if making your own salve just isn’t up your alley, I totally get it. I just whipped up a bunch of new tins, which you can purchase here (shipping available to anywhere in the US).
But if you are interested in making your own salves… keep reading!
As you’ll see in the recipe below, the foundation of any good salve is a medicinal herb-infused oil. By infusing a neutral oil (such as olive, coconut, or almond oil) with the healing and curative properties of dried medicinal herbs, you can create natural skincare products that are gentle, protecting, and healing.
There are TONS of medicinal plants that you can use for oil infusions, but I focus on three main plants that grow well in our climate here in the South East, namely comfrey, calendula, and plantain. Here are more details about these three magical plants, and why I like to use them in my skincare products:
CALENDULA – A flower in the Marigold family used to treat wounds and skin irritations, calendula can be incorporated in creams, compresses, salves, ointments, teas. Calendula is also a useful (and edible) plant in the garden! It repels many garden pests, is a companion plant for potatoes, beans, and lettuce, and is very easy to grow. More information and photos here.
COMFREY – A perennial with large, hairy leaves that has traditionally been used to heal bruises, soreness, and skin irritation. Comfrey roots and leaves contain allantoin, a substance that helps new skin cells grow, along with other substances that reduce inflammation and keep skin healthy. More information and photos here.
PLANTAIN – Commonly found leafy plant (often considered a weed!) with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Often used to treat insect bites, wounds, preventing infections and accelerating healing. More information and photos here.
My process for drying these homegrown herbs is very simple: Just lay out the fresh herbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and place in a 180F oven until the herbs are dry to the touch. Depending on the herb(s) you are drying, this can take as little as 20-30 minutes, and up to an hour or two… so keep an eye on them.
The world of herbal medicine is immense and dense, and this is just scratching the surface! If you’re looking to dig deeper into the world of medicinal herbs, Mountain Rose Herbs is a fabulous resource. Their website is a treasure trove of information, plus you can purchase dried herbs, teas, natural skincare products, etc.
Keep reading for the full recipe (and a handy 1-page PDF for easy printing).
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Healing Herbal Salve
Makes 4-5 tins of salve (2 ounce tins)