Calendula is an herb that is good for skin health. It is supported by clinical trials for the treatment of burns. Making calendula salve is an easy way to use calendula for skin conditions.

Personal Story

I have made calendula salve. It works great on skin wounds or problems.

Wound Care

My herbal instructor taught me that medicines must be liberated, or released, in the body. The herbal or conventional medication taken in will need to break down in the body in order to be of use as a remedy. An example of using the skin to take in medication would be applying a conventional medicine such as Neosporin, a first aid antibiotic ointment, to a wound to prevent infection. This medicine contains Polymyxin B Sulfate, Bacitracin Zinc, Neomycin, Cocoa Butter, Cottonseed Oil, Olive Oil, Sodium Pyruvate, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), and White Petrolatum. White Petrolatum may be contaminated with impurities linked to cancer or other health problems and is not allowed in EO products. (http://www.natural-skincare-authority.com/WHITE-PETROLATUM.html) This information could cause a person to avoid Neosporin and choosing or making an herbal product that contains calendula for application on skin wounds.

The Process of Making a Salve

Making herbal salve is not difficult, but it does take some time. Here’s how:

Gather supplies: German Chamomile, Calendula, almond oil, beeswax, herb grinder, scale, glass ovenproof bowl, cooking thermometer, large strainer, washed unbleached muslin, a cooking pot, a metal spoon, measuring cups, and containers for the completed salve.

To make the salve, take a half cup of almond oil and placed it into the ovenproof bowl. Grind 0.5 ounces German Chamomile and one ounce of Calendula in the coffee grinder. Place the herbs in the bowl, stir with the spoon, and place the bowl in the toaster oven at 150 degrees, leaving the door slightly open so the temperature stays between 100 and 140 degrees. Leave the mixture in the oven for three hours, stirring it with a cooking thermometer and checking the temperature each hour.

line a strainer with muslin cloth. Pour the mixture into the muslin. Let it sit to drain and then mash it with a rubber scraper. When there isn’t any oil dripping, squeeze the “bag” of mixture with the hands. Measure the oil, which was about an eighth cup.

Put the oil into a pot. Grate an ounce of beeswax, add it to the oil, and mix it. Heat this mixture on low heat until it is fully melted. Place a spoon that has been dipped in the mixture in the freezer.  A minute later check to see if it is firm. Pour the liquid salve into the containers and label the jars “Calendula and Chamomile Salve, Date.”

Action

Make some salve with calendula for wound care this spring.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. How did your salve turn out?