Wednesday 18 April 2012

Homemade Healing Salve

You know, in my ideal world, the one where I have the Farm Of My Dreams (with the room of my own in that Farm), I would also have a huge cupboard, pantry even, full to the brim of mama-made things. Jars and jars would gleem, twinkle and wink whenever we opened the door, and I would have space to use both my arms at the same time as I reach for one or other of my many apparatus that I needed in some homemade concoction...





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Yeah, so BACK AT REALITY, I in fact DO have a rather large-ish cupboard where I keep all my homesteading paraphernalia... where I place glass jars, soap making ingredients, cheese press, cheese clothe, yoghurt cultures and tucked away in there a teeny tiny apothecary case. See? Teeny tiny.

In that small case I keep a few bits and pieces; some essential oils that we use most often, beeswax, some lip salve tubs and tubes, and emulsifying wax, droppers blah blah blah. You get the idea. Stuff.

Things usually rolling off the production line include lip salves, toothpaste, deodrants, hand rubs and, this past week a healing salve cream.












I suffer from eczema. I've always had very dry skin anyway, but years of being the human buttwiper and unpaid skivvy has rapidly pushed that into a skin condition needing medical aid. The midget also has very dry skin and it's not unusual for one or both of us to sport cracks over our hands on cold days, knuckles split open and for me, contact dermatitis verging on leprosy! (Hyperbole utilised for literary expression, please don't email me lepers anonymous helplines or anything).

I had given up on ever being 'cured', and certainly nothing I've tried has ever given relief (apart from Nettle Tea to some degree), but after some advice from a sister I added just one extra ingredient to my recent batch of hand salve, and, oh my goodness, WHAT a difference it has made.

It soothes, eases pain, reduces scarring and heals the skin so quickly. It's almost a miracle and I am thankful for the sisterly advice which has meant me and my boy no longer suffer as much and in the hope that this will benefit others I offer the recipe here with the amazing TEA TREE OIL as the miracle ingredient.

So here is our recipe that we have found so so helpful. Make some why don't you? Even those of you who have perfect skin will still love this added healthy boost to your mitts....






Healing Salve Cream Recipe

Ingredients


4 Tablespoons beeswax (grated or pellets)
2 Tablespoons coconut solid oil
12 Tablespoons olive oil
8-12 Drops lavender essential oil
8-12 Drops tea tree essential oil

Method

In a double boiler (old baked bean tin will do, or a milk pan) place all the ingredients together and place in a pan of boiling water until all the wax and oils have melted together. Stir with a fork to mix together. Once mixed, pour the liquid into a jar and leave to set.

Add a label and the date it was made.


And there you have it. A homemade soothing hand cream without the nasties found in shop-bought equivalents. And it works!





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15 comments:

  1. I get really bad skin on my hands during the winter too!
    mashallah the cream looks really good..bet it smells nice!

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  2. WHEN you visit - you'll have to chat to Grandpa Southwellski who makes all sorts of things from cough mixtures to onion compresses for dodgy chests. He may have something for migraines too ;)

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  3. I'll bring my notebook then! :)

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  4. Ooo, that looks lovely, if only your blog was scratch n sniff! Where do you buy your ingredients? I have plenty of essential oils but would be stumped on where to get the beeswax and coconut oil.

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  5. If you google soap making shops online you find pretty everything there. Or eBay :)

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  6. assalamu alaikum

    I made this today with my two little girls, such fun! It smells so good and the consistency is perfect, mashaallah! Jazakumullahu khairan =)

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  7. Oh yey! I'm so pleased! I pray the salve brings you healing and ease. Amin xx

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  8. Thank you! Trying this on my husband's and kids' hands while we wait out these cold, dry Michigan winters. :-)

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  9. I am going to give this a try. I am a backyard gardener. I made Calendula, Plantain, Lemon Balm and Comfrey infused oils (olive oil) this Summer. During my LONG Wisconsin Winter I plan on using these oil infusions for lip balms, creams and salves. I am glad I found your blog. Do you have lip balm recipes? I couldn't find where I can search your blog. PLEASE direct me, I am old and not too good on the computer. Smiles, Lark

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  10. Hello lark! I think if you use the salve but avoid the few tree oil that this would make a good balm too. Playing around with some new recipes, will blog if they turn out ok.

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  11. Thank you for replying so fast. Since you are not ingesting a lip balm, why avoid the tea tree oil? I have a website/blog if you could please check it out, that would be nice. www.larksperennials.com Smiles, Lark

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  12. Oh because some will inadvertently get into your mouth and tea tree oil is foul! ;) will check you out, thanks

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Debbie for the information. I am mostly about gardening if that interests you.

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