Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Handmade Comfrey Salve


Have you ever made your own healing salves?  
It's a quick easy process for the most part and can be fun too!

I took a day earlier this month and made several natural healing salves and some lip balm.  
Our climate in Arizona is very dry and my lips have needed some extra TLC is part of the reason for trying some of the new salve recipes.  Pictured above is almost everything I made cooling.


Here are most of the salves packaged and labeled.  I really like using the avery.com website for designing and printing lables - fun, quick and easy!


What do you say we gather some supplies and make a simple Comfrey Salve?

Comfrey is high in calcium and vitamin C.  It is a contact healer, relieving pain and immediately helping to grow new flesh and bone. The Latin name itself translates "knitting together."

One of the main therapeutic substances in comfrey is allantoin, an anti-inflammatory that perks up the immune system, speeds wound healing, and encourages new skin and cell growth. It's a time-honored treatment for healing sores, bruises, and even broken bones. The tannins in comfrey are astringent, and the rosmarinic acid might contribute some anti-inflammatory assistance. Some extracts have shown the potential to decrease tumor growth and extend the lives of lab mice with cancer.
 (info from Bulk Herb Store)

You'll need:
2 cups good quality Olive Oil
1 oz. dried Comfrey Leaves
1 oz. dried Lavender Flowers
1 oz. dried Calendula Flowers 
1/2 cup Beeswax

There are two ways to infuse your Olive Oil with the herbs.  The first being add all three herbs to a mason jar and pour the Olive Oil over them, put the top on and store in a sunny window for four to six weeks.  After the time as elapsed pour herbs and oil through a strainer and it's ready to use.

Or...

Gently warm your Olive Oil and herbs in a double boiler on the stove top for about 30 minutes.
Pour oil and herbs through a strainer, discard herbs and reserve oil.  Pour your infused oil back into the double boiler and add the Beeswax, heat until mixture is melted together, stir and pour into your containers.  Tins, Mason Jars and twist up or push up tubes work well.  I like the twist up or push up tubes for easy use and application later.


Comfrey Salves cooling.

 The finished product!  2 ounce tins and push up tubes & 1 ounce tins.
Did you know your homemade salves have a shelf life of up to five years if stored in a cool dark place?

I hope you enjoyed reading about making Comfrey Salve today and have the opportunity to try out the recipe.  If you'd rather not make it and would like to buy one I've made you can contact me via e mail, my address is under the contact info tab above.

Need supplies to make your homemade salves?
Bulk Herb Store is one of my favorite places to shop!

Great selection of bulk herbs, books, and remedies. Articles, Research Aids and much more.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

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8 comments:

Alyce Kit and Clowder said...

too cool jan! these look lovely too...i bet they smell great :D

Anna from Natures Home Spa said...

Beautiful salve Jan. Just lovely. I've been reading about comfrey lately and found that its good for acne prone skin and wanted to incorporate it in a soap.....so here is just another good reason for me to invest in some and try it in this salve!

Did you use the same recipe for the lip balm tubes? I'd like to have it as a lip balm, Arizona dryness is brutal.

thanks again for a great post, Anna

Jan Hunnicutt said...

Thanks Anna, the Comfrey Salve is wonderful stuff, I've been using it on my poor cracked/stressed lips. The healing power it has is amazing!

My daughter had a big gash on her side that she used it on and in less than a week it was healed.

I wish I would have filled a few lip balm tubes with it but I used a larger push up tube I found here: http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/1-oz-Push-up-Tube-Natural-pr-1706.html

The larger tube has worked fine on my lips so I didn't melt any and make any changes - yet =)

Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick said...

Great ideas....can't wait to try them.
Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!



Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino

The Chicken Chick

http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

Robin said...

Hi Jan,
I live in AZ also, and this time of year it's a run-for-the-money to keep up with my heels and fingers cracking and bleeding. I'll try your slave out!!

Jan Hunnicutt said...

I know what you mean Robin! Before I made my own soaps and salves I was miserable this time of year being so dry. My skin would split and crack too =(

Ann said...

Thank you, Jan. I am going to try this. I have made lotions and salves before, using olive oil, beeswax and aloe, but I've not tried it with comfrey. Thanks, again!

Lisa Lynn said...

This looks awesome!Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop! Hope to see you back on Thursday :)