Calendula Salve

Calendula Salve

This calendula salve is rich in compounds that nourish, hydrate, and support skin healing.

I call it my #allthethings balm because it can be used as a face moisturizer, chapped-lip balm, baby bottom balm, owie salve, burn salve, bug bite balm, and more. It's super easy to make, too!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 5 ounces

Ingredients

• 4 oz. calendula infused oil (you can make your own calendula oil using this recipe, or buy pre-made calendula oil here)
• ½ oz. beeswax (by weight, that's about 2 tablespoons of beeswax pastilles or grated, packed beeswax)
• 25-50 drops essential oil (optional - lavender, frankincense, chamomile, tea tree or carrot seed are good choices)

Instructions

• Gently heat the beeswax in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a stainless steel bowl set inside a pot of boiling water.
• When the beeswax is melted, add in the calendula oil. Allow it to warm up for 30-60 seconds, then stir until the beeswax and oil are thoroughly mixed.
• Remove the mixture from heat. If you’re adding essential oils, wait until it cools just a little and then stir them in.
• Pour your salve into a clean, dry glass jar or container and allow it to cool. The recipe above makes three of these 2 ounce tins. Now you’re ready for the next bug attack, bee sting, scrape, etc.

Notes

Water-based products often use preservatives (sometimes natural ones) because they are prone to mold/spoilage, but in general oil-based products don't have the same issue. With that said, when carrier oils become oxidized (change chemical structure due to exposure to oxygen, heat, or light), they can cause skin irritation instead of soothing it. 

So when it comes to shelf life, I think in terms of how long a blend is likely to stay truly fresh. The shelf life of herb infused oils is mostly determined by the shelf life of the carrier oil that was used and storage conditions. Olive oil tends to have a shelf life of 1-2 years provided it is stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

An antioxidant such as vitamin E can be added to protect oils from early oxidation. I use 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E tocotrienols per 1 cup of oil.

With that said, if you add in essential oils the shelf life may vary more. Although they don't mold or expire, essential oils can also oxidize. If you're adding essential oils into your salve, I recommend using it within six months.