How to Make Herbal Salves and Balms

How to Make Herbal Salves and Balms

Simple, homemade skin care from your own kitchen

Quick Recipe Card

Ratio Reference:
For a soft salve: 1 part beeswax : 4–5 parts infused oil by weight
For a firmer balm: up to 1 : 3 ratio
(Visual cue: about 1 inch of grated wax for every 5 inches of oil in the pot)

What You’re Making

A salve (also called a balm) is one of the easiest herbal preparations to start with. It’s simply an herb-infused oil thickened with a little beeswax until it sets into a smooth, spreadable ointment.

You don’t need special equipment—just a saucepan, a spoon, and a few clean jars. Once you know the steps, you can turn almost any garden herb into a homemade balm for dry skin.

By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to make a small, shelf-stable batch of salve for everyday home use—right from your kitchen counter.

Materials & Equipment

Ingredients

• Herb-infused oil (see our guide to infused oils) Olive, sweet almond, or coconut oil are all good bases
• Beeswax — pellets melt fastest; grated blocks work fine too
• (Optional) Vitamin E oil — a few drops to slow rancidity
• (Optional) Essential oils — a few drops of lavender, peppermint, or tea tree for scent. Keep the bottles locked up, out of the sight and reach of children and pets (safety notes)

Tools

• Heat-safe bowl or measuring cup ad
• Saucepan or small slow cooker ad
• Wooden spoon or spatula ad
• Cheesecloth or fine strainer ad (if finishing oil)
• Small tins or glass jars with lids ad
• Clean towel ad for wiping spills
• Labels and marker ad for dating jars

Optional helpful tools: A digital kitchen scale ad for precision, small funnel ad for pouring, and silicone spatula ad for scraping every drop.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your infused oil

If you already have herbal oil ready, skip to Step 2.

Otherwise, you’ll need to infuse your dried herbs into oil first. You have two methods to choose from:

Cold Infusion (Slow & Gentle)

• Fill a clean jar 2/3 full with dried herbs
• Pour oil to cover herbs by 1–2 inches
• Cap and let sit 2–6 weeks in a cool, dark place
• Shake occasionally to keep herbs wet
• Pros: Preserves heat-sensitive properties, no monitoring needed
• Cons: Takes weeks, requires patience

Warm Infusion (Quick)

• Place herbs and oil in a jar inside a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Hot water can cause serious scald burns in young children, so keep them away from the stove (safety notes)
• Keep heat very low — oil hot to touch but never bubbling
• Warm for 4–8 hours, checking water levels
• Pros: Ready same day, good for last-minute needs
• Cons: Requires monitoring, may damage delicate compounds

When done with either method, strain through cheesecloth, squeezing out every drop. Compost the herbs.

Critical: Only use fully dried herbs. Fresh herbs contain water that will cause your oil to spoil or grow mold. CDC’s rule for homemade oils made with garlic or herbs (refrigerate them, throw them away after 4 days) is for oils you eat (CDC). Our advice: for skin oils and salves, use only fully dried herbs (safety notes).

See our guide to drying herbs.

Step 2: Measure oil and beeswax

For a soft salve, use roughly 1 oz beeswax for every 5 oz oil (about 1/4 cup wax per 1 cup oil).
For a firmer balm, increase beeswax slightly.

Place oil and beeswax together in a double boiler setup: a heat-safe bowl or jar sitting in a small pot of simmering water.

Step 3: Melt together on low heat

Keep the heat low—the oil should feel hot to the touch but never bubble.
Stir occasionally until the wax is fully melted and the mixture is clear.
Avoid splashing water into the oil.

Heat safety: Beeswax is flammable. If it boils over or flows onto the burner, there’s danger of a violent fire, so use low heat and keep a close eye on the pot. Hot water and hot kitchen items can cause serious scald burns in young children, so keep them away from the stove (safety notes).

Testing tip: Spoon a little onto a cold plate and refrigerate 1 minute to test firmness. Too hard? Add more oil. Too soft? Melt in a touch more wax.

Step 4: Add optional extras (off heat)

Remove from heat. Stir in any essential oils (5–10 drops total) or 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil per cup of salve.
Work quickly—the mix will begin to thicken as it cools.
Lock essential oils away, out of the sight and reach of children and pets (safety notes).

Step 5: Pour into containers

Pour the warm mixture into clean, dry tins or jars.
Wipe rims clean. Leave uncovered until cool, then cap and label.
Let sit undisturbed until solid—about 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 6: Label and store

Include the name of herbs, carrier oil, and date.
Store in a cool, dark place. Avoid moisture or direct sunlight.

Your salve should stay fresh for 9–12 months or longer if it smells clean and herbal. If it develops a rancid or sour odor, it’s time to make a new batch.

How to Use

• Scoop a pea-sized amount and rub gently into skin
• Use on dry or chapped skin
• For external use only. Don’t use on deep, puncture or infected wounds. Those need a doctor (safety notes).

Storage & Shelf Life

• Keep sealed containers in a cool, dark cupboard — warmth speeds spoilage
• Salves typically last 9–12 months, sometimes longer with vitamin E
• For extra longevity, store backup jars in the fridge (they’ll just firm up more)
• Check freshness: Smell before use—if the odor turns waxy, sour, or musty, it’s time to compost it

Safety Notes

• Always use dried herbs for infusions to prevent mold (see our guide to drying herbs)
• Keep lids clean and dry — moisture shortens shelf life
• Test on a small skin patch first to check for sensitivities
• Keep away from eyes and out of children’s reach
• External use only — not for internal consumption
• When gifting, list ingredients clearly for allergy awareness

Beeswax: University of Delaware Extension cautions that “beeswax is flammable. If beeswax should boil over or flow onto the burner there is danger of a violent fire,” and advises “low heat and careful attention” when handling it (University of Delaware Extension).

Hot water: The American Burn Association warns that “Hot water, drinks, and kitchen items can cause serious scald burns” in young children, and advises a “nokid zone” in the kitchen “around stoves, ovens, and hot items” (American Burn Association).

Essential oils: Poison Control warns, “Misuse of essential oils can cause serious poisoning.” It adds, “If you have bottles of essential oils at home, consider discarding them safely if you have young children. Otherwise, they must be locked up, out of the sight and reach of children and pets” (Poison Control).

Fresh herbs in oil: CDC advises, “Refrigerate homemade oils made with garlic or herbs. Throw the oils away after 4 days” (CDC). That advice is about foodborne botulism, so it covers oils you eat. Our advice: for skin oils and salves, use only fully dried herbs.

Example Recipes

Each recipe yields roughly 4–8 oz of finished salve.

Every recipe melts beeswax, so follow the heat safety note in Step 3. Where a recipe adds essential oil, lock the bottle away from children and pets afterward (safety notes). For each herb’s own cautions, check its plant page, such as calendula and chamomile.

Calendula-Plantain Salve (Everyday Balm)

• 1/2 cup dried calendula petals
• 1/2 cup dried plantain leaves
• Olive oil to cover (about 1 cup)
• Infuse oil using either method above
• Strain, then add 1 tablespoon beeswax per 1/3 cup strained oil; melt over low heat, as beeswax is flammable (safety notes)
• Optional: 3 drops lavender essential oil, then lock the bottle away from children and pets (safety notes)

An everyday balm for dry hands. Calendula is listed in Europe as a traditional herbal medicine for minor skin inflammation and as an aid for minor wounds. A homemade salve isn’t one of those licensed products.

Comfrey-Calendula-Plantain Balm

• Equal parts dried comfrey leaf, plantain leaf, and calendula flowers (about 2/3 cup each)
• Cover with 1 1/2 cups olive oil; infuse until richly colored
• Add 1 oz beeswax to strained oil; melt over low heat, as beeswax is flammable, and stir until smooth (safety notes)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E + 5 drops lavender oil; lock the essential oil away from children and pets afterward (safety notes)

For unbroken skin only.

Comfrey caution: Comfrey contains compounds that can damage the liver (MSKCC). Use this balm only on unbroken skin, only for adults, and for no more than 10 days (European herbal monograph). Never take comfrey by mouth, and skip it if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding unless your doctor okays it.

Lavender-Chamomile Salve (Gentle Skin Balm)

• 1/4 cup dried lavender buds
• 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers
• Optional: 1/4 cup calendula petals
• 1 cup sweet almond or avocado oil
• Infuse, strain, and combine with 1/4 cup (2 oz) beeswax; melt over low heat, as beeswax is flammable (safety notes)
• Add 3–5 drops lavender essential oil for scent, then lock the bottle away from children and pets (safety notes)

A gentle, moisturizing balm for adults. Ask your pediatrician before using herbal salves on babies, and leave out the essential oil. Chamomile can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to ragweed (NCCIH). See the chamomile page for its other cautions.

Visual Summary

You’re Ready

That’s all there is to it. Once you’ve made your first batch, you’ll never look at those pricey store-bought tins the same way. Start simple, label everything, and don’t worry if it’s not perfect—the next batch always gets better.

Each jar you make is a little gift of care from your kitchen. You’re not just saving money; you’re creating something real and useful with your own hands.

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