What Is a Salve?
A salve is a soothing and healing ointment that you apply topically to the skin. It’s made of a combination of medicinal herbs, oils, and beeswax. Turning herbal oils into salves is the best way to apply medicinal herbs to your skin.

A good salve is filled with the essence of ingredients that boost healing, boost circulation, reduce pain, and protect damaged skin. You can use them for any number of skin conditions and minor injuries. They are ideal for moisturizing dry skin, treating burns, rashes, bites, eczema, sore
muscles, arthritis, and nerve pain, to name only a few uses.

How to Make a Salve
I always like to have a St. John’s Wort Salve on hand. It’s a great one to reduce inflammation and help nerve pain, and it helps wounds heal faster, as it contains tannins that speed up the healing process.

St. John’s Wort Salve

You will need:
• ½ cup St. John’s Wort infused-oil (You have the full instructions on how to make an infused oil in Lesson 4. All you need to do is replace Peppermint with St. John’s Wort
flowers.)
• One-eighth cup of beeswax pellets
• Lavender essential oil
• Double boiler or heatproof bowl

Instructions:
1. Use a double boiler or a heatproof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Melt the St. John’s Wort-infused oil and beeswax pellets together, stirring occasionally until completely melted and well combined.
2. For salves I like to use a 4:1 ratio of oil to beeswax; for 4 oz of St John’s Wort oil, add 1 oz of beeswax – if you want a harder salve (like for a lip balm) add more beeswax, if you want it softer, use less beeswax.
3. After everything has melted, let it cool for a few minutes, then add the optional essential oil at the end and stir it very well.
4. Pour the mixture into clean jars or tins and let it cool completely before sealing the containers. I like to test a drop and see how it solidifies before I pour the entire salve. If I’m happy with the consistency then I pour all of my tins.

5. Label it with the ingredients and date.

Dosing Instructions (for adults and children)

To use it, take a small amount of salve, approximately a pea-sized portion, and apply it directly to the affected area of your skin. Gently massage or rub the salve into the skin until you’ll notice it is absorbed. Repeat this process a few times a day.

How Long Salves Last and How to Store These Properly

When it comes to shelf life, any natural salve will keep well for about one to two years, even longer if you keep it in a dark, cool, and dry place. Heat and sunlight can degrade the ingredients, and moisture can let unwanted bacteria grow. That’s why it’s important to tightly seal the container and check it from time to time for any signs of mold or change in texture.
On the other hand, a poultice is a soft and moist mass that you can make by combining crushed or ground herbs and plants with a liquid. This liquid can be a carrier oil, but you can also use water or your own saliva. You can use the resulting mixture directly on the skin and cover it with a cloth or bandage. Salves are versatile and you can use them for various skin conditions. Poultices are mainly used for acute injuries, such as sprains, strains, bruises, cuts, or even insect bites.

You can also use both at the same time; you can apply a poultice on the affected area to draw out toxins, reduce inflammation or to stop bleeding (I use Yarrow for this) and then follow it up with a salve to moisturize and continue the healing process.