Herb Infused Balm

HOW TO MAKE HERB-INFUSED BALMS

For the past few weeks I have been infusing several herbs on my windowsill using the ‘solar method’. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of precise measurement for how much oil and how many herbs are needed, but here are the rough instructions:

Place a handful or two of dried herbs in a clean, dry jar (make sure it’s completely dry – you don’t want mold to start growing) and cover the herbs with oil. I used olive oil and almond oil, but any carrier oil will work. Seal the jar and keep it in a sunny place for a couple of weeks. Give it a shake every so often. After its time in the sun, strain the oil with cheesecloth, squeezing every bit of oil out of the herbs.

I made several infusions:

Calendula for a general healing salve (great for diaper cream too)Rose + chamomile for calming and soothing – perfect for just before bedtime.Peppermint + lavender for headaches

After the oil is ready, it’s time to turn it into a balm. Which is totally simple because you’re basically just combining the oil with beeswax.

PEPPERMINT + LAVENDER HEADACHE BALM

The basic ratio of oil to beeswax I used was 2 tablespoons of beeswax for each 1/4 cup of oil. More oil will make a creamier balm, while more beeswax will make it more solid. So if you find the consistency isn’t right for you, you can melt it down again and add more oil or beeswax.

Combine the oil and beeswax either in a saucepan or use a metal bowl as a makeshift double broiler. Either way, I would highly recommend picking one pan or bowl and designating it for this sort of purpose. You don’t want to eat beeswax remnants the next time you make soup.

Melt the oil and beeswax together over low heat. When the beeswax is melted, pour into a clean jar or container. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want a stronger scent. Let salve cool and harden.

ROSE + CHAMOMILE CALMING BALM

I’m generally too impatient to wait weeks for something to be ready, but seeing the pretty herbs on the windowsill was such a treat each day.