Make Your Own Herbal Body Care Products
The following is an excerpt from my book, Grow Create Inspire.
Herbal-Infused Oils or Herbal Oil Infusion
Herbal oil infusions are used topically for dry skin or to heal blemishes. They can also be used to make lip balm, first-aid salve or other healing salves. Making an herbal oil infusion simply involves soaking herbs or flowers in a jar of oil, then straining the herb to use the oil.
Oil Infusion for First Aid Salve
Supplies + Ingredients:
1 Mason jar with lid
1 cup dried herbs or 3 cups fresh herbs (comfrey, dandelion, calendula, echinacea, plantain and lemon balm)
2 cups carrier oil (grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, sweet almond oil or apricot oil)
3 capsules of vitamin E oil
1) Pack your herbs in a large glass jar, cover with oil and add vitamin E capsules, leaving an inch at the top.
2) Shake vigorously.
3) Seal the jar and leave it in a warm, slightly sunny place for two weeks, shaking daily.
4) Pour into a clean glass jar, straining through cheesecloth.
5) Squeeze as much oil through the bag, and pour into clean dark glass bottles.
6) Seal the bottles and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
First-Aid Salve
This great general-purpose healing salve will make about 10 ounces.
2 cups of your herbal-infused oil (comfrey, chickweed, calendula, echinacea, plantain, lemon balm, dandelion)
1 ounce grated or chopped beeswax
3 vitamin E capsules of at least 400 units (this is your preservative)
10 drops of lavender essential oil
cheesecloth to strain herbs
double boiler, or 2 pots (one that fits inside of the other)
Glass measuring cup
Large spoon
Stainless steel container with a narrow pouring spout
Baby food jars or tins
Labels or a permanent marker
Place your herbal oil infusion in the top pot of your double boiler on a burner or on the stovetop.
Very GENTLY heat the oil mix on low.
Puncture and add your vitamin E capsules and then add your beeswax. Stir until it’s completely melted and blended.
Remove from heat and let cool just 1 or 2 minutes.
Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil and stir.
Pour into a wide mouth jar or several small jars. As it cools, the mixture will become semi-solid and the perfect salve consistency. First-aid salve may be used in place of double or triple antibiotic ointment. It helps to heal minor cuts, scrapes and burns. It also helps with bruises, dry skin, joint and muscle pain and even arthritis pain.
Lip Balm
For a mint flavor, use peppermint and spearmint essential oils; for chai flavor, use small amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove essential oils; for a citrus blend, use grapefruit and orange. Purchase pure essential oils online or at your local health food store. It is best to get pure food or cosmetic-grade essential oils. A few drops go a long way.
Basic Lip Balm recipe:
1 cup coconut oil or other solid carrier oil
(An herbal oil infusion with herbs such as chocolate mint could also be used)
½ cup hemp seed oil
2 tablespoons of vitamin E oil
1½ ounces beeswax (or ¾ ounce candelilla wax and ½ ounce soy wax — vegan option)
¼ ounce cocoa butter
10–15 drops of pure essential oils
Double boiler or 2 pots, one smaller than the other
Small stainless steel pitcher with spout
Approximately 50 lip balm tubes or tins (available online under the title “eco-friendly lip balm tubes”)
Heating element (stove top, double burner, etc…)
Have all ingredients available and ready. Set up lip balm tubes upright with enough space between each tube to grab and fill.
Pour about 2–3 inches of water into the bottom pot of a double boiler. Once the water boils, turn heat to low. Place beeswax (or candelilla wax and soy wax for vegan lip balm) and cocoa butter into the smaller stainless steel pot and stir frequently until completely melted. Add coconut oil, hemp seed oil and vitamin E oil. Stir well until mixture is liquid again. Turn heat off. With a potholder, remove the pot with the mixture and pour it into the small stainless steel pitcher with the narrow spout. Stir in 10–15 drops of essential oils. Immediately pour mixture into the lip balm tubes. A pitcher with a narrow pour spout works fairly well if you pour slowly. Otherwise, use a stainless steel funnel. Let the tubes sit until they harden. Once they harden, put the caps on, wipe them with a clean damp cloth and label.
Lotion
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup shea butter
¼ cup cocoa butter
1 cup emulsifying wax
2 tablespoons vitamin E oil
4 cups hot water
¼ teaspoons of citric acid
Pure essential oils (pick gentle ones such as lavender)
Melt oils, butter and wax together in a double boiler on low. Put mixture and hot water into large stainless steel bowl. Mix for one minute using an electric mixer, or whip by hand. Store in a baby food jar with tight-fitting lid.
Sunscreen
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup shea butter
¼ cup cocoa butter
1 cup emulsifying wax
4 tablespoons beeswax
2 tablespoons vitamin E oil
4 cups hot water
¼ teaspoons of citric acid
10 tablespoons zinc oxide
10 tablespoons aloe vera gel
Pure essential oils (gentle ones such as lavender or eucalyptus)
Vegan option: replace beeswax with candelilla and soy wax.
Melt oils, butters and waxes together in a double boiler on low heat. Put melted mixture, hot water and citric acid into a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Mix for one minute using an electric mixer, or whip by hand. After the mixture cools, add 10 tablespoons of zinc oxide and 10 tablespoons aloe vera gel. Increase zinc oxide and aloe vera gel if you would like to increase SPF. One tablespoons of each will increase the SPF by 5. For an insect repellent component, add 15 drops of citronella essential oil, 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Store in baby food jars with tight fitting lids.
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