Winter brings beautiful snowy days and white winter wonderlands, but it also brings cold, dry air that can do a number on our skin. And if your kiddos are like mine, you can relate to those dry, rosy cheeks! This is the time of year I break out the double-broiler (or reusable glass jar!) and make an easy beeswax salve for the family.
A salve is any soothing or medicinal mixture that includes beeswax, oils, herbs, or essential oils. Salves are used for various reasons, but they have a history rooted in natural medicine and have been used to treat ailments and irritations for thousands of years.
What are Salves Used For?
Salves are much thicker than moisturizers and a little thicker than balms. Balms have a higher concentration of beeswax, making them slightly more solid, but similarly soothing. Salves melt easily and absorb when you’re rubbing it into your skin, so you don’t feel too greasy.
When regular creams and lotions won’t cut it (and are filled with lab-made silicons), a salve is the best solution.
I spent a long time trying to find an all-natural salve that was thick and super moisturizing, and I didn’t have much luck. Then a friend suggested I make my own. I didn’t realize how easy it was!
You can make an easy beeswax salve with only two ingredients: olive oil and beeswax. Olive oil is fantastic for the skin, and beeswax creates a thick protective barrier different from everyday moisturizers.
Why Go DIY with Easy Beeswax Salve? What’s Wrong With Store Bought Salves?
Well, why not go DIY? Everything’s better when made at home, so you know exactly what ingredients are inside. And it’s even better that you only need two ingredients and the product is simple to make
We know by now that the personal care industry hides plenty of toxic ingredients in their products. Lots of top-name beauty brands have “luxury” salves available that hide preservatives, lanolin, alcohol, synthetic fragrances, siloxanes, talcs, PFAS and PFCs inside.
Many people use Vaseline, Aquaphor, or similar products in place of a clean salve. They may seem the same because they are a similar texture, they aren’t alike at all! Brands like Vaseline contain ingredients that make them water-repellent, rather than water-soluble. They create a barrier, which is great for many purposes, but will not help treat the dry skin overall. Children prone to acne or allergic reactions are also very sensitive to these products.
Luckily, salve is super easy to make at home. It’s almost impossible to mess up. That’s our favorite kind of recipe!
Simple Salve Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Wide pan or pot for boiling water
- Melting pot or small glass jars A melting pot is easier!
- Salve Tins (optional) Great for gifts and easy storage
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup organic beeswax pellets (For a softer salve, use less beeswax. For a thicker salve, use a ratio of one part beeswax to three parts olive oil instead.)
- 3/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ TBSP organic Shea Butter (optional) Shea butter is moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal, but this salve is still great if you don’t have it.
- Organic Essential Oils (optional) We often skip this, but you can add about 20 drops of essential oil per one cup salve (just make sure it is true essential oil fragrance). Lavender oil makes for a tremendously calming sleepytime salve. Bergamot and grapefruit may be refreshing for daytime!
Instructions
Simple Salve Recipe
- Fill a pan with water about 1-2 inch high, depending on the size of your jars or melting pot.
- Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat.
- Fill a melting pot with organic beeswax pellets and optional shea butter. If you don’t have one, divide your beeswax pellets across any small jars that you have.
- Place the melting pot or jars in the pan and let the beeswax melt. Or just melt them in the microwave!
- Once beeswax has fully melted and mixable, add the olive oil and optional essential oils.
- Stir in in the olive oil and optional oils just until combined evenly.
- Remove it from the heat once the ingredients are mixed enough.
- If using a melting pot, pour into small jars or salve tins.
- Let the liquid solidify (usually 30-45 min).
Notes
Our Shopping List & Favorite Brands
- Organic Beeswax Pellets
- Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Organic Shea Butter
- Organic Essential Oils
- Pouring/Melting Pot
- Salve Tins (Great for gifts!)
You can make this recipe in batches to last the whole year or to give to others as gifts. I put a salve on my kiddos’ noses and cheeks before they go outside to protect their exposed skin from the harsh winter air. Try it after baths to lock in moisture too. Finally, don’t forget to moisturize your own skin! My dry hands benefit from using salve daily!
Try it out, and let us know what you think!
