The basic proportions are:
Salves
- 20-30% wax
- 70-80% soft oils
- 40-50% wax
- 50-60% soft oils
Balms tend to have a higher ratio of beeswax, making it harder. Salves have more soft oils, making them easier to spread. Any of these recipes can be changed into balms by increasing the wax ratio to soft oils.
Salves can also be used as a lip balm and poured into a twist-up lip balm container when it is still in a liquid state. Please read all safety instructions for any essential oil used, especially regarding how old a child should be before use. Oils can become very hot – use proper protection to prevent any injury.
Directions for Salves
Choose a recipe and decide how much finished product is needed. Because these products do not go through any chemical reactions, they are only being melted and mixed together, the measurements do not need to be exact; it does not matter whether or not they are measured by weight or volume.
- Take the percentage you are wanting to use and turn it into a decimal. A percentage is out of 100, so divide the percentage by 100 (or move the decimal two places to the left) to get the equivalent decimal. (50% = 0.50; 20% = 0.20; 75% = 0.75)
I use wax pellets because they are easier to measure. Measure out the waxes and oils. Choose the best melting method for your needs (for the most part, they are arranged from fastest method to slowest method but this can vary).
- Melt in the microwave in a microwave-safe jar, cup, bowl, or other container.
- Melt over low heat on a stove.
- Melt in a double boiler.
- Melt in a slow cooker.
Once everything is completely melted (or blended/mixed well) and combined, remove from heat and add any remaining ingredients (i.e. vitamin e, essential oils, clay, charcoal, etc.). Mix everything together very well and pour or scoop into final containers or molds. Let cool completely before using. The cooling process can be sped up by placing it in the refrigerator.
I am going to make a basic salve recipe with almond oil and beeswax.
I have a 4 oz glass jar. It is for storage, but since it is microwave safe, I will be melting the ingredients in it as well. I measured how many tablespoons will fit in the jar by testing it with water. It came out to about 8 tablespoons with a bit of extra room (you do not want to fill it to the rim). I am going to do 75% soft oil and 25% wax (8 * 0.75 = 6; 8 * 0.25 = 2). I measured out 6TBS of almond oil and 2TBS of beeswax and put them in the container.
I microwaved the glass jar for 30 seconds at a time on high. If your container is not microwave safe or you are unsure, you can microwave the ingredients in something else then pour it into the final storage container once completely melted. I stirred each time I checked it. It took only 90 seconds with a little stirring to become completely melted.
Give it one final stir to make sure it is incorporated and leave it alone to cool and harden. Mine took about 30 minutes to harden, but it was still a bit warm. To cool it down faster, you can put it in the refrigerator. I do not recommend putting it in the freezer.
This is just the basic recipe, but there are many variations. Here are a few that I've made.
Note: they can be mixed while and/or after hardening to make a softer consistency, more like petroleum jelly. This is easier to do when the mixture is not completely solid. If mixed periodically while cooling, it produces a smoother, less clumpy end product. If mixed after it is completely cooled, it is harder to incorporate and clumps may still be left behind. Any clumps left will melt on your skin, so it does not have to be completely smooth.
This basic recipe can easily be altered to suit your needs.
- Soft oil - any oil that is liquid at room temperature. Coconut oil is not typically put into this category but, since it melts so close to typical room temperature (especially in warmer climates), it can be used in this category for at least part of the soft oils if wanted.
- Different oils have different properties. Some clog pores more than others; the more likely the oil is to clog pores the higher the comedogenic rating is for that oil. Oils that have a high comedogenic rating are likely to cause acne if applied to the face. Other oils are better at hydrating the skin while others do not hydrate as much. Some leave more of an oily feeling than others. You can search the web for properties of certain oils or just test them out yourself.
- Candelilla wax is harder than beeswax, so smaller amounts are used to produce the same consistency. It is suggested that you only need to use half the amount of Candelilla wax compared to beeswax. Just decrease the percentage wax used and increase the soft oils; other portions should not have to be changed.
Basic Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Acne Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 65-75% soft oils (optional: infused with turmeric root)
- 5% neroli, neem, tamanu, argan, jojoba, or more soft oils
- tea tree essential oil
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Anti-Itch Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with calendula flowers, rose petals, and/or St. John's wort
- peppermint essential oil
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Calendula Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with calendula flowers
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Coffee Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with coffee bean grounds
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Comfrey Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with comfrey leaves
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Chamomile Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with chamomile flowers
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Dandelion Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with dandelion flowers
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Drawing Salve
- 15-29% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 65-79% soft oils
- or 90-98% base recipe
- 1-5% clay (kaolin, bentonite, etc.)
- 1-5% charcoal powder
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Eczema Salve (not tested, concept recipe)
- 19-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 66-79% soft oils (recommended: jojoba or almond) infused with chamomile and calendula flowers
- or 95-99% base recipe
- 1-5% colloidal oats
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Ginger and Cayenne Salve (people use this recipe for aches and pains)
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with ginger root and cayenne
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Neem Salve (people use this salve for acne and eczema)
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 55-75% soft oils
- 5-15% neem oil
- soft oils and neem oil together should total 70-80%
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Ouch Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 67.5-77.5% soft oils
- or 97.5% base recipe
- 2.5% raw honey (normal works too)
- tea tree and lavender essential oils
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Pine Sap Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 40-70% soft oils
- 10-30% pine sap
- soft oils and pine sap together should total 70-80%
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Pine Tar Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 50-75% soft oils
- 5-20% pine tar
- soft oils and pine tar together should total 70-80%
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Plantain Leaf ("Medicine Leaf") Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with plantain leaf
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Vapor Salve
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 55-65% soft oils
- 15-25% coconut oil (or palm oil or tallow)
- the soft oils and coconut oil should add up together to equal 75-80%
- Eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary (and optional cedar leaf, peppermint, pine needle, tea tree) essential oils
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Witch Hazel Salve (not tested, concept recipe)
- 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
- 70-80% soft oils infused with witch hazel leaves and bark
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
If you have any other ideas for salves please let me know.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
