Make This Easy + Natural Botanical Hand Salve [Recipe]

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Although it felt for a moment as though we would never see spring again, suddenly I am waking up to to-do lists filled with seed starting tasks and dirt under my fingernails once more. But what is more inevitable than spring for a gardener? Calluses and dry skin galore from all that time spent working with our hands in the soil. It doesn’t seem to matter what gloves I wear, between the short, practical nails and the constant need to moisturize there is no point in the growing season where I have the hands of a model! Anyone who has struggled with gardener’s hands knows the eternal search for the perfect balm - some are too greasy, some seem to evaporate off your skin within seconds and have no effect, but to find the elusive, perfect hand balm is to discover the holy grail of the gardener’s toolbox.

So while I have been enjoying this time of growth and watching my little sprouts join the world and reach upward with their new leaves, the experience would be infinitely better if I had the benefit of a hand salve recipe that would support my skin through this intense part of the growing season. Whenever I find myself with a skin concern I always turn to Herbal Academy’s Botanical Skincare book because it has at least one of every common type of skincare product you could need, with easy to find ingredients and no complicated recipe processes that would leave me wondering if I had actually made the thing I was trying to make. Most of the recipes are so simple they fit on a single page, but don’t let the fact that the recipes are simple fool you into thinking these recipes are “just ok”. In fact, I believe their power lies in their simplicity. We don’t need a hundred different ingredients to achieve most of the desired effects and in the case of skincare I do believe less is actually more. The beautiful illustrations just keep me motivated to discover more.

Since my psoriasis diagnosis I’ve had to become extra careful about what I put on my skin, and so many commercial products available today have harsh ingredients that aggravate my skin condition. I like to be able to pronounce everything I am putting on my body if possible, and going with homemade skincare products helps me do this.

You really don’t need many supplies to make your own homemade hand cream in your kitchen either. As long as you have measuring cups and a repurposed container to store your finished natural calendula hand salve in, a double boiler can be made if you do not have one by placing a mason jar inside of your pot sitting on top of the lid of the jar to keep it from coming into direct contact with the heat source. It’s also a good idea to dedicate a stirring spoon that you don’t need anymore to the task as it may come into contact with ingredients that are not food safe. This spoon can be reused for all of your future skincare DIY projects - trust me, once you start making your own DIY lotion recipes you won’t be able to stop! You can of course purchase all the supplies needed - Mountain Rose Herbs is my supplier of choice for quality ingredients - but what could be more satisfying than creating homemade hand lotion recipes with plants you grew yourself? Growing calendula is easy and will add beauty to your garden before you harvest and dry for your homemade skincare projects. Once you get the hang of the process, these recipes also make one of kind gifts for birthdays, holidays and just-because presents that everyone will enjoy.

I’ll get into all of the details for how to make your own DIY lotion recipe at home below, but first let's talk a bit about the individual ingredients we will be using in this recipe. You’ll only need a few ingredients for this project, but if you feel like substituting something for one listed below there’s no harm in making the recipe your own. You’ll be able to mix up a batch in just a few minutes, and be well on your way to a calming self care ritual that is affordable, natural and zero-waste.

Calendula Flower

This wondrous flower is full of useful properties!

• Vulnerary – assists in promoting healing of tissues

• Anti-inflammatory – eases inflammation

• Hemostatic – helps to stanch bleeding  

• Topical analgesic – assists in relieving pain

• Astringent – promotes tightening and toning of tissues

• Antiseptic – helps to prevent or stop microbial growth

• Diaphoretic – assists the body during illness by promoting perspiration.

• Lymphagogue – assists in stimulating the lymphatic system

*The above information was taken from Calendula Monograph by the Herbal Academy, The Herbal Handbook by David Hoffmann, and Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth by Sharol Tilgner

Licorice root

Licorice root may have potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects.

Plantain leaf

Plantain is high in vitamin A, allantoin, apigenin, aucubin, baicalein, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol and tannin which all promote wound healing, speed up cell regeneration and have skin-softening effects.

Beeswax

Beeswax hydrates, conditions, soothes, and calms the skin. It exfoliates, repairs damage, promotes the skin's regeneration, diminishes the appearance of the signs of aging, soothes itchiness and irritation, and creates a hydrating, long-lasting protective barrier against environmental pollutants.

In the case of our salve recipe, it will also help bind our liquid ingredients together in a more solid spreadable form. It is a popular ingredient in homemade salve recipes for that reason.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is rich in Vitamin B and E, which help soothe skin rashes and fade scars. It is also very effective in treating skin conditions like inflammation, eczema, athlete's foot, psoriasis, and redness. The natural anti-tanning properties of Sesame oil make it an excellent barrier against the sun's harmful rays.

HOW TO MAKE CALENDULA INFUSED OIL

There are many ways to make an infused oil but my favorite is a simple folk method - this means we won’t be making any exact measurements. You’ll find that many herbalists employ a folk method for their skincare concoctions since accuracy in dosing is not generally a requirement unless taken internally.

To make an infused oil using the folk method, all you need to do is fill your mason jar about halfway with your plant ingredients, then cover at least an inch above the herbs with your oil of choice. I usually end up filling the jar almost all the way to the top. Tap lightly on a solid surface to make sure there are no air bubbles trapped in the oil and place the infusing oil jar in a cool dark place such as a closet or pantry (somewhere out of direct sunlight) for about six weeks. You can regularly shake the jar to redistribute the oil, and you may notice that after the first day or two much of the oil has been absorbed into the dried herbs and you will need to add more to keep the flowers completely covered in oil. This is normal and to be expected. I have more detailed instructions available here.

The calendula + friends oil used in the recipe below is made more precisely, with 1 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup calendula, 1/8 cup licorice root and 1/8 cup plantain leaves. You can do a hot infusion to speed up the infusion process as well. For the full recipe be sure and grab the Botanical Skincare Recipe Book here.

So are you wondering when I’m going to tell you how to make hand lotion at home? Let’s get to it! This recipe comes from the Botanical skincare course from Herbal Academy and its corresponding book of recipes - you can see my full review of this in depth course here.

Calendula + Friend Salve Recipe from the Botanical Skincare book by Herbal Academy:

This nourishing and richly moisturizing calendula salve recipe is perfect for dry, cracked hands that have been in the soil all day!

Ingredients

• 1 cup calendula + friends infused oil

• 2-4 tbsp beeswax

Directions 

• Place infused oil and beeswax in a double boiler over low heat (or a glass or ceramic bowl or canning jar over a small saucepan of simmering water) until beeswax has melted and ingredients are thoroughly combined.

• Dip a clean spoon in to the formula and place it into the refrigerator so the salve will cool quickly and you can determine if its consistency is what you desire. If the sample is too soft, add a little more wax to the warm salve; the sample is too hard, add a little more of the infused oil.

• While warm, pour individual portions into appropriate containers and allow to cool at room temperature.

• Once cool put the lids on and label.

• Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Will you try this recipe? Learn herbalism with Herbal Academy by clicking here