Calendula Sunburn Salve
Early season sunburns happen, as do those days where we might forget the sunscreen, or stay out in the sun a bit too long. I like to mix up a batch of this sunburn salve to keep on hand. This salve soothes red skin and is safe for kids.
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Servings: 1 cup
Cost: varies
Equipment
- 2 Mason Jars
- Strainer
- Salve Tins I like these tins for salves and balms.
Ingredients
For the Herbal Oil
- 1.5 cups dried calendula flowers or petals
- 1.5 cups olive oil
For the Calendula Salve
- 158 grams herbal oil
- 40 grams beeswax pastilles
- 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil find vitamin E oil here
- 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil optional
Instructions
For the Herbal Oil
- Gather your herbs and add them to a clean and dry pint jar.
- Pour oil over the herbs until the herbs are completely submerged. Leave a little room at the top of the jar.
- Place a lid on the jar and close snugly.
- Find a warm area in your home and let the herbs infuse for about 2-4 weeks.
- Occasionally, rotate or gently shake the jar to help the herbs and oil blend together.
- After two weeks, strain the herbs out of the oil by pouring through a coffee filter, butter muslin or fine mesh strainer into a new, clean jar. If you would like a more powerful quality of oil, add another batch of dry herbs. Let the new herbs infuse in the same oil for two more weeks.
- Strain the oil.
- Date and label the jar.
For the Calendula Salve
- Warm the beeswax and herbal oil in a double boiler. Once the beeswax is melted, remove it from the heat.
- Add vitamin E and optional essential oils to the oil/beeswax mixture.
- Stir together and pour into clean, dry containers.
- Label with name, ingredients and date made.
- Store at room temperature for up to 1 year. Use as needed.
Notes
To Use:
Dab a small amount of the salve on kids’ cheeks and shoulders (or wherever they’re sunburned) and gently rub it in for soothing relief.
- You need calendula flowers and olive oil to make the herbal oil (directions below). You can grow your own calendula and then pick and dry the flowers, or purchase dried calendula flowers here. Use a good quality olive oil that you’d use for cooking.
- I like to get beeswax pastilles because they’re easy to measure and melt. Make sure your beeswax is from the USA. Otherwise, it has the potential to be cut with other ingredients such as paraffin wax.
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