Hi there! I already make a nice calendula salve so I have the how to knowledge. What I am wondering about is a no fail combination of healing herbs for the oil base? I was planning on calendula and plantain and white pine sap (read about that in an article) but when it comes to more healing herbs for salves I am a bit ignorant and don't want to risk causing skin irritations through poor choices in herbs. Got any suggestions, wise ones?

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 28, 2001

Answers

Response to Want a good healing combination for salve

Comfrey can't be beat as a healing herb. I also have used chickweed for its anti-itch properties, yarrow for pain. Marsh mallow is another soothing herb. Here is a recipie for an all-purpose healing salve taken from the book Jude's Herbal Home Remedies. Mix together 2 oz of comfrey leaves, 1 oz of plantain leaves, 1 oz of yarrow, 1 oz of calendula, 1 oz wormwood leaves, 1 oz chickweed leaves and 1-1/2 oz of beeswax. Simmer for several hours. Strain and add 1 ts gum benzoin (or vit E oil). Cool and test for consistency. Put in sterile jar. Label and use on any cut, scrape or rash. I might be tempted to add a small amt of olive oil then adjust your beeswax to achieve proper consistency. If you use the oil, simmer over VERY low heat perhaps using a crockpot.

-- Amy in nw IL (gshep@aeroinc.net), August 28, 2001.

Response to Want a good healing combination for salve

Hi Alison, I guess it depends on what you want the salve for. I have a book called the HERBAL DRUGSTORE and it mentions; External herbs for something like a blister, etc. .. Calendula, comfrey, lavender essential oil, St.John's Wort, and tea tree essential oil. (I can get tea tree at Walmart, use it for lots of things.) For Bruises it mentions Arnica, calendula, chamomile, comfrey, and St.John's wort. All EXTERNAL The internal uses would be different, so anyone reading should be careful. For cold sores, external herbs mentioned are Clove, echinacea, lemon balm, mullein, and St.John's wort. Alison, could you post your measurements on the salve you make? Sounds like a good all around salve. Thanks! ~Brenda~

-- Brenda (brenclark@alltel.net), August 28, 2001.

This woman is an excellent herbalist...www.connect.to/rootwoman

-- Iam (titia@canada.com), August 29, 2001.

Alison, I use a good all around herbal salve made with:Safflower Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Beeswax, Comfrey, St. John's Wort, Arnica Calendula, Aloe Vera, and Vitamins E, A and D. I started using this 6 yrs. ago, and it's like a wonder salve, heals anything in days! All of the above suggested herbs are great healing herbs, so any combo you had would be great. Also, a real simple one I make myself from wildcrafted herbs uses just Arnica and St. John's Wort.

-- Trina in NE WA (ender@starband.net), August 29, 2001.

I always include goldenseal and burdock tincture in the salves I make, goldenseal is unsurpassed in all around healing properties.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 29, 2001.

I definitely was looking to do a wildcrafted salve rather than purchasing stuff for it like tinctures and the like. I have calendula and plantain in the yard as well as St John's Wort and yarrow. I would imagine I have chickweed but I don't know exactly what it looks like. Here is my planned combination so far.......calendula, plantain, yarrow,and comfrey (if I can get some from friends) in an olive oil infusion, and white pine sap (a teaspoons worth) added during the salve making with the beeswax and vitamin E for preserving. I don't know the measurments of the herbs because I was kind of just going to pitch it all in a jar and cover with olive oil like I do with my calendula infusion. Thanks for all the suggestions..keep 'em coming. The herbs can be gathered until the first killing frost!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 30, 2001.