Making Herbal Ointments And Salves

כ"ט אייר תשס"ט
Annwn 30

To make an herbal ointment or salve, you will need:

• Selected herbs. Use 1-2 ounces dried or 2-4 ounces fresh herbs.
• Base fatty substance such as purified liquid anhydrous lanolin, almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, safflower oil, cocoa butter, wheat germ, vitamin E, or pork lard. Use approximately 1 pint oil base or 8 ounces solid base. Use oils singly or in combination with one another.
  
• Thickener such as lanolin, shea butter, cocoa butter, glycerin, honey, liguis lecithin, powdered gum or resin (agar-agar or Irish moss), acid fruit pectin (from green apples, for example) as desired.
• Hardener such as beeswax (use approximately 2-4 tablespoons or 1-2 ounces) alone or beeswax in combination with paraffin.

Procedure:

1. Heat herbs and base together until the normal color of the plant is lost (the healing essence having been absorbed by the base at this point).
2. Strain the plant material out of the base with a filter cloth or strainer, transferring the heated/melted ointment into a storage container in the process.
3. Add (melted, if necessary) thickener. Mix well.
4. Add (melted, if necessary) hardener. Mix well.
5. Allow to set.
6. Store herbal ointment in tightly closed labeled container.