Sherry’s Plantain Salve

  • 8 ounces dried plantain leaf (you can use fresh leaves as well, but take care to cook and decant thoroughly to ensure the removal of all water from oil), or you can use a mixture of other herbs such as calendula petals, marshmallow root and comfrey leaf for an all purpose salve.
  • 14 ounces coconut oil
  • 8 ounces almond oil
  • 3 ounces beeswax
  • 1 tablespoon glycerin
  • 2 ounces cocoa butter
  • 1/2 tsp each of rosemary and lavender essential oils

Grind herb material thoroughly.  Melt beeswax in double boiler (use only glass or ceramic pots).  Add oils to double boiler.  Add herb t double boiler.  Add glycerin.  Simmer for 4 to 6 hours.  Add essential oils for last hour of simmering.  Wear gloves and strain oil mixture through 4 layers of cheese cloth to remove plant material.  Pour small amount of oil mixture on spoon and put in freezer to test consistency.  If too thick, add more oil.  If too thin, add more beeswax.  When consistency is to your liking, pour hot oil into containers with lids.  Be sure to use double walled or other containers designed to hold hot ingredients.  Add labels and dates.  Store in dark place.

Variations:

Mix and match herbs to make 8 ounces total of herb.  For example, 3 ounces calendula petals, 2 ounces comfrey root, 2 ounces comfrey leaf, 1 ounce marhsmallow root.  Or 2 ounces calendula petals, 1 ounce lavender flowers, 1 ounce rose petals, 2 ounces comfrey root, 1 ounce comfrey leaf, 1 ounce marshmallow root.  Both of these are excellent all purpose healing salves; also good for lip balm (just add more beeswax to thicken to appropriate consistency).

Avocado and rose hip seed oil also work well; just mix and match to add up to 22 ounces oil total.