Homemade peppermint salve to the rescue for dry skin. Anyone else have hands that feel like sand paper? Seriously, I've contemplated just sticking both hands into my bottle of olive oil if only the opening was large enough.
Thankfully, Sarah is sharing her awesome homemade salve recipes for dry skin for our poor dried out winter hands. I can't wait to try this out!
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Homemade Peppermint Salve for Dry Winter Skin
Do you know someone who suffers from extremely dry skin in the winter? This homemade peppermint salve for dry skin is the perfect antidote.
Back when I was trying to figure out my son's food allergies, I tried all kinds of creams and lotions to soothe his eczema. I knew I wanted to have something free of artificial and chemical ingredients. I tried out a recipe by Elizabeth Foss and was in heaven! I made an extra large batch and gave it out as presents to friends. Some of them even asked if they could buy more!
This salve is my version with a few tweaks for simplicity. It's so easy to make and creates a special homemade gift your friends will love.
Peppermint not only smells great, but it also helps support the bodies response to inflammation, which is perfect for irritated skin. The other 3 herbs in this recipe (calendula, plantain and chamomile) are also prized for their ability to support the bodies response to irritated skin.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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DIY Peppermint Hand Salve for Dry Winter Skin
Makes approximately 14 oz.
Equipment
Small crockpot or small pot
Strainer
Ingredients
16 oz. olive oil
1.8 oz. beeswax granules (organic and safe for cosmetic use)
Dried herbs
½ c Peppermint
¼ c Calendula
¼ c Plantain
¼ c Chamomile
Optional- 30 to 40 drops peppermint essential oil-note: peppermint essential oil is considered a warm oil and can tingle on the skin. The oil in this recipe is diluted, but use with care on broken skin. You can also use lavender essential oil, too.
The only place I get essential oils (no membership or becoming a seller and third party testing for quality) is here, including a kid safe seal for essential oils safe to use with children. Click here for my favorite organic peppermint essential oil
3 Vitamin E capsules
Small containers (these metal jars are adorable but anything leak-proof will do). I recycled a few tiny eye shadow tubs into a great portable size that I can keep in my purse. I love these wide-mouthed small Mason jars as they make dipping in easier and can be used to can up goodies later.
Instructions
- Add your herbs and olive oil to your crockpot or pot and turn on low. If using a pot on the stove or if your crockpot runs hot, be very careful that your herbs don't burn. Burned herbs = stinky salve! Ick! Let the herbs simmer on very low heat all day.
- At the end of the day, strain out the herbs. Put the oil back into the crockpot or pot. Toss the spent herbs in your compost pail (this is my favorite compost pail, it's copper so it looks cute on the farmhouse countertop but doesn't have any smell or fruit flies getting into it!)
Add beeswax granules and peppermint oil. Pierce the capsules of vitamin E and add the contents as well. Stir until the beeswax melts. - Pour into containers and let cool. If you wait too long to pour the salve and it has hardened, you can always gently warm it again and then pour.
The salve is a dark green when hot but it will lighten as it cools to a yellow-green.
Once your salve is done you can turn your attention back to the dishes that may have piled up in your sink! Even the most efficient kitchen turns into a mess now and then 🙂
Tips for making homemade salve
For easy cleaning, wipe out your pot while it's still warm and before the drips that are left behind have firmed up.
This mint salve recipe comes out with a fairly soft consistency. If you'd like a firmer salve, you can use a full 2 oz. of beeswax.
Where to buy these supplies
You can get these herbs and oils at your local health food store. If you have the time to wait on shipping, it's much more affordable to order your supplies online.
Pretty packaging
A pretty container takes this salve from everyday to something special. You can get creative – pint mason jars topped with a colorful fabric square, vintage metal tins and simple round tins tied with a pretty ribbon are all great options.
This salve won't cure food allergies, but it does soothe eczema and parched winter skin. It's so easy to make and it makes a thoughtful handmade Christmas gift.
Have you ever made homemade salve for dry skin? What's your favorite blend of herbs?
Sarah Mueller is a blessed wife to an amazing man and busy mother to 4 boys. She writes at Early Bird Mom about keeping your family intentional and organized. Make sure to download her latest subscriber printable, 10 Easy Ways to Start Organizing (even when you don't feel like it).
Want more homemade natural goodness, learn how to make homemade soap here
Enjoy your homemade peppermint salve making!
I make a similar salve with just calendula. I can’t believe how quickly it heals. I have chamomile and plantain saved from my garden so I might have to give this blend a try!
Andrea,
I dried both plantain and comfrey this year and can’t wait to try them in this!
This sounds wonderful! Do you think you can cut the recipe in half and still have it come out right?
I think it should be fine cut in half as long as you keep the ratios the same.
I saw this on my email and immediately knew this was what I wanted to make for teachers and co-workers. I can’t wait.
Let us know how it turns out!
I just thought of a question. This wont ruin my crock pot will it? Also does the crockpot size matter?
It shouldn’t harm your crockpot as it’s cooking oil and herbs. Just make sure you wipe it out before the oils dries as Sarah mentioned. I don’t think the size is too crucial either.
About how many ounces is in the final product?
The weather has just turned very dry and I’m needing something for my hands, I will have to try this out!
Wow, this looks amazing! I made peppermint lip balm years ago…never thought of slowly cooking herbs to steep them into the balm. Mmm! Thank you!
Jennie
I know! It’s so smart, especially when cracked skin is so painful.
[…] Once you have these essential oils at home, there are lots more things you can do with them! Things like homemade adhesive remover, all purpose cleaner and peppermint healing salve for dry skin. […]
I can’t wait to try this recipe to give as gifts this Christmas. I tried purchasing the herbs from the suggested link but they are currently out of stock of 3 of the 4 herbs. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Katie,
You can try these organic bulk herbs from Amazon http://amzn.to/1yhEvO7 *affiliate link (I’ve purchased them when Mountain Rose Herbs has been out) another good line of organic herbs is Frontier, but they’re slightly more expensive. Amazon carries them in 1 pound bulk bags as well.
Thanks!!
Hi Melissa, thank you so much for this series!
I’m wondering if I could use bulk beeswax (I have 1 pound bars) in lieu of the granules? Also, I’m wondering where else besides Amazon or Mountain Rose that I could buy the herbs? Mountain Rose is out of most of them, and I really don’t want to buy that large of a bag off of Amazon. Thanks!
Shannon,
Unfortunately that’s the two places where I’ve ordered mine, so I don’t have another source.. do you have a co-op locally you could check with?
Thank you for responding! I don’t think we have a co-op here in the San Antonio area. We did when we lived in WA state! 🙂 Maybe Whole Foods or similar would have it?
Shannon, you could definitely use the bulk beeswax. I have done that in the past. It’s just so tricky to cut and measure, at least in my experience.
Thank you for answering my question, Sarah! I’ll just try it with what we have. I have 3 pounds of beeswax! 🙂
What would be the shelf life for the salve?
Jen, let me ask Sarah and we’ll get back to you.
I have kept it for at least a year. This is my 3rd year making this salve. The vitamin E acts as a preservative.
[…] Peppermint Salve from Melissa K. Norris. […]
[…] Simple Homemade Peppermint Salve […]
I made this and my crock pot was too high on low so it burned it. I am going to try using the warm setting and keeping a better eye on it!
My question is when using the essential oils how much dilution did you do to how many drops, and I am assuming you diluted the drops with water?
Thanks in advance for the reply and lets hope my second batch turns out better!!
Sincerely,
Irene
Irene,
Newer crock pots tend to run higher, even on their low setting. The essential oil is diluted just by adding it to the salve. No need to dilute it before pouring in.
[…] Need something to combat dry skin? Sarah Mueller’s homemade peppermint salve may be just your ticket. This is a recipe from Melissa Norris’s fantastic Christmas blog post […]
I was just wondering, I have heard that you can only store these types of salves or lotions in glass jars because the essential oils will react with plastic and such. So are tins ok to use then? Or have you noticed oils loosing their potency in them?
Just finished up making this. I did add a few drops of rosehip oil, and a few drops of patchouli to mild down the peppermint. Can’t wait to give it a try 🙂
Isn’t it fun being able to make your own add adjust it. I think lavender would be good, too.
I’m wondering how this would work for someone with psoriasis. My daughter has had psoriasis since she was a baby and we think the prescriptions are no longer working very well.
Mary,
I’m not sure how ti will work, but figure it never hurts to try.
Hi Melissa,
I made this salve a couple years ago for Christmas presents. I still have people raving about it. My daughter was pregnant at the time and it was the only thing she could use on her face to clear it up. A son-in-law said it is the only thing he can use on his hands after working on the cars. A friend said she loved it and that I need to make more. I guess I will be making more this week. 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe! 🙂
Deb Casey
Edgewood, NM
Thank for so many great recipes Melissa! I have a question though… do you have any recommendations for something to use in place of beeswax? If I use anything with beeswax in it I get welts that look like burns. 🙁 Just thought I would ask!
Angel, oh no that’s a bummer. I haven’t personally tried it with other waxes, but here’s a post from my friend Leah on using other waxes and the ratios. https://fabulousfarmgirl.com/homesteading/beeswax-and-alternatives/
Thank you for the link, Melissa! I have the same issue with propolis and raw honey also, but I guess one just learns to live with it.
I want to make sure that I am reading the recipe correct. This recipe says 1.8oz of beeswax and not 18oz. Is that correct?
Correct, not 18 ounce. You can increase the beeswax slightly for a firmer salve. I test a small amount after it’s mixed up but still in the main pot by putting a spoon in the freezer and then dropping a few drops on the frozen spoon. It will set immediately and if you want it firmer, just add a 1/2 ounce beeswax and test again until desired firmness.
What vitamin e product do you use? Is it a natural vitamin e or synthetic? I’ll have to buy this, so would like to know before buying. Thanks
I have a daughter that has anaphylactic food allergies, peanuts, tree nuts and coconut/coconut oils/coconut derivatives. She reacts thru ingesting and skin contact. I am looking for recipes for facial cleanser, body wash and shampoo and conditioner without any of the above. Any suggestions?
Hi Melissa, i can’t wait to try this recipe, I’m just starting to experiment with making my own skin care products. Quick question on your instructions. When you say put it in a crockpot or regular pot and let it go all day, is there a rough timeframe? 8 hrs? Also, since I figure that would be an approximate estimate, what am I looking for when I know the oil is ready for straining? I’m a total novice and I haven’t even used a crockpot before so any guidance would be very much appreciated 🙂
About 8 hours, you want to look for the color change of the oil as the herb seeps into it.
Thank you so much Melissa! I just got all my herbs today and I’m really excited to see how this turns out. Perfect time for a healing salve, my hands have been really dry this winter!