Succor Salve: The only homemade healing salve you’ll ever need!
Growing up, my mother was very interested in alternative medicine. In fact, when I was 13 years old, my mom started experiencing a range of symptoms that wound up being diagnosed as Lupus. Already having some experience with alternative medicine, she took a leap of faith and went the alternative route when exploring a treatment plan. After a few years of pretty extensive treatment and with the help of a fantastic doctor, she was not only able to treat her lupus, she was able to cure it.
Like my mother, I developed a fascination with the alternative medicine world. There was something about the use of natural products that really resonated with me. I started to explore the world of plant medicine and found so much inspiration from the massive array of fresh and dried herbs, flower essences, homeopathy, and salve and tincture making. Making salves for myself and loved ones using beautiful organic ingredients easily found online or even in the backyard became an easy past-time --- and one that brings me so much pleasure.
There is nothing like whipping up a special 'potion' in my kitchen to quickly heal and soothe those bumps and bruises, scrapes and bites, athlete’s foot, sunburns, scaly skin, and so much more. And, salve making is far easier than one might think! I prefer making my own salves mainly because I can be sure that I am using top-notch ingredients and can customize my salve to exactly what I or my client or loved one needs at any particular time.
Simply put, if you've got a knack for kitchen activities, this is right up your alley, and I encourage you to give it a try.
The salve I want to share with you today is one of my very favorites! This salve is a fantastic chemical-free antibiotic ointment alternative. It quickly facilitates healing and keeps whatever scrapes, bites, burns, and other skin irritations free from infection, while simultaneously significantly reducing the potential of any scarring. I call this one Succor Salve and sincerely hope it serves you as well as it has served me!
What you will need:
2 cups Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Calendula Flowers
1 Tbsp Plantain
1 Tbsp Rose Hips
1 Tbsp Lavender
1 Tbsp Echinacea
1 Tbsp Rose Petals (Optional)
1/4 cup Beeswax Pastilles
1 Cheesecloth
A sprinkle of good intention!
Small glass jars or tins (typically, 1/4 cup infused oil will fit in a 2oz glass jar)
Blender/Food Processor (Optional)
Before getting started, I like to give my dried herbs a little whirl in the blender. It is Important to make sure your Rose Hips are properly crushed in order to get all of its medicinal properties into your oil. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can easily hand crush the Rose Hips beads using a garlic press.
Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil and herbs over simmering heat in a double boiler for 5+ hours. Stir occasionally to give your herbs and oil a little love.
2. Once finished with step one, turn off the burner and allow the oil/herb mixture to cool. Once cooled, strain the herbs out of the oil by pouring through a cheesecloth. After all the oil has drained through, give the herbs a final squeeze to get the remaining oil out and discard the herbs.
3. Put the infused oil and beeswax pastilles back into the double boiler and heat over low heat until the beeswax is completely melted.
4. Once the infused oil/beeswax combination is complete, remove from heat and immediately pour into your glass jars or tins.
5. Allow the salve to set until firm (about 1 hour). Cover and store in a cool dry place. Use as needed.
I hope you enjoy the process of making and using this magical herbal salve as much as I do!
Calendula: Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial. Highly regenerative and antioxidant rich.
Plantain: Anti-inflammatory. Antibacterial. Promotes skin regeneration to help eliminate scarring.
Rose Hips: Antioxidant rich. Promotes tissue and cell regeneration.
Lavender: Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory. Antioxidant rich. Nourishing and calming
Echinacea: Antiseptic. Heals and protects from infection.
