Miracle Healing Balm

A few years ago I fell in love with some Calendula salve that I picked up at our local farmer’s market. Once it ran out, I set out to make my own. But as I was researching the benefits of calendula, I came across some other herbs and flowers that I wanted the benefits of as well. I chose a combination of 6 that heal nearly every skin ailment I could ever think of, and made a balm that is nothing short of a miracle. Which is why I started calling it my Miracle Healing Balm.

Here are the botanicals that I include, and the impressive benefits of each:

Chamomile | Known for its calming properties, chamomile soothes the skin, reduces redness and irritation, and heals skin wounds, eczema, rosacea, bruises, burns, hemorrhoids and even mastitis.

Plantain Leaf | Naturally antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, plantain leaf helps to relieve pain, burning and itching of insect and snake bites, rashes and cuts.

Rose Hip | Extremely high in vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids, rose hip oil reduces redness and irritation, and helps repair damaged skin, burns, scars, and skin ulcers.

Lavender | The antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties of lavender make it effective in healing skin wounds, burns, insect bites and stings, sunburns, acne and other skin abrasions. Lavender also helps prevent infections and promotes new cell growth.

Calendula | Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, astringent and immunostimulant, Calendula has been used for centuries to heal wounds and treat skin irritations such as cuts, scrapes, burns, bee stings, diaper rash, acne, athlete’s foot, and chapped or chafed skin.

Comfrey Leaf | The anti-inflammatory properties of comfrey leaf help speed the healing of skin wounds, burns and scalds.

I love this combination, and have found it very effective, but you can use any botanicals that you like.

Start by making an oil infusion.

Add all of your herbs and flowers to a sterilized glass jar with an airtight lid. Cover with the oil of your choice. I like to use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. It is easy to find, rich in vitamins A and E, and super moisturizing.

Set the jar on a sunny windowsill and leave it for 4-6 weeks, shaking daily. You can speed this step up a bit by placing the jar in a slowcooker filled with water on the lowest setting for 24-48 hours.

Using a small mesh sieve and a funnel, carefully pour the oil into a clean glass jar. Squeeze the herbs and flowers carefully to get all of the oil out of them before discarding.

The miracle healing oil is finished.

Now to turn it into a balm…

Start with organic beeswax. You can usually find this at your farmer’s market, at the booth selling honey. It isn’t always advertised that they sell the beeswax, so make sure to ask.

You want a ratio of about 1 part beeswax to 4 parts oil.

To make the balm:

1. Simmer a small amount of water in a saucepan. Put the beeswax into a small jar.
2. Pour the infused oil into the jar with the beeswax. Place the jar into the pot of water, making sure that the water level is lower than the lip of the jar. Turn the heat down so that the water is not yet simmering, but still very warm.
3. Stir with a toothpick until all of the wax has melted.
4. Remove the jar from the pot of water and let cool until hardened. If your balm is too solid, reheat, and add more oil. If it is too soft, reheat and add more beeswax.

Baby & Belly Balm

For a balm safe for pregnant bellies and fresh baby skin, I make an oil infused with only calendula. This is wonderful for preventing stretch marks and soothing itchy, stretched skin. For babies, this can be used everywhere – on diaper rash, dry skin, cradle cap, eczema, little scratches, etc.

In our house, we call the calendula balm “magic cream” because it works for just about anything. The girls use it anytime they get a booboo, and it instantly makes them feel better. We also use it on scratches, scrapes, chapped lips, wind-burned cheeks, rashes, insect bites, and even inside dry nostrils to prevent bloody noses.