In this blog post I will show you how to make a deeply soothing and fragrant body salve. It's made with chamomile-infused oil and works like magic.
What's a salve?
Salves are any cream, ointment, or balm that you can apply topically to your skin to heal it and are generally made out of waxes and plant oils.
Body salves are perfect to use if you have very dry or sensitive skin.
Why does it work on sensitive skin?
If you have sensitive skin, the more naturally "dress up" your skin, the better.
For example, you'd want to use socks made of 100% cotton for women rather than something made with polyester fibres.
The same happens with your skincare. When your skin is very sensitive, many things can trigger a topical reaction - for example, using highly processed skincare products filled with synthetic fragrances.
How to make a DIY natural body salve with chamomile-infused oil
This salve in particular is perfect for sensitive skin and it smells so good! The first thing you need to do to make it is preparing the infused oil. I am using a chamomile-infused sweet almond oil, but you can use any other oil or infusion.
To make the oil, you'll need to
- Fill the jar halfway through with chamomile flowers.
- Top it with an oil of your choice.
- Let the oil get infused for at least 3 weeks or simmer it at bain-marie for about 1 hour using a heat-safe jug.
Here are the ingredients to make the salve
- 45 g / 1.58 oz of an oil of your choice (the oil makes 90% of the recipe)
- 5 g / 0.17 oz beeswax (10%) or 3 g / 0.10 candelilla wax (6%)
- 5 drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)
Procedure
- Melt the wax and the oil at bain-marie.
- Once the mixture is fully melted, add the essential oil and pour everything into a tin (I have used lavender essential oil for its extra soothing properties, but if you have sensitive skin, leave the balm unscented)
- Freeze for about 20 minutes or let it air dry for about 1 hour.
N.B. This amount of wax will make a really soft balm, so double up these amounts if you want to obtain a harder balm.