Calm and comfort irritated skin with this comfrey healing balm. Made with shea butter, soothing oils and a pop of peppermint essential oil, this all-natural herbal balm is fantastic for treating bumps, bruises, chaffing, rashes, burns and so much more. Perfect for active families.
Bruises. Bumps. Scrapes. These are all pretty typical around the homestead. Especially during the summer months when I am out tending to the garden, storing firewood for the winter, building some new project or just completing the daily duties around the property.
I am sure you can relate. Even if you don’t have a homestead. Do you have kids? Then you can definitely identify with the occasional minor injury.
Back before I became an herbalist, if I had a cut, I’d just slap a bandaid on it press on. Or if I got an itchy rash from pruning the zucchini, I would endure the irritation and wait it out for relief.
Little did I know that all I needed was to use was a few common plants from my yard to reduce the pain and obtain relief faster.
As an herbalist, I absolutely love creating new natural body care products such as soaps, salves, lip gloss or lip balm. If I can find a way to infuse an herb into an item, I will.
This summer I successfully grew a few comfrey plants. In fact, they were such a success, they overtook my herb garden. I have been harvesting and drying the large comfrey leaves and even making a tincture. With the enormous amount of comfrey in the yard, I wanted to find more ways to use this powerful healing plant instead of just letting it all go to waste.
Comfrey healing balm was an excellent solution.
What is Comfrey?
Comfrey also known as symphytum officinale or knitbone is a superstar herb! If you think that calendula is a superb medicinal herb, then you will love comfrey! Comfrey is a large prickly plant with enormous leaves and light purple flowers. It loves to spread out so don’t make the mistake, like I did and stick it in a small space. Comfrey is well known for soothing irritated skin, reducing inflammation, healing broken bones and wounds and it can even stop bleeding.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Healing – This herbal balm recipe is simple to make and ideal for healing your skin.
Treats several conditions – It soothes rashes, chaffing, burns and can even moisturize dry areas on your body.
Easy to make – All you need are some homegrown herbs, a few skin care supplies, a trusty scale and a couple kitchen tools.
Herbal Balm Uses
- Great for everyday bumps, cuts, rashes
- Helps to moisturize dry skin
- May be used on a variety of skin conditions
- Treat bruises
- Soothes chapped skin
- Helps to treat insect bites
- Can provide a protective layer to shield the skin and allow the body to heal itself
- This anti inflammatory salve recipe may help to reduce inflammation.
Herbal Balm Ingredients
What are the ingredients in herbal balm? Eight items are used to make this homemade balm recipe.
Sunflower oil – moisturizing and should not clog pores.
Comfrey – always use dried comfrey.
Plantain – you can find plantain in most backyards.
Tamanu oil – paired with comfrey and plantain, you have a trifecta powerhouse of skin repairing abilities.
Shea butter – unrefined shea butter is best for its capability to treat skin afflictions. It is highly moisturizing and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Beeswax – Small pellets or pastilles make measuring out the beeswax easier than cutting it directly from a block.
Essential oils – Lavender adds a calming affect while the peppermint provides a cooling sensation to irritated skin.
Tools You May Need
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. In any case, I only link to products we actually use on our homestead and that I believe can truly benefit to you. See my full disclosure here.
Sunflower oil
Shea butter
Mason jar
Small pot
Spatula
Herbal Balm Recipe
Craft a tin of this comfrey healing balm using superior ingredients like shea butter, tamanu oil, dried comfrey and essential oils. The balm is an exemplary natural remedy for everyday bumps, cuts, rashes, dry skin and a variety of other skin conditions.
Makes: 2 ounce container
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup (263 g) sunflower oil
1/3 packed cup (4 g) dried comfrey
1/3 packed cup (12 g) plantain leaves
1/2 tablespoon (7 g) tamanu oil
1/2 tablespoon (9 g) shea butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (11 g) beeswax
13 drops peppermint essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
How to Make Herbal Balm
To begin making your comfrey and plantain healing balm, you will need to infuse the comfrey and plantain into sunflower oil. Place the herbs into a mason jar. Slowly pour the sunflower oil over top of the leaves. If the leaves are not completely covered, push them below the oil with a spoon.
Cap the mason jar with a lid, place within a paper bag and sit on the sill of a warm, sunny window. Shake the jar daily. If the herbs have soaked up a lot of the oil within the first few days and are beginning to float on top, push them below the oil and top the jar off with a little extra oil until the herbs are completely covered again. Within 7-10 days, the infused oil will be ready to use to create your homemade herbal balm.
When the oil is ready, strain the herbs out of the oil using a fine mesh strainer. Place 1/4 cup (52 g) of the infused oil into a pint size mason jar. (Store the leftover oil in the fridge for future batches of this herbal balm.) Add the shea butter, tamanu oil and beeswax. Set the jar into a saucepan with a few inches of water over low heat until the beeswax has melted.
Turn off the stove burner. Remove the jar from heat and cool for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the peppermint and lavender essential oils. Place the jar into the fridge for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to create a spreadable balm.
Scoop the finished balm into an airtight container such as a mason jar or tin. Store comfrey healing balm in a cool, dark place for several months.
How to Use Healing Balm
To use the herbal healing balm, rub into your sore joints or muscles, onto skin rashes or burns or just any external skin affliction that needs a little extra care. Repeat as needed.
More DIY Skincare Recipes
Calendula Melt and Pour Soap Recipe
Comfrey Healing Balm
Calm and comfort irritated skin with this comfrey healing balm. Made with shea butter, soothing oils and a pop of peppermint essential oil, this all-natural herbal balm is fantastic for treating bumps, bruises, chaffing, rashes, burns and so much more. Perfect for active families.
Materials
- 1 1/4 cup (263 g) sunflower oil
- 1/3 packed cup (4 g) dried comfrey
- 1/3 packed cup (12 g) plantain leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon (7 g) tamanu oil
- 1/2 tablespoon (9 g) shea butter
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (11 g) beeswax
- 13 drops peppermint essential oil
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- To begin making your comfrey and plantain healing balm, you will need to infuse the comfrey and plantain into sunflower oil. Place the herbs into a mason jar. Slowly pour the sunflower oil over top of the leaves. If the leaves are not completely covered, push them below the oil with a spoon.
- Cap the mason jar with a lid, place within a paper bag and sit on the sill of a warm, sunny window. Shake the jar daily. If the herbs have soaked up a lot of the oil within the first few days and are beginning to float on top, push them below the oil and top the jar off with a little extra oil until the herbs are completely covered again. Within 7-10 days, the infused oil will be ready to use to create your homemade herbal balm.
- When the oil is ready, strain the herbs out of the oil using a fine mesh strainer. Place 1/4 cup (52 g) of the infused oil into a pint size mason jar. (Store the leftover oil in the fridge for future batches of this herbal balm.) Add the shea butter, tamanu oil and beeswax. Set the jar into a saucepan with a few inches of water over low heat until the beeswax has melted.
- Turn off the stove burner. Remove the jar from heat and cool for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the peppermint and lavender essential oils. Place the jar into the fridge for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to create a spreadable balm.
- Scoop the finished balm into an airtight container such as a mason jar or tin. Store comfrey healing balm in a cool, dark place for several months.
