The recipe:
16 oz coconut oil
2 large handfuls Calendula petals
1 small handful Comfrey leaves
1 capsule vitamin E oil
A few drops lavender essential oil
Supplies:
Double boiler
Wire mesh strainer (or cheesecloth!)
Bowls of some kind to strain oil into
Jars/containers (re-used are fine!)
Step 1: Melt the coconut oil in a double boiler over medium-high heat, stir in herbs, and simmer VERY gently for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Remove from heat and strain through largish strainer to separate herbs from oil.
Step 3: Strain the oil again, if needed, through a finer mesh strainer or some folded cheesecloth to remove all herb residue from the oil.
Step 4: Add vitamin E and essential oil. Alternatives to lavender for skin care would include chamomile, petitgrain, and rosemary, among others.
Step 5: Pour into jars! Makes approximately 16 ounces of ointment. Don't panic; it takes awhile to set! Fine at room temperature, but store in refrigerator for maximum life.
A note regarding the ingredients I use: Whenever possible, I source organic or wildcrafted herbs - or better yet, herbs that I have collected myself! The fixed oils and butters get expensive fairly quickly, however, and I don't have the luxury of spending hundreds of dollars on organic oils (much as I would like to) - so I have linked to the highest-quality and most affordable oils I can find.
Coconut oil is especially good for skin care - very moisturizing without being overly greasy! You can find it in grocery and health food stores as well as many online retailers.
Both comfrey and calendula grow almost anywhere, can be harvested for a good stretch of the summer and fall, and store well. They are also inexpensive to purchase.
What do you use salves and ointments for, and what herbs or essential oils are your favorites for eczema?
My son and I both have a tendency towards eczema, and one of the best things I've found is to dissolve 2 drops of lavender oil in about a fluid ounce of milk, and mix it into bath water. It's incredibly soothing, and works well on nappy rash too. I've found if I do this once a week, eczema flare-ups are much less nasty, and clear up much faster. At the moment, both of us are eczema free and have been for several weeks! Dissolving the lavender oil in milk stops the oil sitting on the surface of the water, and getting into little eyes. For big flare ups, I soak porridge oats in milk for an hour, strain and aqueeze out as much milk as possible, then add a couple of drops of lavender and chamomile oil to the milk and add to a bath.
ReplyDeleteCoconut oil is a fantastic hair conditioner, you don't need much, work it into dry hair, leave on overnight and wash hair in the morning. Plus it smells LOVELY!
I use a similar combination for my daughter's eczema, as well - only I mix the dry ingredients and store them in a glass jar to use in a muslin bag! I am glad to hear that it works so well for you both; cocoa butter on the really rough spot does wonders, too!
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