How to make Dandelion Healing Salve

Dandelion Healing Salve is a balm used to soothe sore muscles, achy arthritic joints, rough, dry, chapped skin, eczema relief, cracked heels, dry gardeners hands and to soothe bug bites.    

Most people take for granted the fact that their backyard, neighborhood or woods are full of vegetation that have therapeutic value. There are hundreds of herbs and plants that were used in Native American remedies, Dandelion flowers being one of them. Yellow dandelion flowers are usually considered to be a pesky weed, but the flowers are actually very useful. 

Dandelions are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber, making them extremely beneficial and filled with healing properties. Dandelions are also an important first food source that attract pollinators --- especially bees for our gardens. 

When spring rolls around I get excited to see those little yellow flowers start popping up, because it means warmer weather is just around the corner and I can make this wonderful dandelion healing salve. 

What is Dandelion Salve? Well it's a healing balm or ointment made from a dandelion infused oil, bees wax, coconut oil and lavender, lemongrass or peppermint essential oil.  This healing salve is wonderful for sore muscles, achy joints and also used as an all natural moisturizer for dry, chapped, itchy and scaly skin. 

I love this salve because it has been the only remedy that actually works for my daughters eczema on her hands and arms. Since it is an ointment she likes to use it at night and by morning it works wonders!  If you have a source for un sprayed dandelion flowers you can make up a batch of this easy salve in no time. 

To make dandelion salve you first need to make dandelion infused oil. Once you've made your infused oil you can then make the healing salve. 

To start you will need some dandelion flowers, so make sure when you are harvesting dandelions that they are from an un-sprayed lawn or field. You don't want to use fresh dandelions to make this oil because they have a high water content, so you will need to dry the dandelion flowers out first before making your oil. 

To dry them out, spread the dandelions out in a single layer on a plain paper towel and let them air dry for a few days. 

How to make Dandelion Infused Oil

After the flowers have dried, add them to a pint size mason jar. Cover the dried flowers with about twice as much of your favorite carrier oil (cold pressed coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed, Jajoba or Avocado oil). I normally use a combination of two different oils, because each oil nourishes the skin in different ways. Cover the jar with a lid and place on a sunny window ledge for 2 weeks (shaking occasionally). 

At the end of the 2 weeks, strain the dandelion blossoms from the oil and store the oil in the same jar. The dandelion oil is now ready to use and make into a salve. Dandelion oil can go rancid so try to use the oil pretty quickly. 

To make the healing salve, add dandelion infused oil and beeswax pellets into a heat proof container or pan. I use a double boiler and I only use it for essential oils and homemade salves.

Slowly bring the temperature up to a low-medium heat and let the container stay in the make shift double boiler until the was is melted. Add in the essential oil of your choosing and stir well.

Carefully remove from the heat and pour into 2 ounce mason jars or salve tins and let sit until cool and firm. Once cool cover jars and store for up to one year.

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