Make a Creamy Herbal Salve

Make a Creamy Herbal Salve. June 26, 2026.

Salves are an easy project that yield a wonderful, healing, soothing product for your home apothecary. We use them for surface wounds, bites, inflammations, pain relief, and more. I even have a comfrey salve I use when my carpal tunnel acts up. Salves can be a very effective treatment when made with the right oils. Traditionally, salves are poured after heating and mixing and then allowed to set. However, I prefer whipping my salve after it has cooled because it adds a bit of air and creates a creamy ointment that is easier for us to use, rather than digging our fingers into the hard surface. There is no additional herbal advantage to this method. It is purely a preference thing.

In a recent post, I wrote a tutorial on how to make an herbal oil using the intermediary method. Today, I am going to show you how to make a creamy salve using the calendula and yarrow oil I made from that tutorial. However, this recipe can be used with other herbal oils in topical applications, so it isn’t necessary to use only an intermediary herbal oil.

Creamy Herbal Salve

Made using a little technique that creates a creamy salve instead of the traditional hard-set. The stick blender incorporates air into the salve, resulting in a more "whipped" texture. This recipe makes 5 oz of salve.

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Equipment

• Small double boiler *see notes below
• Stick blender
• A small heat-resistant glass container just big enough to fit the head of the stick blender
• A spatula
• An amber jar (and lid) big enough for 5 oz of salve
• A label for salve

Ingredients

• 1 oz oz unrefined beeswax
• 4 oz herbal oil

Instructions

• Set up a small double boiler. You don't need to buy a double boiler. Use some canning lids or buy a double-boiler maker stand.
  
• Fill the bottom of your double boiler with about an inch of water, or to just below the stand in your pot (if using one). You don't want water touching the pot that will hold the beeswax.
  
• Turn the heat to simmer. No need for high heat. We are gently melting the wax to preserve its good properties.
• Add 1 ounce of beeswax to the pot. It will melt more quickly if cut into small chunks.
  
• Heat beeswax gently until just melted. Turn off the heat.
  
• Remove the pot with the beeswax and stir in the herbal oil. Keep stirring until everything is melted. If the beeswax seizes too much, put it back on the double boiler. There is still plenty of heat, so no need to turn it back on. I prefer to keep heat exposure to a minimum to avoid degrading the oil's herbal medicinal properties.
  
• Once it is melted, we will transfer the warm mixture to a small container that will fit the head of a stick blender.
  
• Let the mixture cool completely.
  
• Once the mixture has cooled and solidified, use the stick blender to whip the mixture.
  
• Use the spatula to scrape the sides to make sure it is all blended.
  
• Use the spatula to transfer the whipped salve into the 4 oz amber jar. Use a good spatula to scrape all the corners!
  
• Close the jar with a lid, and label it with the type of salve and the date it was made.
  

Notes

*Amber colored containers protect herbal products from UV rays, which break down the ingredients.

*Label your salve with the type and date made.

*Don’t buy a double boiler. Make one with canning lids or a metal stand.

Have a beautiful day!