I start, stop, discard, and forget projects all the time. It’s just part of being me. Yes, I do finish projects, sometimes. I am somewhat a jack-of-all-trades, because of my ever evolving and changing interests. So when I discovered a jar hiding out under my kitchen sink, I knew just what to do with it!
That little jar? Olive oil infused with dandelion flowers. The beeswax and container? The other things necessary to make a salve. The book? I wanted to try out the recipe for salve to see if I liked it. (Spoiler alert: I do!)
Supply List
- Small Mason Jar. Half pint or jelly jar size should be enough
- Olive Oil
- Dandelions
- Beeswax
- Essential Oil(s) of choice, optional
- Lidded Container for finished salve
- Small saucepan for heating water
- Kitchen Scale
The Project
You can infuse oil in a lot of different ways. The one I am sharing today is the easiest, in my opinion.
Step One
Harvest dandelion blooms. This was easy for me. I have dandelions all over my yard. I don’t spray chemicals all over, so I know that my flowers are relatively safe. It is up to you to source dandelions from an area that isn’t being sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. If you can’t source dandelions, look online for dried flowers, specifically ones that are intended for use in tea or medicinally. (If using dried flowers, you will skip this next part and go directly to adding the oil.)
You’ll want to take the jar you are going to use for infusing with you so you can see how many flowers it takes to fill up your jar. It’s easier than having too few or too many, save yourself the headache. Once you have enough dandelion flowers, take them out of the jar and give them a gentle wash. Lay the flowers out on a towel and let them dry. Not crunchy totally dried out dry, just not wet with water dry.
Place your blooms back in your jar and pour enough oil in to completely cover the flowers. Secure the lid and place your jar in a sunny window, or forget it under the sink for months! Depending on how hot and sunny it is in your window, this could take a little as one week. Once your flowers are wilted, the oil is ready. You can infuse for longer, but always check your oil to make sure the flowers aren’t rotting. It will smell off, like rot, if they are. You’ll have to start over with a fresh batch of flowers and oil.
Once your oil infusion is ready, strain out and discard or compost the spent blooms. Store in a clean jar in a cool place.
Step Two
Making the salve.
- Add water to your saucepan, a couple of inches deep. Set on your stove top and turn the heat to medium-low.
- Everything but the essential oils will be added to your mason jar. Add 3.8 ounces of the dandelion infused oil to your jar. It’s easiest to tare the mason jar on your scale beforehand. Then add 0.5 ounces of beeswax to your jar. I like the little pastilles for beeswax. They are easy to measure and melt.
- Place jar in saucepan that’s heating on the stove. Let the wax melt entirely into the oil.
- Once melted, remove from heat and add essential oils of choice, if desired. Anywhere from 12 – 24 drops is enough. Stir it all together.
- Pour warm salve into it’s final container and allow to set-up. Leave the lid off for this step.
- Once it’s set, this could take several hours to overnight, try a little and see if you like the consistency. You can always remelt it and add a little more oil if it’s too hard, or a little more wax if it’s too soft.
Your salve should keep for about six to nine months.
Why dandelion salve?
Dandelion is soothing to rough, cracked skin. Salve is simply a way to moisturize skin with nourishing oils and a protective layer of beeswax. This salve works great for your hands and cuticles after a day of washing and scrubbing. It does not leave them feeling greasy or oily, and absorbs quickly. You only need the tiniest amount, so it is very economical. And the peace of mind knowing exactly what you are exposing yourself to, is worth a few minutes of time.
I’d love to know if you made your own salve. Let me know if you did in the comments. Also, let me know if you are interested in learning more ways to use dandelions! Thanks for being here, beautiful soul! See you in the comments section!