How to make: Comfrey salve
The best remedy for back, joint and muscle pain! Thanks to the olive oil base, this salve spreads perfectly and the rosemary makes it smell lovely!
Just a few ingredients and you have a miracle at home! A miracle for any pain in the musculoskeletal system! If you're new to herbs, be sure to try this salve first! It's easy to prepare and although the procedure is broken down into a few steps, it will bring you enjoyment and pain relief for a very long time, so it's definitely worth the work!
Comfrey has been used since ancient times to relieve musculoskeletal pain and promote healing. And these days, even though we can get all sorts of medicines and ointments for pain, we can still see how effective natural comfrey products are.
Not only balm or salve can be made from comfrey, but often comfrey tincture, cooling gel, homeopathic remedies and can even be used in its purest form as a decoction with the leaves. However, it is generally not recommended to take it internally, as it can harm livers. And although once upon a time, comfrey was widely used internally, it is now not recommended and is best avoided in any dose!
My mom always made a tincture of comfrey, which is also great, but I prefer this salve. I mostly use it to massage my wrists. All I have to do is massage them before I go to sleep and in the morning they are fully functional and ready for cuddling with my lovely kids again!
But with the tincture, no massaging was possible because the alcohol evaporates right away. I still keep the tincture in my stock though, especially as a remedy on swollen joints. Thanks to the alcohol it can cool the swollen area nicely. But more about that next time!
Is comfrey salve difficult to make at home?
Making comfrey salve at home is definitely not complicated or difficult and you don't even need any special equipment. You just have to cut the leaves of the comfrey and let them dry. Marinate the dried leaves in oil for a few weeks and then just thicken the oil in a water bath with beeswax and you have a salve or balm that is not only 100% natural, but also works wonderfully!
I upgrade this salve with shea butter, which deeply nourishes the skin, heals minor abrasions and improves the texture of the salve, along with natural aromatherapy rosemary oil.
Where can I find comfrey and how to harvest it?
Comfrey grows abundantly at the edges of forests or near streams or other water. However, I also commonly see it in the city, where it spreads out from gardens. It grows quickly and multiplies like a weed. Which isn't entirely a bad thing, because it's also great cut up as mulch or for compost.
Ideally, the leaves of comfrey should be harvested before flowering, when the leaves contain the most of the powerful substances. This is usually during late April and early May. However, if you only recognize comfrey by its flowers, it is definitely worth cutting the leaves while flowering.
What does comfrey look like?
Comfrey is hard to miss while growing! It is a plant that normally grows to a height of 1 meter. It has alternate leaves that can be really large near the ground. The leaves and stem are covered with tiny hairs. It also blooms beautifully in colors ranging from light purple, blue-purple, dark purple and occasionally white flowers.
What will we need for making comfrey salve?
comfrey leaves - harvested in a clean place and dried, or bought already dried in specialty stores
extra virgin olive oil - the carrier oil can be basically anything that is suitable for the skin, from any oil, to various blended oil mixes, ready-made bases to lard. I specifically like to use extra virgin olive oil for this salve because it has a strong oiling and blood circulating effect, which is great for massaging out stiff muscles!
beeswax - nowadays you can commonly buy it in the form of pellets, either traditional yellow or white. It makes the salve firm and stable, yet it spreads perfectly. Beeswax also has antioxidant properties and softens the skin.
shea butter - moisturizes and nourishes the skin and has anti-inflammatory properties. I recommend using refined or deodorized shea butter for this salve, otherwise shea butter has a distinct scent that doesn't work for everyone.
rosemary essential oil - gives the salve not only an irresistible scent but also improves blood circulation and relieves muscle and nerve pain.
How to make dried comfrey leaves?
Making comfrey oil from dried comfrey leaves is very easy! First you need to harvest the young leaves of the comfrey, ideally during May (before flowering or at the beginning of flowering) when they have the maximum amount of those powerful substances. Harvest leaves that are undamaged, bright green and free of bugs, insects, aphids and other wildlife. The leaves are then cut into pieces a few inches long and allowed to dry. They dry well in the dryer or at room temperature on a rack. However, beware of damp and cold conditions in the home or outside, as the leaves are quite tough and tend to turn black.
How to make comfrey salve?
Put the dried leaves of the comfrey in a glass container and pour the oil over them so that all the leaves are submerged. Seal the jar with a lid and store in a shady place for 4-6 weeks, where the oil will macerate. If you are in a hurry, 4 weeks will be enough, but the longer the leaves macerate, the more powerful substances the oil will have.
After this time, strain the oil through a very fine sieve and pour into a fireproof bowl. Add the shea butter, beeswax and let it melt in a water bath. The mixture needs to be heated as little as possible, just enough to melt everything. Then add essential oil and, if you have it, a drop of vitamin E to prolong its shelf life. Then pour into the prepared clean containers, allow to set and then seal.
How to store comfrey salve?
It is best to store comfrey salve in dark-colored containers (glass containers can often be bought in brown, black, dark blue and green.) I recommend not exposing the salve to heat unnecessarily and keeping it cool.
Instructions
approx. 250 ml
How to make: Comfrey salve
Ingredients:
- 20 tbsp of comfrey oil (i.e. the oil in which the dried comfrey leaves have been macerated)
- 2 tbsp beeswax
- 2 tbsp shea butter
- 5 drops of EO Rosemary
Instructions:
- Put the dried leaves of the comfrey in a glass container and pour the oil over them so that all the leaves are submerged. Seal the jar with a lid and store in a shady place for 4-6 weeks, where the oil will macerate. If you are in a hurry, 4 weeks will be enough, but the longer the leaves macerate, the more powerful substances the oil will have.
- After this time, strain the oil through a very fine sieve and pour into a fireproof bowl. Add the shea butter, beeswax and let it melt in a water bath. Depending on the amount of oil, it is easy to increase or increase the amount of other ingredients.
- Add shea butter and beeswax to a bowl and let it melt in a water bath.
- Then stir in the essential oil and pour into the prepared clean containers, allow to set before sealing.
Note..: A drop of vitamin E can be added to the salve along with the EO to prolong its life.
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