When I was in the process of switching to a natural medicine cabinet years ago, I needed to find something safe for wounds and bites that would kill bacteria and heal the wound, and yet not contain any toxic ingredients.
I used to use antibiotic products such as Neosporin for cuts and bites. I’m not so crazy about products such as these anymore. Here are possible side effects of using this antibiotic ointment, taken from Drugs.com.
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); skin irritation, pain, burning, cracking, redness, or peeling not present before using Neosporin ointment; worsening or recurrence of wound symptoms.
I realize there are not large numbers of people at the emergency room with severe side effects from using products like Neosporin because it is used in such small amounts. However, the chemicals in these products that can cause these side effects are not healthy for the skin no matter how small a dose that is used. I would rather use a product that is just as effective but won’t put toxins in my system!
I found such a product from the Bulk Herb Store! Shoshanna {the owner of Bulk Herb Store} makes a salve called Eden Salve. I found this salve to take away the itch of bites, kill bacteria, and soothe and heal wounds. I’ve been very pleased!
I have also realized that I can make this salve myself and save a lot of money! The Bulk Herb Store sells an herbal mix called Green Salve Mix, which contains the same herbs that Eden Salve does. This salve numbs pain, stops the itch of bites, heals, and soothes. It draws out infection and poison, is antiseptic and antibacterial. This salve can be used on wounds, bites, boils, rashes {including diaper rash}, chapped or dry skin.
Green Salve Mix contains: Plantain Leaf, Calendula Flowers, Comfrey Leaf, Yarrow Flower, Rosemary Leaf, Echinacea Root, Echinacea Herb
Here’s how you make the salve:
- Place herbs in a jar 1/3 or 1/2 full. You can use any size jar, depending on how much salve you wish to make.
- Fill the jar up with olive oil, coconut oil, or sweet almond oil. {I normally use olive oil.} Leave a 2 inch head-space.
- Put a lid on the jar. Place a towel on the bottom of a crockpot, put jars in crockpot and fill the crockpot with water up to 1 inch below the top of the jars. Turn crockpot on low heat for 3 days. The oil and herbs need to be hot to release the properties, but not too hot. Water will evaporate so add more water as often as needed to keep the level at one or 2 inches below the top of the jar. My picture below is a perfect example. I should have placed a few more inches of water in the crockpot before taking the picture.
- After 3 days, strain the herbs from the oil through white cotton material or cheesecloth, or a fine strainer. Strain as much oil as you can and allow the herbs and oil to cool enough to handle. This allows you to squeeze as much oil out as possible with your hands!
- You now have an herbal oil that you can use if you prefer to use an oil. To make it into a salve, place 2 cups of the herbal oil into a pan. Add 1/4 cup of beeswax. Turn the burner on low heat and slowly heat the oil until the beeswax melts.
- Once the beeswax is melted, pour in 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil to preserve the salve for 5 years or more!
- Transfer the liquid salve into a container with a spout to make it easier to pour from. It’s important to pour the salve into containers before it starts to cool. All that beeswax makes it solidify in a hurry!
You can pour your salve into any kind of container – baby food jars or tin containers – whatever you prefer! The Bulk Herb Store sells 4 oz. tin cans, or you can find them on Amazon or Ebay.
One bag of this Green Salve Mix makes 14-24 oz. of salve, depending on how much you fill your jar with the dried herbs when making the oil.
If you are not a DIY person, you can purchase Eden Salve HERE for an effective medicine for bites and cuts.
If you would like to try your hand at making your own salve and saving lots of money, you can read about the Green Salve Mix HERE.
What do you use to relieve bug bites and heal wounds?
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Just a few days ago my son got a cut and asked for “some of the stuff that feels nice”, meaning Neosporin. As I put it on his scrape I thought how I’d like to find a natural alternative…and I think I even happen to have all the herbs on hand! Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! It’s great stuff!
Unless you use just olive oil instead of Extra Virgin (which I don’t), the temp would be too high. I know you’re not ingesting it, but damaged oils are damaged oils in your body or in your skin.
I like your recipe, thank you. I think that I’ll try it with coconut oil.
Coconut oil is a great option! If a person’s crockpot goes higher than 200 degrees on low, they will want to use the warm setting. Thanks!
Can you share the amount of each herb to use?
The Bulk Herb Store does not share their recipe so unfortunately I do not know the amounts of each herb that they use. I just use their mix. Thanks for the question!
My husband IS allergic to Neosporin.
So we don’t have any in the house at all. We’ve been using Bacitracin, but it’s expensive (like everything else) and I sure would rather make my own.
Its very easy to make your own and less expensive too! Let me know if you give it a try.
One of the ingredients listed in the salve is propolis but you do not include it in your recipe. The healing powers of propolis are well documented. Do you think this is a necessary component?
Hi, Gary! If you are referring to the beeswax, the amount to use is listed in step 5. Beeswax does not come with the Green Salve mix, but has to be purchased separately. And it is necessary to have beeswax to harden the herbal oil into a salve. You can also just use the herbal oil and not make a salve, but a salve is more convenient and less messy so many prefer salves. Let me know if I can be of further help!
Ingredients:
Echinacea root, comfrey leaf, propolis, plantain leaf, echinacea purpurea, yarrow flower, rosemary leaf, beeswax, pure olive oil and grapefruit seed extract.
Not bees wax but propolis, the number 3 ingredient that is listed in her ingredient list It is well known for it’s antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory properties.
Many apologies that I misunderstood, Gary! If you purchase the Eden Salve, it contains propolis. If you buy the salve mix to make the salve yourself, the propolis does not come in the mix. You could certainly add it in though.
I was wondering if you know how much propolis is in the salve? I would like to purchase some propolis extract to add to the salve that I am going to make but I am unsure how much to use. Thank you
Hi, Janet! I use pure beeswax so I’m not sure. You could start with a small amount and experiment!
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Thank you so much for getting back t o me!
Anytime, Janet!
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Hello I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of olive oil you used to infuse the herbs? Is it organic or just regular olive oil.
I buy organic oil if I can afford it at the time. If not, I just use the best I can buy!
Jill,
I have all the herbs except for plantain, do you know of or have you tried anything ad a substitute that would work just as well?
Where could I get a good start of plantain, I would prefer organic, something with no chemicals on it??? That KS so much for your time
Hi, Kim! I don’t know where to get a start of it, unfortunately, but plantain grows everywhere! If you don’t have any in your yard, you should be able to easily find it from a neighbor or relative. Witch hazel and yarrow are astringent herbs like plantain is and are possible substitutes. You can also buy dried plantain here –> http://tinyurl.com/hnpwjq5 Let me know if I can help any other way!
Jill, I finally just now made my oil. I made quite a bit though and plan to only make small amounts of ointment at a time. Should I add Vitamin E oil to the infused coconut oil now? Or only when I make the salve with the beeswax? If yes, how much should I add for a pint of the infused coconut oil? I only have the capsules so I will have to use them. Thank you!
Hey, Sarah! Herb infused oil should last about a year. If you wish to help preserve it, I would add the same amount of vitamin e to the herbal oil as you would for the salve. So about 1 tablespoon of vitamin e per 2 cups of oil. I’m not sure how many capsules that would be so I would just measure. Thanks for the question!
Hi I wanna make this into the salve I purchased the green kit. So if I make the whole green kit I only use a 1/4 cup of beeswax, is this correct?
You add 1/4 cup of beeswax for every 2 cups of herbal oil that you have. Thanks for the question!