Dandelion Salve
A soothing dandelion salve for dry, chapped skin, made with olive oil infused with fresh dandelion blossoms and thickened with beeswax. Yields about 8 oz of finished salve, enough to fill four 2-oz tins. Keeps for about a year.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pack a pint mason jar firmly with fresh dandelion flowers, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top.
- Pour olive oil over the flowers until they're covered, still leaving a small gap at the top of the jar.
- Keep the jar warm at 110 to 120°F for 24 to 48 hours. A dehydrator set to 115°F or an Instant Pot on yogurt mode is the most hands-off. A warm water bath in a bowl works if you refresh the water every few hours. Avoid a slow cooker as a direct heat source — even "keep warm" runs around 170°F and will cook the flowers.
- Strain the warm oil through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer into a clean heat-proof container. Squeeze the cheesecloth gently to release the last of the oil, then compost the spent flowers.
- Return the strained oil to a small saucepan or the top of a double boiler. Add the beeswax.
- Warm gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until the beeswax has melted completely and the mixture looks smooth.
- Pour the finished salve into 2 oz tins or small glass jars.
- Let the salve cool undisturbed for at least 30 minutes before putting lids on or using.
Notes
Yield ~ This recipe makes about 8 oz of finished salve, enough to fill four 2-oz tins.
Beeswax ratio ~ 1 oz beeswax per cup of infused oil produces a medium-firm salve that softens on contact with skin. Use about 3/4 oz per cup for a softer balm, or 1 1/4 oz per cup for a harder, stick-style salve. If the consistency comes out wrong, gently rewarm the salve and adjust before it sets.
Substituting oils ~ Olive oil is what I use most often. Coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, and grapeseed all work. Coconut produces a slightly firmer salve at room temperature; jojoba absorbs the fastest into skin. Avoid oils with strong scents that compete with the dandelion.
Infusion methods ~ Keep the jar at 110 to 120°F for 24 to 48 hours. The easiest hands-off options are a dehydrator set to 115°F or an Instant Pot on yogurt mode. A warm water bath in a bowl works if you refresh the water every few hours. A slow cooker can be used as an insulator with warm water around the jar, but never as a direct heat source, since even its "keep warm" setting runs around 170°F and will cook the flowers.
Shelf life ~ Stored in a cool, dark, dry place, this salve keeps its potency for about a year. A few drops of vitamin E oil stirred in with the beeswax can extend shelf life further. Discard any salve that smells rancid or shows mold.
For sensitive skin ~ Always patch test on a small area first, especially if you have ragweed or other Asteraceae family allergies.
Dandelion prep note ~ Unlike dandelion wine or jelly, you don't need to peel the green sepals off the flowers for salve. The bitterness doesn't matter in an oil infusion, and the sepals add to the medicinal value.
Vegan version ~ Substitute candelilla wax for beeswax. See the vegan herbal salve recipe for ratios.
What this salve isn't for ~ Skip it on deep cuts, punctures, serious burns, or infected skin. For everyday dry skin, chapping, and rough patches, it's perfect.
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