St. John's Wort Salve
St. John’s Wort Salve is a traditional herbal remedy used to soothe nerve pain, bruises, burns, and other skin irritations. This salve is made with freshly harvested St. John’s Wort blossoms (or purchased St. John’s Wort Oil) infused into a neutral carrier oil and thickened with beeswax. The finished salve has a distinctive red color thanks to the herb’s natural pigments, and it’s shelf-stable for up to a year when stored in a cool, dark place.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 cups Fresh St. John’s Wort flowers Hypericum perforatum, lightly packed
- 1 cup neutral carrier oil olive, almond, grapeseed, jojoba, or coconut
- 1 ounce beeswax pellets or grated from a block; about 1 heaping tablespoon
Instructions
Making St. John's Wort Oil
- Begin by harvesting fresh St. John’s Wort blossoms on a dry, sunny day. Use scissors to snip the top few inches of the plant, focusing on fresh blooms and unopened buds. Gently crush a few between your fingers—if they leave a red or purple stain, you’ve got the right plant.
- Fill a clean, dry glass jar with the blossoms, loosely packed, and pour the oil over them until completely covered, leaving about an inch of headspace.
- Set the jar into a double boiler or create a DIY version by placing it on a canning ring or trivet inside a saucepan with a few inchs of water. Gently heat the oil infusion to between 110°F and 120°F, and maintain this temperature for 24 to 48 hours, checking and topping up the water as needed. (A dehydrator with the trays removed works well as an incubation chamber, as does an instant pot on “yogurt mode,” just be sure to put the oil in a jar and then add water to the instant pot to treat it like a double boiler for a gentle, even heat.) Over time, the oil will turn a deep red as it absorbs the plant’s healing compounds.
- Once infused, strain the oil through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer, pressing gently to extract as much oil as possible.
Making Salve
- Return the strained oil to the double boiler and add the beeswax. Warm the mixture over low heat, stirring until the beeswax is completely melted and the oil is smooth.
- Pour the warm salve into small tins or jars and allow to cool undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. Once set, cap the containers and store them in a cool, dark place. Use within one year for best results.
Notes
Herb Farm makes a pre-made St. John’s Wort Oil in 1 ounce bottles. It’s incredibly concentrated, and you can use it along with 7 ounces of neutral oil (like olive oil) to make the 1 cup needed for this recipe.
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