Gardener’s Hand Salve Recipe that you can make yourself

Gardening – cheaper than treatment and you get tomatoes! – Author unknown

There are many Benefits of gardening Along with only fresh products. Gardeners are known to live longer and I know many elderly people who still spend hours gardening every week… well into their 90s!

This may be due to the abundance of vitamin D Beneficial organisms In the soil, exercise, or even just time in nature. But gardening certainly has its benefits.

I prefer not to wear gloves When I garden So I can feel the plants and the soil. I feel comfortable doing it because we use it Organic pest control And fertilizer options. Sometimes it can leave me with cracked or dry hands.

The magic of ointments

Ointments are nourishing oil-based ointments that are often infused with beneficial herbs to speed up healing. Unlike lotions that use a mixture of oils and water to moisturize and lose moisture, these are oil and wax based. You can use different oils depending on what you want your ointment to do. Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and even rosehip seed oil are some of my favorites.

I often use ointments for various purposes. From cracked cracks, to stretch marks, to splinter extractions…the ointment is a mainstay in our home. I have a hand care ointment and another one for dry skin.

Gardeners’ ointment recipe

This ointment contains several soothing herbs that help nourish dry skin and quickly heal any small wounds from gardening. It also leaves hands silky and soft, even if you’re not a gardener. The dark green color of this ointment comes from the many herbs that are infused into the oils and have a delicious earthy and medicinal scent.

I prefer to make a salve from dried herbs, as this reduces the chance of spoilage as water is not introduced to the oils from the plant leaves. Ointments can also be made with essential oils, but I’ve found that this infused version is more effective and less likely to sting the eyes if you accidentally rub them. Although I do add a little lavender essential oil to enhance the healing properties.

Herbs to use

You can use many different restorative herbs here, but I used these:

Before you begin: Infuse the herbs in the oil

This is an important step to make this ointment effective. It takes time, and there are two ways to steep herbs, depending on how much time you have.

I use olive oil, but you can also use another liquid carrier oil, like avocado or sweet almond. Coconut oil can also work if using the one-day infusion option, but you may want to reduce the beeswax in your hand balm recipe.

Option 1: One day option

If you want to make the salve quickly and don’t want to wait weeks for the herbs to infuse, you can speed up the process in a double boiler.

1. Place 1 cup of olive oil (or other carrier oil) in the top of the double boiler.
2. Add a few inches of water to the bottom and turn the stove to medium heat.
3. Bring to a simmer and reduce to low.
4. Simmer for 3-4 hours or until the oil turns a very dark green colour.
5. Filter the herbs from the oil using cheesecloth and keep the oil in a clean, airtight container.

Option 2: Longer option

If you have the time and patience, here’s how to do a slower infusion.

1. Place the herbs and 1 cup of olive oil (or other carrier oil) in a pint-sized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Leave it for at least 3 weeks to give the herbs time to steep and shake occasionally. If the weather is warm enough, this mixture can be left in the sun to create a solar-infused oil.
3. Filter the herbs from the oil using cheesecloth and keep the oil in a clean, airtight container.

Once the oil is filtered, you’re ready to make your hand salve!

More ointment recipes for dryness

These salve recipes cover a wide range of skin care needs with botanical oils and waxes. Plus, it’s free of parabens, phthalates, and other unwanted chemicals because you control the ingredient list!

Do you garden? Have you ever used a moisturizing hand cream or ointment to help hard-working hands? Share below!