This homemade jewelweed salve is great for skin ailments such as spider and mosquito bites, insect stings, rashes and poison ivy.

Homemade Jewelweed Salve

Easy to identify with its bright orange and yellow flowers, jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) can be foraged throughout most of the United States.

It is commonly used in natural remedies such as tinctures, fresh poultices, salves and even homemade soaps.

With this salve, I have added lavender and calendula to help increase the benefits of healing with these two other medicinal plants.

This salve can be made with only jewelweed, just replace the other two plants with jewelweed.

Carrier Oils

When making a salve, choosing the correct carrier oil can improve the impact of the salve as each carrier oil has its own set of distinct properties. Blending a couple of carrier oils can also help maximise their benefits.

With this salve recipe, there are multiple carrier oils that could be used including:

Avocado Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Argan Oil
Rosehip Oil
Hemp Oil
Safflower Oil

You can learn more about carrier oils here.

Before Using this Salve

Before using this rub, you will need to understand a few things.

Don’t use on skin with open wounds or cuts.
Test on small area of skin before using. If there’s any irritation, dilute with more carrier oils.
Wash hands well after using.

Using this Salve

Using clean hands, rub a small amount of the salve onto your fingers, then rub it in the intended site.

For inflamed or red or irritated skin, massage a small amount onto the affected area
For bug bites, apply a thin layer of the salve to soothe the area
To help aid in healing of rashes, apply a small amount onto the area
For minor cuts, burns and scrapes, apply a small amount onto the area
To help with the itchiness of poison ivy, sumac, and stinging nettle, massage a small amount onto the affected area

Ingredients for Making Jewelweed Infused Oil

½ Cup Dried Jewelweed – Usually the stem and the leaves
½ Cup Dried Lavender Flowers
½ Cup Dried Calendula
1 ½ Cups Carrier Oil

To make Jewelweed Infused Oil, follow these instructions.

Ingredients for Making Jewelweed Salve

To make around 8 ounces of salve, you will need:

1 ½ Cups Infused Oil
3 TBSP Beeswax

TIP – When using beeswax in your products, just note that it does harden very quickly as it cools. This means that it can be quite difficult to remove from the dishes and cutlery that is used. For this reason, I have dedicated bowls and cutlery that is only used for making homemade products, especially ones that contain beeswax.

Making Jewelweed Salve

Combine the beeswax and the infused oil in a microwaveable container and heat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave until the beeswax is completely melted. Stir in between each heat burst.

This process could also be done in a double boiler.

Let it cool slightly before adding the essential oil if using and mix through.

Pour the mixture into small glass jars or tins.

Let the salve cool and set.

The salve is now ready to label, date and store.

Storing This Salve

Place the salve in dark glass jars or metal tins to protect it from exposure to light and air. I have also used tubes for easier application.

Store in a cool, dark place.

When properly stored, this salve should last up to six months.

Notes

If you are picking fresh leaves to use in this salve, make sure to harvest them from a pesticide free area.
Harvest only when you are 100% positive you have the correct plant as there are many lookalikes which are inedible or poisonous.
Vitamin E is optional, and is often added to salves as an antioxidant to prevent rancidity, as well as for its amazing skin-healing properties. Add 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil to help preserve your salve even longer!
You can use any type of carrier oil for the infused oil. This recipe uses avocado oil.
If you want this to be a vegan recipe, swap out beeswax pellets for candelilla wax.
Try adding essential oils or other infused oils for a more powerful salve
I live in a hot climate, so this is made with 3 tablespoons of beeswax to stop it from melting during hot summers, thus making this a harder salve. Use less beeswax if you want a softer balm. To test the consistency of the salve, place a small amount on the back of your hand and see what it does. If it’s too soft, add more beeswax; if it is too hard, add more oil.

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