Homemade Charcoal Drawing Salve

Drawing salve has been around for ages and it is for good reason. This homemade charcoal drawing salve is a wonderful natural remedy to keep on hand for those times when a splinter or small wound needs some attention. 

Charcoal Drawing Salve

Salves are great remedies for using on the body. Due to their thickness they stay put longer than a liquid treatment does and if you cover them with a bandage (when needed), they will work even better.

If you are a user of essential oils then you will love this recipe, as you can add a few of the best oils for treating the skin and related issues. These oils can also aid in the removal of infections and in helping draw out any irritations. There are three essential oils you will be adding: Tea tree, lavender and frankincense. There are fantastic benefits to each of these including being anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, calming and soothing, and nourishing to the skin. These oils will also aid in fighting off infection and if you are treating a splinter, they help it to remove it out quickly.

This salve does contain activated charcoal powder. This powder which can be a little messy to use, but is well worth it. Other ingredients include beeswax, coconut oil and olive oil, which not only help in nourishing the skin, but helps with keeping the salve thick and easy to apply. 

Making the Salve

To make this salve, you will need calendula infused olive oil. This is easy to make if you have access to dried calendula flowers, or you can purchase them if you don’t.

This ingredients are:

• 3  x 1 oz. salve jars with lids (Or your containers of choice, up to 3 oz. approximately.)
• ¼ cup chopped beeswax or beeswax pastilles
• 2 TBSP coconut oil
• 1 TBSP calendula infused olive oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 5 drops tea tree essential oil
• 5 drops frankincense essential oil
• 2 tsp activated charcoal powder

Directions:

Get your containers all ready, wiping them clean and making sure there is no loose debris or dust in them, and lay them in a good spot for cooling later. You won’t want to move them while they are cooling, so make sure they are on a place surface, somewhere out of the way. I like to lay a cloth or towel underneath them to catch any spills that may occur.

Measure out the beeswax to a double boiler and gently melt over medium heat. This will take some time to get heated up, and it gives you a few minutes to prepare a couple of other things while it is. 

Then, measure out the coconut oil and olive oil and have those ready to add. The olive oil is easy, but the coconut oil is possibly too thick to easily measure if it has cooled off in storage. If that is the case, just remove the lid and place into the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. This will liquefy the top part of it enough to allow you to easily pour it out and measure.

Check on the beeswax and using a metal spoon, stir it gently from time to time as it melts, so that it doesn’t burn. Beeswax is great for you and it has wonderful properties that are ruined if it burns, so make sure to keep an eye on it. As it is melting, beeswax likes to gather in clumps which need to be separate so that it melts evenly. I use 2 spoons when melting wax so that I have one to scrape the wax off the other with after stirring.

Once the wax starts to look clear around edges, it will start melting fairly quickly at this point. Set the heat to a low simmer and stir it every few minutes as needed.  Once it is melted and all clear, add in the olive oil and stir, and then add the coconut oil. Let that melt for a minute and then stir it well.

Remove the salve from the heat and gently add your essential oils if using. All 3 of these oils are a thin consistency, so be cautious when adding the drops so as not to over-do it.

Stir the salve mixture between the oils.

Measure and add in the charcoal powder. Add in one teaspoon at a time and stir in between. If you do this slowly, it is easier to get it to dissolve throughout the mixture. The charcoal likes to clump up a bit and you may need to take the back of the spoon and mash it some against the side of the pot to get it to mix in better.

You need all the powder to be mixed in thoroughly before you can pour, or the powder will rise to the top of the salve and make a mess for you later. Once mixed well, check to see if it seems all liquefied and thin.

When it is, you are ready to pour into your containers. Pour the mixture into your containers in a slowly and steady stream until the salve comes to just a bit below the lip of the container. If you are doing multiples like I did, I like to fill a little lower down to start until I see how much I have, and then go back and top it off if I can, so that they all have the same amount in them.

As the salves cool they will thicken back up and the black colour will fade a bit to a darkish grey. This is how you can tell when they are nearly cooled too. Do not move the containers until they have been cooling for at least an hour, though they may need a little more depending on the size of the jars that you use. 

To test to see if they are ready, lift one up and feel the bottom centre. If it feels cool, you are safe to put the lids on.

Now you can label them and add them to your first aid kit!

You may also like to add this healing calendula salve, homemade vapour rub, magnesium body lotion, and homemade hand sanitiser to your first aid kit as well.

Using Charcoal Salve

To apply the salve for a cut, wound, boil, insect bite, splinter or skin irritation, take a pea-sized amount and gently rub it in. I recommend using a bandaid / bandage over it for a few hours or even overnight to help the salve work. When you remove the bandage, the splitter should be easier to remove. The skin irritations should be healing as well. Repeat this process as necessary. 

One thing to note is that the charcoal can stain, so using a bandaid or bandage helps reduce the risk of staining things like clothes and furniture. 

I used glass salve containers in a 1 oz. size for this recipe with lids, and it makes 3 of them. You can always use one container or smaller sized ones as well, that is up to you. I like this size because it gives me extras to give away or keep in more than one place, but it is enough to last a long time. 

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.