How To Make Homemade Beeswax Salve (Easy Recipe)

An overhead shot of a finished beeswax salve with yellow beeswax pellets on top of it.

Nico

How To Make Homemade Beeswax Salve (Easy Recipe)

Homemade beeswax salve is a simple and nourishing DIY remedy and a great way to heal dry skin. Using only a few natural ingredients, this salve helps soothe skin irritations, treat insect bites, and keep moisture in the skin. It’s my go-to hand salve because it’s so easy to make!

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Prep Time 15

Additional Time 42

Total Time 42 15

Servings: 4 oz

Course: Holistic Skin Care

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1/2 cup Carrier oil of your choice such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, or jojoba oil
1 oz Beeswax pellets - I like to use pellets because they melt more quickly but you can also use a knife to chop down a block of beeswax. here's an organic source
Optional - 5-10 drops like tea tree oil for antimicrobial benefits or lavender oil to make it smell nice!
Optional - 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil to help the salve last longer here's a source

Equipment

Double boiler (or a saucepan with a heatproof bowl)
Glass mason jar (for oil infusion) - I like these
Cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve - I like this unbleached cheesecloth
Small whisk
Amber glass jar (for storing the salve) - I like these amber glass salve tins

Method

Optional step 1: make the infused oil

If you want the most basic salve recipe, skip this step and move on to step two.
If you want to add a bit more nutrition to your salve, you can maximise the salve’s healing properties by infusing the carrier oil with dried herbs such as calendula, yarrow, or comfrey leaf.
Add 1 cup of dried herbs to a glass mason jar.
Cover completely with ½ cup carrier oil (e.g., olive oil or sweet almond oil). Ensure all plant material is submerged.
Seal the jar, label it with the date, and store at room temperature for 4-6 weeks.
After infusion, strain the oil through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve to remove plant material.

Step 2: make the beeswax salve

Add 1 oz beeswax pellets to a double boiler and melt over low heat.
Once the pellets are melted, slowly stir in the herb-infused oil (½ cup).
Remove the double boiler from the heat and then add any essential oils or vitamin E oil at this point.
Use a small whisk to combine everything together.
Pour the mixture into a clean, dry amber glass jar.
Let the salve cool and harden before adding the lid. That’s it!

Notes

How to use beeswax salve

Apply a small amount of salve to any dry or irritated areas on your skin. I like to use the salve on my dry hands, elbows, knees, heels, and lips.

How long does beeswax salve last?

Like other salves, this homemade salve has a long shelf life if stored in a cool, dry place. It should last about a year but you can extend this by adding vitamin E oil, which acts as a preservative.

How to make a softer salve?

If your salve is too hard to use easily once it cools completely, you can add the salve jar into the double boiler and melt it down again on a very low heat.

Then pour it out into your glass bowl and add 1 teaspoon of your chosen carrier oil into the mixture.

If you’re worried about your salve being too hard, you can use slightly less beeswax to begin with, but I’ve tested this recipe and like the texture of the final salve.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!