Day 7: Learn How to Make Herbal Salves and Topical Treatments

Hello {!firstname_fix}

It is now day 7, and you are well on your way to making lots of homemade herbal 
products. Yesterday you learned how to make a poultice, so today we want to go over 
topical products like salves and lotions. These will provide relief for sunburns, bruises, 
scrapes, cuts, and many other related things. Some salves are applied externally, but 
help with internal issues, like a balm for your chest that helps with congestion from a 
cold.

The Basics of Making a Salve or Lotion

If you don’t want long and complicated instructions, we are here for you! The basic 
method for making your own herbal salve simply requires infusing any type of oil with 
the herbs you want to use, then choosing a cream-base to turn it into a thicker salve. Oil 
on its own can be applied to your skin as well, but it tends to be a little too thin in 
texture. Coconut oil is often used because it is a little thicker when it hardens.

Infusing With Your Herbs

Once you have decided which herbs you want to use, you will need to make sure you 
dry them out first. These don’t usually work well with fresh herbs. There shouldn’t be 
any extra moisture from the herbs, which is why dried herbs is best. A simple way to 
infuse the oil is to add herbs to a container, pour oil on top with your coconut oil or other 
cream base, then let it sit for several days. Strain out the liquid to separate it from the 
herbs, and your salve is ready to go.

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