DIY Dandelion Salve for Healing
This DIY dandelion salve uses just three simple ingredients, including dandelion-infused oil made with dandelions picked right from your own backyard!
It’s an herbal healing salve that works wonders for sore muscles, helps to heal minor cuts and scrapes and can be used as an all-natural moisturizer with so many benefits for your skin!
Why Dandelions?
Dandelions are incredibly beneficial in so many ways. While many people have been trained to see dandelions as unsightly weeds in their otherwise well-manicured lawns, dandelions were actually intentionally brought to North America by European immigrants centuries ago because they knew how beneficial these little plants really are!
First of all, dandelions are actually really good for lawns and gardens. Their long taproots help aerate the soil and their colourful flowers are some of the first blooms to attract pollinators to our gardens in the spring!
Second, dandelions are a nutritious and completely edible plant. In fact, every part of the dandelion plant is edible from the roots to the leaves to the flowers. You can make dandelion root tea, dandelion leaf salad and even fried dandelion flowers!
But perhaps most impressive is the fact that dandelions offer a huge range of health benefits from strengthening bones and fighting diabetes to detoxifying your liver and nourishing your skin in all sorts of ways.
While you can eat and drink dandelions to reap their health benefits, they can also be turned into topical, medicinal balms, salves, creams, oils, lotions and astringents.
Dandelions are also anti-inflammatory as well as high in antioxidants, and when applied topically they can help nourish and clear skin, fight skin infections and help relieve muscle and joint pain, including pain caused by arthritis.
That being said, my favourite way to use dandelions is by making an infused oil and then turning that oil into a healing salve. I use only 3 ingredients: Dandelion-infused oil, coconut oil and beeswax. I also like adding in skin-nourishing essential oils like lavender, tea tree and frankincense, but these are completely optional).
The salve is really quick to make once you’ve got your infused oil (about 20 minutes is all you need), but first you will need to spend a little time making your dandelion-infused oil.
How to Make Dandelion-Infused Oil
- Pick dandelions when they’re fresh and in season. For this salve you’re only going to use the dandelion flower. *Make sure dandelions haven’t been sprayed with herbicides! This is a common “weed” that many people use RoundUp and other chemical sprays on. Also steer clear of dandelions near busy roadways or in public parks where they might have been peed on by dogs!
- Let flowers dry out for a day or two because infused oils may start to grow mold if you use fresh flowers that still have moisture in them. But don’t let them dry out too long because dandelions may go to seed. Just a day or two max.
- Once dandelions have dried, pack them into a jar. Pack as many flowers as you can in there and then top with a liquid oil. I usually use olive oil, which is a good skin moisturizer for your skin and is something you probably have sitting in your pantry already. But you could also use jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, fractionated coconut oil or any other liquid oil you choose.
- Let them sit for 2 to 6 weeks and allow the oil time to infuse. You can set your jar in a warm, sunny location or simply leave it on your countertop or even in a cupboard. And you can really leave the flowers in the oil for as long as you like (I just made a fresh batch of salve with some dandelion oil that still had the dandelions in it from last year!) But a few weeks is enough to extract the beneficial properties from dandelions.
- Once you’ve infused your oil, pour it through a sieve or some cheesecloth and use a pestle, a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to press on the flowers and squeeze out as much oil as possible. Reserve the oil and compost the dandelion flowers.
How to Make Dandelion Salve
A salve is basically a healing ointment or balm. This all-natural homemade dandelion salve blends dandelion-infused oil with coconut oil and beeswax to create a healing, moisturizing and soothing salve that can be used all over the body. Here’s how to make it…
Ingredients
1 Cup dandelion-infused oil
1 oz beeswax (grated or pellets)
2 oz coconut oil
Essential oils (optional)
Directions
- Use a food scale to measure out your dandelion oil, beeswax and coconut oil. Measure in or transfer to a heat-proof melting/pouring pot.
- Create a double boiler by placing the melting pot in a pot with a couple inches of water in it and heat on medium until all of the ingredients melt together. Stir with a wooden spoon or other mixing utensil to mix well. *I use a wooden stir stick for all of my homemade candles and salves. I always wipe it off immediately after string with a rag or some paper towel so the wax doesn’t harden on and build up. If using a kitchen utensil, you might want to consider dedicating a specific wooden spoon or tool to your homemade personal care products in order to keep wax out of your food and food out of your wax!
- Remove from the heat and let liquid salve mixture cool in the pot for about 5 minutes. At this point you can add some essential oils if you like. About 20-30 drops will do. I like to use a mixture of lavender, tea tree and frankincense oils in my salves as they are all really beneficial for skin.
- Carefully pour mixture into pots or jars and let cool for a few hours until they are completely solid.
- Stick a cute label on the lid and you’re done! *Download my free printable labels for this project from the “labels” section of my Free Resource Library.
How to use dandelion salve
Use dandelion salve on dry, cracked hands, feet, elbows and knees (it’s especially moisturizing and nourishing on hands after a day of gardening!).
Use on arthritic hands and stiff joints, on scrapes and rashes and as a general moisturizer or muscle rub.
Jars of homemade dandelion salve also make great gifts! I always stash few away for birthdays, Mother’s Day and Christmas gifts!)
Make sure to label them whether you’re giving them away or keeping them for yourself, because if you’re anything like me and you make other similar looking products (like this Rosemary Hair Pomade, for example), it is REALLY easy to mix up your products and forget what’s what if there’s no label. Trust me.
> To download the labels I use for this dandelion salve (plus gain access to many more downloadable labels and awesome freebies), Click Here to gain access to my Free Resource Library! <<
DIY Dandelion Salve for Healing
Ingredients
- 1 Cup dandelion-infused oil
- 1 oz beeswax (grated or pellets)
- 2 oz coconut oil
- Essential oils (optional)
Instructions
- Use a food scale to measure out your dandelion oil, beeswax and coconut oil. Measure in or transfer to a heat-proof melting/pouring pot.
- Create a double boiler by placing the melting pot in a pot with a couple inches of water in it and heat on medium until all of the ingredients melt together. Stir with a wooden spoon or other mixing utensil to mix well. *I use a wooden stir stick for all of my homemade candles and salves. I always wipe it off immediately after string with a rag or some paper towel so the wax doesn't harden on and build up. If using a kitchen utensil, you might want to consider dedicating a specific wooden spoon or tool to your homemade personal care products in order to keep wax out of your food and food out of your wax!
- Remove from the heat and let liquid salve mixture cool in the pot for about 5 minutes. At this point you can add some essential oils if you like. About 20-30 drops will do. I like to use a mixture of lavender, tea tree and frankincense oils in my salves as they are all really beneficial for skin.
- Carefully pour mixture into pots or jars and let cool for a few hours until they are completely solid.
- Stick a cute label on the lid and you're done! *Download my free printable labels for this project from the "labels" section of my Free Resource Library.
P.S. Want all the skin nourishing goodness of a beeswax salve but don’t have time to make your own? Hard lotion bars from MadeOn skin care are made with beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter, and when I’m out of homemade salve, these lotion bars are my favourite way to moisturize dry, cracked hands after a long day digging in the garden. Get 15% off MadeOn’s signature Bee Silk hard lotion bars, plus get 15% off all other MadeOn products too, including their BeeCool Muscle Balm, peppermint Foot Rub Lotion Stick, Simply Soothing rash cream and more! Use code HOUSEHOMESTEAD at checkout to get your discount:)
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness:)
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Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
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With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
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The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
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I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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Head over using the link in my bio!
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In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
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🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
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Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
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These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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Read it today through the link in my bio!
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A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
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Hi, this might be a dumb question, but how much does this make (8oz or 10oz)? I’m making a skin salve with dandelion, plantain and purple dead nettle. Thank you for your recipe!
Hi Maranda – it will make approx. 10oz as that’s the total oil volume. Enjoy!
I put mine in the dehydrator and they started turning white and puffy. Not the entire flower but the base did. Can they still be used?
Yes, mine do that too. But it’s better than letting them dry naturally because the longer they take to dry, the whiter they get (because they’re trying to go to seed and reproduce before they die). The medicinal properties are still present.
Can I use organic coconut oil in place of fractioned?
Hi Teresa,
Fractioned coconut oil is a liquid form of coconut oil which is why Anna mentioned it as one of the alternative oils to use instead of olive oil for infusing the dandelion flowers.
However, if you are referring to the salve recipe that calls for “coconut oil”, (to be melted and mixed with the dandelion infused oil and bees wax) then organic oil would be a good choice for this salve recipe. I have used it with great success in many of my salves.
Is it good for psoriasis? My son has it really bad
It certainly doesn’t hurt! I gave my cousin some of this salve for her psoriasis and while it didn’t cure it, she said it did help to soothe the dry cracked skin on the parts of her body where she was suffering.
Can you use a dehydrator for the dandelions? I washed mine and I think they’ll sit out for too long waiting to dry naturally.
Disregard, i see your comment below 😀
Yes you can! I actually like to dry mine in my dehydrator as they dry quicker without going to seed:)
I read that you can use fresh flowers if you use a coffee filter or thin cloth for lid – will this work?
When working with oil infusions it is always best to use dried herbs/flowers -always. The moisture left in the fresh herbs/flowers can make the oil go bad (rancid or mold). I would not recommend doing that as it is not considered to be a safe practice.
However, if you wish to use fresh flowers for something homemade and tasty, I use fresh flowers in a vinegar infusion for dressings and you will get similar benefits from the flowers/herbs as long as they are safe to eat. I currently have vinegar infusions of dandelion and wild violet I picked over the weekend. Both have wonderful cleansing properties and also contain vitamins we all need. And, I have to say, the violet vinegar is such a pretty pink/purple color also.
Please help !! My dandelion infusion is molding ! I haven’t made my salve yet.Do I have to throw it out and start over ?
Hi Pamela,
I’m so sorry to hear that! The same thing happened to me the first time I made this because I put fresh flowers in the oil. This is the reason why I say you should dry them out for a couple days first. If you let them sit and dry for too long they can go to seed, which you don’t want. But usually a day or two is enough to dry them out sufficiently without them going to seed. If you have a dehydrator, I like to use the dehydrator because you can dry them out quickly without them seeding. However if you’ve already got a moldy infusion, I would suggest tossing it and starting a new batch. Just make sure the dandelions are sufficiently dried first before making your oil infusion.
Is it normal for the dandelions to shrink up considerably after letting dry? I picked 4 cups and the next day they had shrunk to about 2 cups.
Yes, Josh, that is completely normal.
However, they will swell up again when you infuse them in the oil. For this reason, you want to keep an eye on that infusion for the first few days to be sure you didn’t accidentally fill the jar too full of oil.
Enjoy!
Thanks, looking forward to the finished product.
I filled the jars with the dandelions and the oil. Why does the oil keep coming out after the lid was put on.
If your oil is seeping out then you probably have too much oil in the jar. When you dry any flower or herb at all, it will absorb some of the liquid it is put in and expand or swell. You just need to pour off a little bit of the oil, wipe off the jar rim and replace with a clean lid.
Let us know if you have any other questions. Enjoy!
What could I use instead of beeswax? I have a sensitivity to honey/ beeswax.
Hi Deb,
You could also try substituting soy wax for the beeswax. Salves typically a combination of oils and wax (usually beeswax), but soy wax or carnauba wax should work well too:)
Can I purchase this already made? Would help me quite a bit to buy.
Hi Grace,
I don’t currently sell these ready-made simply because I don’t make enough of the dandelion salve to make mass quantities. Maybe one day though!
Hello. How many oz. Will you use for dandelion oil? You said one cup but then you said weigh it.
Hi Ally,
The scale is actually used for the solid ingredients (beeswax and coconut oil) to measure it by weight and the oil is measured in a liquid (volume) measuring cup. That is the way I measure it out as well and works great for me. I can see how that can be a bit confusing the way it is worded but I know that the intent is to measure the solids by weight and liquids by volume.
Thanks for helping to clarify that. Enjoy your salve!
So excited to start using mine!! Thank you!!
Can the whole flower be used in this or just the yellow part. Thanks
Hi Shirley,
Yes, you can use the whole flower. I just pop it off at the base right where it connects to the stem and use the whole bud:)
I’m getting ready to make this for the first time. Wish me luck! Lol. I know in an above statement is said to put the dandelions in a jar and then add oil. But if the dandelions expand and they’re no longer covered in oil, can I add more oil as the days progress?
Yes you can add more oil. The dandelions should always be covered by the oil. Good luck!