Cooling Relief: DIY Herbal Balm for Sensitive Areas
Skill: Crafting Herbal Topicals
In this recipe, you'll learn the essentials of creating herbal balms—nourishing blends of oil, wax, and butters infused with medicinal herbs. You'll also explore the use of essential oils to enhance the therapeutic properties of your formulations. Additionally, you'll understand the subtle differences between salves and balms, laying the foundation for the next recipe on herbal salves.
Beat the Heat with a Soothing Herbal Balm
Summer has hit hard, bringing intense heat and endless stickiness, especially if you live without air conditioning! Excessive sweating can unbalance your skin, particularly in areas with limited airflow like your genitalia and armpits, leading to unwanted odors. Today, I’m sharing an herbal balm recipe perfect for sensitive areas that need extra care! Made with gentle yet powerful ingredients, it’s fantastic for armpits and the bikini area. Lightly scented and packed with antibacterial herbs, this balm is a summer essential!
Powerful Antiseptic Ingredients
Infused with high mallow and lavender, this balm balances your skin’s microbiome. These herbs work wonders in areas where an unbalanced biome can lead to odors. To enhance the antibacterial effects, I’ve added small amounts of lavender and tea tree essential oils. These gentle yet effective oils combat microbes without causing irritation. Trust me, this combination is incredibly soothing!
Before we get into the recipe let’s talk a little more about herbal balms…
Understanding Herbal Balms
Herbal balms are essential tools for home herbalists. Made primarily of oil and wax, with occasional butters, they offer a malleable consistency that nourishes the skin. Adjusting the ingredients can create anything from a waxy lip balm to a creamy, skin-nourishing balm. By infusing oils or butters with your favorite herbs, you can add extra TLC to your skincare routine!
Balms vs. Salves: What’s the Difference?
While similar, herbal balms and salves have subtle differences. Salves are usually strictly oil and wax-based, while balms include butters. Balms also tend to absorb more slowly due to higher beeswax content, providing longer-lasting relief. Take lip balm for instance… You want your lips to stay hydrated for a long time and to not have to continuously apply.
For sensitive areas like armpits and the vagina, reducing wax and increasing butter content avoids stickiness.
Utilizing Essential Oils
Essential oils are a key component in crafting effective herbal topicals. They offer concentrated therapeutic properties and can enhance the overall effectiveness of your formulations. In this balm, tea tree and lavender essential oils provide antibacterial and soothing benefits, making them perfect for sensitive areas. When using essential oils, always ensure they are properly diluted to avoid irritation.
DIY Herbal Balm Recipe
This recipe fills two 4oz jars (8oz total). Adjust as needed!
Ingredients:
150 grams high mallow infused oil (~3/4 cup) — instructions below
67 grams lavender infused shea butter (~1/3 cup)
20 grams beeswax (or carnauba/candelilla wax for vegan salve) – 2 heaping tablespoons
10 drops tea tree essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
Procedure:
Combine Ingredients: Mix oil, butter, and wax in a heat-safe container. Do not add your essential oils yet!
Heat and Melt: Use a double boiler or water bath at a low simmer. Stir gently until completely melted. The more you stir the faster it will melt, but be patient! Making medicine takes time.
Cool and Add Essential Oils: Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding essential oils. Ensure the mixture is below 65°C/150°F to prevent essential oil evaporation.
Mix and Pour: Thoroughly combine and pour into containers. Let cool and set before use.
Creating Herbal Infusions: For detailed instructions on making oil and butter infusions, visit my page on Oil and Butter Infusions. Here’s a quick rundown...
In this recipe, I used high mallow infused olive oil and lavender infused shea butter. Feel free to substitute with your favorite herbs!
Oil Infusion:
Obtain dried plant material.
Place in an airtight container and cover with your choice of menstruum.
Shake daily for 2-6 weeks.
Strain and enjoy your herbal oil infusion!
Butter Infusion:
Melt butter in a double boiler.
Add dried plant material and heat gently for several hours.
Strain melted butter into molds and freeze.
This Cooling Relief balm is a summer essential, perfect for keeping sensitive areas fresh and comfortable. With its blend of soothing and antibacterial herbs, you'll stay cool and confident all day long. Enjoy the refreshing benefits and the confidence that comes with knowing you're using a natural, gentle product on your skin. Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more enchanting DIY recipes!