Those who work with their hands, especially gardeners, appreciate a salve that soothes dry, chapped skin. This blend of all-natural ingredients, including healing comfrey, contains no harmful preservatives, colors, or chemicals.
Comfrey-Infused Olive Oil
Makes about 7 ounces
1 ounce comfrey leaf, dried and coarsely ground
1 ounce comfrey root, dried and coarsely ground
6 ounces cold-pressed olive oil
To Make Comfrey-Infused Olive Oil:
• Place powdered leaf and root in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
• Pour olive oil over herbs, stir, close the jar.
• Allow jar to sit 2 to 6 weeks as the comfrey infuses into the oil.
• Turn jar every day.
• After steeping, place a strainer lined with a thin cloth over a bowl and pour in oil to filter out the comfrey.
Super-Healing Hand Balm
Makes about 7 ounces
1 ounce plus 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
2 ounces plus 1 tablespoon shea butter
1 ounce beeswax
3/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil
To Make Hand Balm:
• Place all the balm ingredients (except lavender oil) in a large Pyrex measuring cup.
• Add 2 ounces of the Comfrey-Infused Olive Oil.
• Set the cup in a hot-water bath and stir until ingredients melt.
• Remove from heat and stir for a few minutes to cool, but not thicken.
• Pour into a wide-mouth jar, add the lavender oil, and quickly cap the jar with a tight-fitting lid to prevent oil from evaporating.
• Allow butter to cool overnight.
Recipe Copyright Dina Falconi. Reprinted with permission from Earthly Bodies and Heavenly Hair by Dina Falconi (Ceres Press, 1998).
