Diaper Balm

I make my own diaper balm for Ilya. It can be used for a many things besides baby bottoms, but I always call it diaper balm. The recipe is similar to the recipe for Yarrow when she was smaller, but it varies in every batch, depending on the herbs I have on hand. I always have comfrey on hand though. I can't get rid of it.

Comfrey is one of my favorite herbs..mainly because it grows so well in our yard and garden. Actually, it grows so well everywhere. It's kind of a weed. A monstrous, overgrown, pretty, weed. With healing properties. 

Comfrey heals cuts and abrasions, rashes, and skin-in-general. It heals quickly, make sure your skin is clean if using comfrey to heal - especially the root.

herbs soaking in oil

I use the leaves in my diaper balm. I soak them, with calendula and yarrow blossoms (in varying amounts) in olive oil for about a week. 

Then, I strain them out and heat the oil on a less hot area of the woodstove...a 'normal' stove would use a low setting. I chop in beeswax..no measuring for me. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right amount, but generally 4 or 5 parts oil to 1 part wax is a good place to start..so measuring, you'd put in a little less than 1/4 cup wax for every 1 cup oil...I usually only work with a cup of oil at a time anyway. And once that melts, I take it off the heat, and add about 5-8 drops lavender essential oil. 

mixed herbs, dried yarrow on top

If I'm not sure about the consistency, I'll wait to add the essential oil. Instead, I'll let this blend cool, test it's consistency, and reheat. Then I can either add more wax, more infused oil, or just remelt it to pour into jars. 

I use this blend for baby butts, minor bug bits, skin irritations, or just dry skin. It feels great on new tattoos (though really, I prefer adding rosemary essential oil and a bit of coconut oil to my tattoo balm.)

It's easy to make, which is good, I'm a neglectful herbalist, and it heals everything quickly. It smells nice too.