From Plant to Potion: The Joy of Making Herbal Oils & Salves

There’s something truly special about crafting your own remedies. When we slow down, gather herbs, and infuse them with intention, we are doing far more than making oils and salves. We’re stepping back into an ancient rhythm — one that honours the Earth, our bodies, and the cycles of nature.

At The Healing Bower, I believe that creating small-batch remedies is not just about herbal medicine — it’s about relationship. Every time we choose to make something by hand instead of buying it in a plastic tube or chemical-filled jar, we are:

🌿 Supporting the planet – Using natural, biodegradable ingredients keeps harmful toxins out of waterways and reduces packaging waste.

🌙 Deepening connection with nature – Harvesting herbs at their peak and blessing them under the moon phases brings us closer to the living cycles of Earth.

💚 Crafting with intention – Making remedies by hand allows love, prayer, and healing energy to infuse each batch, turning a simple salve into a ritual ally.

This process is slow, thoughtful, and sustainable — the very opposite of mass production. It invites us to pause, connect with the plants, and let the Earth teach us through her medicine.

New Moon-Blessed Oils: Lucid Dreaming & Protection

This year, I created two new oils under two powerful cosmic influences in August 2025:

✨ The Lion’s Gate Portal (8 August) – This is a time when the star Sirius rises in alignment with the Sun. It opens a gateway of high-frequency energy that awakens intuition, expands the heart, and supports the manifestation of our soul’s desires. It’s a portal of courage, spiritual growth, and stepping into our highest path.

✨ The Full Moon in Aquarius – This moon shines a light on vision, freedom, and collective wisdom. Aquarius invites us to see beyond the ordinary, release old patterns, and open to innovative, higher consciousness. Oils blessed under this moon carry a frequency of clarity, liberation, and connection to the collective field of awareness.

I hand-selected intentional herbs for balance and protection. I dried and then steeped them for a full lunar cycle, absorbing not just the medicine of the plants but the energetic imprints of both the Lion’s Gate Portal and the Aquarius Moon. The result is oils that don’t just nourish your body — they awaken your spirit.

Lucid Dreaming Oil

• Mugwort to open the dream gates

• Rosemary to anchor dream memory

• Chamomile Essential Oil to calm the body and invite peaceful sleep

  
  

I use these on my feet and wrists before bed to encourage vivid dreams, connect with your subconscious, and support recall in the morning.

Protection Oil

• Nettle (Fire) for strength

• Irish Moss (Air) for clarity

• Sage (Earth) for grounding

• Blue Lotus flowers (Water) for higher connection

• Rosemary for bravery and courage

  
  

I also added Blue Lotus oil from Egypt, which was a pricey but very high-quality choice for this special blend. On testing the oil, I decided to use a dash of Frankincense essential oil, which gave it a slightly more grounded protective feel. This oil is for use on your body or space to create a protective shield, ground your energy, and enhance spiritual practice.

Making Small-Batch Healing Salves

Made with love in my home apothecary, each year I harvest my comfrey (root and leaf) in winter when the allantoin is highest. This year I made:

🌿 Comfrey Healing Salve – Crafted from comfrey leaf and root harvested in winter, steeped in virgin olive oil, and blended with beeswax, vitamin E, and peppermint essential oil. A cooling external salve to support sore muscles, bruises, sprains, and dry skin.

💋 Comfrey Lip Balm – A protective blend of comfrey leaf, supergreens, shea butter, beeswax, vitamin E, vanilla, and frankincense. A delicious and soothing balm to support dry, cracked lips and protection from wind or sun.

I love these salves; my skin drinks them up, and there are no preservatives or chemicals.

How to Make Your Own Herbal Salves at Home

Want to connect more deeply with the plants around you? Here’s a simple guide to start your own home apothecary.

You’ll need:

• Dried herb of choice (e.g., comfrey, calendula, lavender)

• A good-quality oil (olive oil or almond oil)

• Beeswax (to thicken)

• A double boiler (or a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water)

• Clean glass jars

  
  

Method:

1. Infuse your oil – Place dried herbs in a clean jar and cover with oil. Let it sit on a sunny windowsill for 2–4 weeks, or gently warm in a double boiler for a few hours.

2. Strain – Once the oil has absorbed the plant medicine, strain out the herbs using muslin or a clean cloth.

3. Create your salve – In a double boiler, gently melt 1 part beeswax to 4 parts infused oil. Stir well.

4. Add extras (optional) – A few drops of vitamin E oil or essential oil for extra nourishment, scent, or its medicinal qualities.

5. Pour & set – Pour into sterilised jars or tins and allow to cool before sealing.

   
   

The beauty of this process is in its simplicity. You don’t need fancy equipment — just patience, a few ingredients, and the willingness to listen to the plants.

Making your own oils and salves is more than a practical skill — it’s a form of earth connection, self-care, and ritual. Whether you use them for dreaming, protection, or healing, these creations hold the vibrational essence of the plants, the moon, and your intention. Remember this next time you're at the markets too - when you choose to craft or buy from small-batch makers, you’re honouring the Earth, your body, and the sacred relationship between the two.

The Healing Bower makes small batch home herbals available in the clinic and at the two regular circles.