Pine Tar Salve for Skin Relief
Some of us grew up with a grandma or great-grandma who kept a jar of black salve on hand for all manner of skin ailments. Every family had their own special recipe, but it usually contained ingredients like tallow, lard, pine tar, chimney soot, or sometimes even onions and flour. It was thick and smelly, but it worked like a charm!
This modern-day adaptation will fill a 2-ounce glass jar. Because a little bit goes a long way, a single batch will last a family for several months. You can easily double or triple the amounts, though, if a larger supply is needed.
Ingredients
• ¼ cup herb-infused olive, sunflower or other light oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons beeswax
• ½ tablespoon pine tar
• ¼ teaspoon activated charcoal
Preparation
For best results, infuse the oil with dried herbs first. Check your yard for plantain or violet leaves, or use dried rose, calendula or lavender flowers. Let them air dry on a clean dishcloth for a few days until crumbly. Place the dried herbs in a small jar, and pour twice as much oil over them. Cover the top with cheesecloth or a scrap of old T-shirt, using a rubber band to secure in place. Let the jar sit in a sunny window for a few days (or weeks) before straining. Store any leftover finished oil in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
For the easiest cleanup, repurpose a used tin can to make this salve. You could also use a small, heatproof canning jar.
Measure the oil and beeswax into the can or jar, and set it in a saucepan containing 1 to 2 inches water, creating a makeshift double boiler. Use 1 teaspoon beeswax for a softer ointment consistency or 2 teaspoons for a firmer salve. Heat on medium-low until the beeswax has melted.
Remove the jar from heat, and stir in the pine tar and charcoal with a disposable spoon. Immediately pour into a small glass jar and let cool before capping. Because of its strong drawing nature, avoid storing in metal tins or plastic containers, as the salve could potentially pull impurities from them over time. Shelf life is at least a year.
Dab a small amount on a bug bite, splinter, boil or other skin irritation. Cover with a bandage for several hours or overnight. Wash o and repeat as necessary. While this is an excellent home remedy for minor ailments, consult with a qualified healthcare professional for serious injuries and wounds.
Maker’s Tip: Pine tar can usually be found in the horse section of your local feed store. It can be made in either an open kiln or a closed one. Because the open-kiln method could potentially produce small amounts of creosote (a carcinogen), try to find the closed-kiln type for this project. —