Rosemary Salve Recipe

This salve recipe turns rosemary infused oil into a soothing rub for aching joints and arthritic hands. It’s so easy to make too!

pinterest pin for rosemary salve. the upper image is of a yellow tin of salve, and the lower two images are of flowering rosemary and a bowl of white beeswax next to a rosemary branch.

What you’ll need:

1.3 ounces (37 grams) rosemary infused oil – directions to make this can be found in the previous blog post; you just need dried rosemary, some olive oil (or oil of your choice), and a jar to make it.
0.15 oz (4 grams) beeswax – this natural wax turns herbal infused oil into a more solid form, making it easier to apply and stay on your skin longer than oil on its own would (For a vegan variation, try using half as much candelilla wax instead of beeswax.)
2 ounce metal tin or small jar – Specialty Bottle is a great online source for these

This recipe makes a mild, single-herb salve. To increase the pain relieving power, you could add 18 to 27 drops essential oils (for about a 2 to 3% dilution rate). I tend to favor using cypress for pain relief – which be used by itself, or mixed and matched with other options such as juniper, cedarwood, and/or a few drops of rosemary essential oil.

Instructions for a simple rosemary salve:

Weigh the infused oil into a heatproof container – I most often use small canning jars.
Weigh the beeswax and add it to the oil in the jar.
Place the jar down into a small saucepan that has been filled with several inches of water.
Heat the pan over a medium low burner until the wax has melted. Keep a close eye during this process and don’t let the water evaporate out of the pan.
Remove the saucepan from the burner.
Pour the melted beeswax and oil mixture into a 2 ounce metal tin or a small jar.
Label your salve and store in a cool dark place.
Shelf life is about 1 year or as long as it smells good. If it starts smelling like rancid oil, it’s time to toss.

tin of yellow salve sitting on top of rosemary branches.

To use your rosemary salve:

Rub a small amount over hands and other areas of your body that feel sore, cold, or aching. Rosemary is warming, so can be helpful for pain that feels better when heat is applied.

This salve can also be rubbed over your chest during a cold, to help with congestion.