Lavender Salve Recipe using Essential Oils (With Free Labels)

Lavender Salve Recipe with Printable Labels

So many people express frustration with trying to label their homemade creations that I thought I’d start including printable labels to go along with my recipes, when suitable.

The labels are sized to fit the 1 and 2 ounce screwtop type tins that are available from Specialty Bottle. You’ll probably be able to find similar tins elsewhere, but to date, they have the best price that I’ve found.

The label for the 2 ounce tin also works perfectly on a canning jar lid, so you can use a small jelly jar with lid and ring for your salve if you don’t want to buy tins.

Made as shown, the recipe fills 2 two-ounce tins and 2 one-ounce tins with a tiny bit left over.

To print your labels, click on the PDF file for the desired size of tin below. Print the sheet out on sticker paper. Make sure you do a test run on plain paper first to ensure the size is correct.

For best results, set your printer properties to matte photo paper and highest quality before printing. Use scissors to carefully trim around the circles, peel and stick on your tin of homemade salve, and then you’re done! These make great gifts or easy projects for a beginning herbalist or young teen interested in making their own herbal products.

I’ve added a separate label option using candelilla wax for my vegan friends. Remember, a general rule of thumb when substituting is to use only half as much candelilla wax as beeswax called for in a recipe.

Handmade Lavender Salve

Handmade Lavender Salve Recipe

(click HERE for a PDF printable of this recipe)

Combine the oil and wax in a heat proof container. Set it into a pot of water and bring to barely under a simmer. Let heat until wax is melted. Remove from heat and add lavender essential oil. Immediately pour into tins. Let harden, cap and label. Enjoy for yourself or give as a lovely gift.

Lavender is helpful for soothing minor skin irritations and mild burns. The scent is well known for its relaxing properties. Rub some on before bedtime for a natural way to encourage calm restfulness. (Especially helpful for fidgety children.)

Lavender has been used since the times of the Greeks and Romans and is generally considered safe for almost everyone. If in doubt though, consult your doctor or medical professional.

Lavender Salve png file

Lavender Salve Labels:

1 ounce & 2 ounces screwtop flat tins can be purchased from Specialty Bottle.

For a full sheet of printable labels for 1 ounce tins, click this PDF file.

For a full sheet of printable 1 ounce tin vegan labels, click this PDF file.

For a full sheet of printable labels for 2 ounce tins, click this PDF file.

For a full sheet of printable 2 ounce tin vegan labels, click this PDF file.

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HERBAL SALVES & BALMS

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author, herbalist, soapmaker

Jan Berry is a writer, herbalist, soapmaker, and bestselling author of The Big Book of Homemade Products, Simple & Natural Soapmaking, and Easy Homemade Melt & Pour Soaps. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family and a menagerie of animals, where she enjoys brainstorming creative things to make with the flowers and weeds that grow around her. You can also find her writing about gardening and foraging over at her family's website: UnrulyGardening.com!

22 Comments

  1. I would like to know if these measurements are liquid or weight measurements , Please !

    1. Hi Diana, these are all measurements by weight. However, if you don’t have a scale, you can measure 3 1/2 ounces of oil into a measuring cup then add enough beeswax until the oil reaches 4 ounces. Salves don’t have to be too precise. More oil equals softer salve, less equals firmer. Hope that helps!

  2. What a great tutorial and I love that you included labels. I like to have pretty labels on everything but often my personal creations have handwritten, sloppy labels. This is wonderful and so easy for anyone who is just getting starting on DIY projects. By the way, this is unrelated but your lip balm how to is the best one out there in the beauty DIY internet world:)

  3. Thank you so much for your quick reply . I make soaps , so yes I do have a digital scale . I can get right to this , now ! Thank you , again.

    1. Hi Leah, salve is just another name for a balm or ointment. They’re usually meant to soothe or heal your skin in some way. The consistency is somewhat like Vicks Vapor Rub, if you’ve used that before.

    1. Hi! I haven’t tried just coconut oil by itself, but in theory, you should be able to substitute almost any oil. Sunflower oil, meadowfoam seed oil, hemp seed oil, sweet almond oil and peach kernel oil are a few other options.

  6. Hi, have just made this salve, I substituted half of the olive oil for coconut oil and added 40 drops of lavender oil. It is just perfect, a lovely smooth, silky salve with a long lasting smell. Thank you for sharing and inspiring.

  7. This looks wonderful.. and I have some beeswax that I have been really wanting to use and a full bottle of lavender oil for soap making… hmmmm procrastination has its rewards, this looks like a perfect Mother’s Day gift making opportunity.. thank you for the wonderful idea!!!!

  8. This sounds like a quick little project. I have one question though…how long will this last without preservatives in it before going rancid or bad? And have you ever used preservatives in any of your salves?

    1. Hi Kathy!

      For natural preservatives, I like to use rosemary antioxidants (you can buy those from Mountain Rose Herbs.) You only need a bit in each project. You can also add Vitamin E oil to the mix plus Meadowfoam Seed Oil is supposed to help extend the life of oils as well.

      Made as is, this salve should stay fresh for many months. I would estimate 6 to 9 months, at least. You can tell when it’s off by doing a sniff test. The lavender essential oil scent will eventually fade out and you’ll be able to detect any rancidity. Usually though, the salve is used up rather quickly & that’s not an issue. That’s why I like to make several small batches, spread out over time, rather than one big giant batch.

  9. Can you use lavender flowers instead of the essential oil in this recipe? Would you use the entire flower with the green part?

    1. Hi Ariana! Yes, lavender flowers would work great, you’d just need to use them to infuse the oil first. I have a recipe for that in my free ebook Things To Do With Lavender:

      https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/free-favorite-lavender-recipes-ebook/

      but basically, take dried lavender flowers (some of the green is fine as well) and cover them with oil. Let this sit for 4 to 6 weeks (fast way) or you can use a warm water bath (like for making the salve) and infuse it over a few hours. Then strain and use in the recipe above.

  10. I made this last night and because i have foot and toenail fungus that i got from a pedicure place, i added rosemary along with the lavender. I just love it.

    I will be using this to make different salves and i am waiting for a shippmemt of supplies to make your lotions and creams.

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