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Photo Note: If you’re coming from Google or Pinterest and you notice the photos look different in this post from what you clicked on, it’s because I recently updated the photos. The boo-boo cream recipe hasn’t been changed. Enjoy!
I’m a disaster in the kitchen.
I know, right, not exactly what you want to hear from the mouth of a food blogger.
I can cook up a mean batch of brownies, a to-die-for meatloaf, or the best collard greens the south has ever tasted. But, the moment fire, heat, and pots are involved, I’m a pure mess. Burns, bruises, and cuts have been well-earned on my petite hands and arms. They are battle-wounds from creating delicious dishes day in and out. Battle wounds I proudly wear and probably a good hint I need to invest in a better pair of oven gloves.
Boo-boo’s are my specialty, served with a side of meatballs.
I take a laid-back approach in life when it comes to ouchies. After all, birthing two natural babies, one weighing over ten pounds, can definitely give you a “I got this” approach to any pain life may throw my way. A burn? A cut? Who’s got time to care for such minor afflictions?
Last year, after burning my wrists one too many times pulling out delicious crusty bread (so worth it), I noticed the scars looked pretty bad. I have sixty, seventy years still to live in this little body of mine, so having scars covering half my wrists all from baking glorious bread, just didn’t seem like the best idea.
Treatments like neosporin®, which are filled with synthetic toxins, just don’t fly in our home anymore. Nothing like rubbing mystery ingredients on an exposed wound. No, thanks. I tried coconut oil, my go-to wonder product, and while it helped, I needed something more powerful. Something that soothed the burns and helped with the healing process.
My best thoughts often come while blow drying my hair, on the rare occasion that happens, which means I actually had a shower for the day. Anyway, the point being, one day while drying my hair, the thought occurred, why not make my own neosporin®? A neosporin®-like cream used to help heal and soothe my “boo-boos”. A salve I can feel good about.
This homemade neosporin®-like cream (all thanks to my blow dryer) is my go-to salve. Made with the herbs calendula and lavender, along with coconut and olive oil. With a few soothing drops of tea tree and lavender essential oil. Raw honey is also added to this salve. A salve that’s easy to make and free from toxins found in store-bought tubes.
This salve sits on my counter and makes a debut regularly. I use it on my boo-boos, my kiddos ouchies, or just to help moisturize extra dry hands (dishes are my specialty along with meatballs). It will last a year, however, our salve is always gone within months.
Homemade Healing Boo-Boo Cream
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup dried lavender
- 1/3 cup dried calendula
- 4 TB beeswax pellets
- 1 TB honey optional
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- In a double boiler, combine the coconut oil, olive oil. Allow the coconut oil to melt over low heat. Once melted, add in the dried lavender and calendula. Keeping the heat on low, allow the herbs to infuse for 30 minutes. If you don't have a double boiler, you can use a large glass or metal bowl set over a pot of boiling water
- After 30 minutes, prepare a small bowl with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Pour the mixture through the filter, filtering out the herbs. With the infused oil in the bowl below.
- Return the infused oil to the double boiler (be sure to clean out any remaining dried herbs). Over low heat, add the beeswax, stirring until melted. Add the honey, stirring for about a minute. Turn off the heat and add the essential oils (tea tree and lavender).
- Pour the mixture into one large jar or two small jars (2-4oz. jars work well for me). The mixture will begin to solidify. If you're using honey, stir every minute or two. The mixture takes about 5-10 minutes to fully set. Once set, it's ready to use and will keep for 12 months at room temperature.
Video
As always, please consult a medical professional about serious injuries.
Hi Kristin! I wanted to let you know I made this recipe over the summer for my dad (only adjustment was the addition of some Fenugreek). After suffering a severe infection from stepping on a nail during summer 2014 he ended up with a toe and portion of foot amputated. He is a type 1 diabetic so healing can be an issue for him. After MANY rounds of antibiotics via IV, pill and pic line his foot was still not healed summer 2015. I made him this salve with the thought he could use it on the part of his foot that was not impacted by the amputation wound. I was thinking if it could help keep bacteria at bay on the rest of his foot there would be less chance of re-infection, which had happened a few times. So, with permission from his specialist (he promises he asked) I made him up a batch. It helped to finally keep some of the skin softened on his foot, though he remains unhealed. The bigger surprise was he apparently started using it on other minor burns and cuts which typically would not heal for him, or take extended periods of time with scarring. It worked fast and well on a couple of tiny burns. That is incredible because the faster his skin heals, the less likely a new infection. Last month he had an accident and suffered second degree burns to his entire foot that has battled infections and partial amputation. He was immediately hospitalized and by the grace of God a new infection has not set in. However, his healing has been set back once again. So, not surprisingly, without telling anyone he started reapplying a tiny bit of cream to the burn on his foot this past week. He just called me from his appointment with his limb salvage specialist. It helped so much in that area she wants me to make him a new batch!! I also am going to pass along the recipe for her to review and make sure she’s comfortable with all ingredients. I thank you greatly and wanted to make sure to let you know your recipe had a definite impact on someone. One natural treatment equals one less chance to increase his antibiotic resistance. I will keep you posted on how it works for him =) Happy holidays!
Wow, Melissa! Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so thrilled to hear that the boo-boo cream has worked so well for him. Please keep me posted :). Also, I’ll be praying for your dad!
Hi! I just found your homemade neosporin (boo boo cream) and I am eager to make some. I have a salve that I use (Plantain, Calendula and Comfrey) but since I have the ingredients, would like to make a small batch of yours, also. For unknown reasons, the computer is not showing your amounts for calendula and lavendar. It shows a “square.” Can you let me know your quantities, please?
Hey Erica, That’s so weird–the problem must occur with specific browsers and computers. Here are the correct measurements: ⅓ cup dried lavender and ⅓ cup dried calendula. Enjoy!!
Thanks for the recipe! Would you recommend adding some vitamin E to help fade any scarring?
Hey Laura, You’re welcome. Vitamin E oil would be a great addition to this recipe. I would add a couple of teaspoons once you’ve removed the mixture from the heat.
I wanted to know if it is okay to use calendula extract instead of the flowers and how much would I substitute for the flowers if it is possible. Thanks
Hey Stephen, I think a calendula infused extract/oil would work great in this recipe. I may try a tablespoon?
What’s the purpose of the raw honey in making salve? also the coconut oil and the olive oil? Please answer me. I need this for my research project. Thank for your kind consideration and cooperation.
Hey Steffany, Since the information is for a research project, here’s a great article about honey and why it’s used for a salve: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/. Olive oil has been used for many years as a healing oil, particularly by the Greeks. The same goes for coconut oil (here’s an article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20523108).
Hi Kristin,
I just found your blog & love it. I follow a couple other “real food” blogs too & have cut out about 75% of everything we used to have in our household that was refined or full of chemicals. I use coconut oil & tea tree oil all the time & have been using a salve similar to the one you make that I buy from a small family run natural foods shop. It is expensive though & I have to travel about 3 hours from my home to get it! Hers has comfrey as well & the one I buy doesn’t have any lavender. I’m not allergic to the lavender, but I am one of the few that can’t stand the scent… gives me a headache! Will I lose much of the healing power if I leave out the lavender? Could I add comfrey instead.. how much? Thanks! I am looking forward to reading more of your posts!
Awesome, Candee! Welcome to Live Simply.
The lavender adds healing benefits, but thanks to the other healing ingredients you can skip this ingredient and still make a great homemade “boo-boo” cream. You can definitely add comfrey leaves during the herbal infusion, although I’m not sure about an exact measurement.
Thanks Kristin. I am definitely going to try this. I will make it without the comfrey first & leave out the lavender… maybe add a bit more tea tree oil as I love the scent & the way it heals just about everything! I plan on checking out some of your other DIY’s too.
great balm, must make it, we have our own bees so have the honey and wax already, need something for what i think may be folliculitius on my scalp. great responses too.
Thank you, Patricia. Enjoy!
How do you think this would do for a diaper balm? I use cloth. Also how much does it yield? 2 jars or more? Thank you!!
Hey Melissa, I’ve never tried this recipe as a diaper balm, but I think it will work well! The recipe will yield a little bit more than 2 4-oz jars.
I love this idea! I will definitely be making up a batch. However, I would like to share another home remedy with you for burns-yellow mustard. Like the above poster shared about the vinegar, the vinegar in the mustard provides antibacterial properties but the key ingredient in the mustard is the turmeric which boosts the healing powders. I hit my hand on a 500 degree pizza stone about a year ago that left a 3″ 2nd to 3rd degree burn underneath my thumb and wrist. I had already used mustard with great success before and put it on immediately. I was going camping for 4 days after and was terrified of having that big of an open would. But when I removed the gauze (that you should apply on top of the mustard to keep in on) the next morning, the area was bright red but the skin was intact. I never lost skin until the healing had occured underneath the burned layers. It also significantly reduces the pain. I’m sure your handy homeade Neosporin will be a great follow-up 🙂
That’s awesome, Jo Dee. Thank you for sharing such a wonderfully simple homemade treatment! I’m so glad your hand is healing and that the mustard helped.
Thank you for taking the time to experiment and creat this. I too am allergic to lavender so I wonder if oregano or goldenseal could be used instead. Both have great antibiotic properties.
You’re welcome, Melissa. I don’t have much experience with oregano on the skin, but I’ve used goldenseal a number of times. I agree that it would be a great replacement for the lavender. Enjoy!!
Hi, I was wondering if it was possible to leave the lavender out of this. I would love to try it but am allergic to lavender.
Hey Krystal, I think you can leave the lavender out and still make a great boo-boo salve :).
Fabulous I can’t wait to give this a try
You’re very welcome, Krystal. Enjoy!!
How many 4 oz. jars does this recipe make?
Hey Amanda, This recipe will make 2 4oz. jars with just a little bit leftover.
I have calendula extract and lavender essential oil. Can I substitute this instead of making an infusion, and, if so, how many drops of each would I use?
Hey Jennifer, Calendula extract and lavender essential oil will work as a replacement. I’m not sure how many drops as I’ve never actually recreated the recipe with those ingredients alone.
Hi! I use to run a business making products like this. I had to quit due to time constraints. Just a couple of tips. 1) When infusing herbs into oils to get any actual benefit you need to infuse for a minimum of 4 hours. Use a double boiler checking your water levels every 30 min or so. It is really recommended to do everything by weight using a kitchen scale for accuracy especially when including essential oils. Also, I read in a comment above that you said you sought out council about referring to your recipe as a homemade neosporin. I am surprised that your council didn’t point out that you should refer to this as antibiotic or antibacterial since when you do that in the FDAs eyes you are calling it a drug and you are not allowed to without it being an approved drug or the FDA can fine you. Just a heads up so you and anyone else that decides to make it is aware.
Thanks for the tips, Toni!
I believe that would only be the case if she were SELLING this. Since she is not selling it, she has the rights to do with it as she pleases with the exception of using someone else’s trademark. If she sought counsel on the name part, I’m sure she’s fine!
Thanks, Conservative Christian Mom :).
Your cream looks wonderful and I hope to get around to making a batch before the cold weather starts drying out my hands. However, I did want to mention that Neosporin is an antibiotic cream which is different from an antibacterial cream. Based on the ingredients of your recipe, I believe your cream is more of an antibacterial cream, which doesn’t compare to Neosporin.
Thank you for the recipe!
Here’s one of many resources that explains the difference between anti-bacterial and anti-biotic: \http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/3662/what-is-the-difference-between-an-antibiotic-and-an-antibacterial
An antibacterial is any compound that will kill or at least slow down the growth of strictly bacteria, a domain of prokaryotes.
An antibiotic is often used synonymously, but denotes a compound that kills or slows down the growth of any cellular pathogen, prokaryotic or eukaryotic. So, certain antibiotics can kill bacteria, fungi and parasites but antibiotics have no effect on viruses and prions.
Thanks for the info, Kelly. Based on the ingredient list, using the cream in place of neosporin works great for us. Enjoy!
Oh! And how many jars does this recipe make?
Hey Tamara, I believe 4oz will be plenty to make this recipe. If you have extra herbs simply store in glass jars in a dark location. I usually get around 2-2.5 4oz. jars with this recipe.
Thank you for your quick response! I am excited to make this! 🙂
Absolutely! Enjoy :).
One last question, hopefully. 🙂 Should I order whole dried calendula flowers or just the petals?
I personally use the whole calendula flowers. I’ve never worked with just the petals.
I have a couple of questions abt the dried herbs… I am shopping around and wondered: what does the 1/3 cup translate to in weight? I have the option of purchasing 1lb or 4 oz… WIll 4 oz be enough? Also, how long will the dried herbs last if I have extra? Thanks for your help!