Making Lavender Lotion
Lavender has a soothing property to it in oil, or dried bud form. Just one smell and you immediately feel more relaxed with the world and what’s going on around you. Making a lotion to use during these occasions or just having a salve for when your hands are dry. It is a great way to cure the blues and heal those happed hands.
What you will need:
• 10-15 drops lavender essential oil
• 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers (either grow your own or pick them up at any health food store or herb specially shop)
• 4 tbs. grated beeswax or beads
• 1 cup light olive oil
• Double boiler
• Glass measuring cup
• Cheesecloth
• Storage container with a tight fitting lid
Pour 1 cup olive oil into the top of a double boiler. Add 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers. Gently heat olive oil and lavender flowers over simmering water for about 15 minutes. While you are waiting, cover the measuring cup with a piece of the cheesecloth and secure it with a thick rubber band.
Remove the olive oil mixture from the heat. Carefully strain through the cheesecloth into the measuring cup. When most of the oil has been filtered through the cheesecloth, remove the rubber band and gather the cheesecloth up and squeeze as much of the oil out of the lavender flowers as possible. Using latex gloves or kitchen cleaning gloves will help control the oil on your hands. If you do the squeezing with no gloves on your will need plenty of paper towels around because your hands will be covered in oil.
Place the measuring cup in the double boiler. Using a glass or plastic dropper, carefully add 10-15 drops of the lavender essential oil. Add 4 tbs. of the grated beeswax beads. Stir over simmering water until melted. After it has been completely combined with the oil and lavender mixture pour your finished oil mixture into your containers. Place in the refrigerator for several minutes. If it is too hard add more olive oil, if it is too soft add more beeswax. Let it harden for about 2 hours.
This recipe makes about 1 cup of salve
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