Yarrow Salve Recipe
Written by Rebecca Younger, CH, CDYarrow salve is a must-have for your herbal first aid kit! Known for its skin-soothing and wound-healing properties, this salve is perfect for minor cuts, scrapes, and irritated skin. With its earthy aroma and all-natural ingredients, it's an easy and rewarding DIY project.
Yarrow, affectionately known as "soldier's woundwort" and "nature's bandage," has earned its reputation as one of the most powerful wound-healing plants on earth, used for thousands of years by everyone from ancient Greek warriors to modern herbalists for its remarkable ability to stop bleeding, prevent infection, and accelerate tissue repair.
This feathery-leafed herb contains compounds like achilleine and chamazulene that work synergistically to reduce inflammation, promote cellular regeneration, and provide antimicrobial protection that helps wounds heal cleanly and quickly. The delicate white or pink flower clusters are particularly rich in these therapeutic compounds, making them the perfect choice for creating a potent healing salve.
The slow oil-infusion process extracts yarrow's beneficial constituents into stable, skin-nourishing olive oil, which provides its own antioxidants and healing properties while creating the perfect base for the salve. Natural beeswax transforms the infused oil into a protective, spreadable consistency that creates a barrier against bacteria while allowing the skin to breathe and heal naturally.
The optional lavender essential oil not only adds a pleasant, calming scent but also contributes additional antimicrobial and skin-soothing properties that complement yarrow's healing action.
This traditional preparation connects you directly to generations of herbal wisdom while creating a versatile, shelf-stable remedy that can handle everything from paper cuts and kitchen mishaps to more stubborn skin irritations, proving that some of the most effective first aid comes straight from nature's pharmacy.
