Making this “Dandelion Salve Recipe” is something I do every Spring! There are few flowers in more abundance than dandelion in the springtime! Why not take advantage of this amazing plant to make dandelion oil and salve!?
Dandelion, also known as Taraxacum Officinale, is a member of the Sunflower family.
While the entire dandelion plant can be consumed and is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, today we will be focusing on the blossoms of the dandelion to make dandelion oil.
Dandelion oil is for topical use only and makes a great massage oil for sore muscles and stiff joints. It’s also good for reducing inflammation and stress after a long day.
But my favorite way to use Dandelion oil is to make salve with it.
So first, let’s find some dandelions and make some oil!
Where Can I Find Dandelion to Pick?
Springtime is the best time to harvest dandelion blossoms.
But deciding which places are best to forage your dandelion from will take a little thought and possibly, some research.
Our land has acres of dandelions that are unsprayed with any type of chemical, therefore I am very comfortable picking dandelions from our property.
This is the best place you can forage from, your’s or a friend’s property that you know isn’t sprayed.
However, there are parks and trails that have a “no-spray” policy that could be safe places to forage.
Other wide-open places, away from the road, could be great places to forage, as long as you are permitted to.
What Should I Do with the Dandelions Once They’re Picked?
Before you do anything with your dandelion blossoms, I would give them a couple of good, but quick, soakings in fresh water and drain well.
(There are lots of little buggers in there that you can’t necessarily see!)
Then, spread your blossoms out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator screen to dry in the sun.
If you’re in a hurry, put them on the lowest setting of your dehydrator for about an hour and let them finish drying on their own.
It’s best to dry your blossoms completely because even just a little moisture inside the flower will cause your oil to go rancid.
How to Make Dandelion Oil
Once your dandelion blossoms are completely dry, fill a mason jar with 1/3 blossoms and cover with either olive, coconut or almond oil (or a combination of the three, which is what I do) and let sit in the sun for two weeks, shaking occasionally.
After two weeks, your oil will be a beautiful golden color!
Straining Dandelion Oil
Bring your beautiful dandelion oil inside and open your jar carefully.
Strain out blossoms from the oil, pouring through cheesecloth, if you have it. Cheesecloth allows you to squeeze all of the oil out the blossoms, but if you don’t have any, use a utensil to press the oil out of the flowers.
You can use your dandelion oil just as it is to rub on sore muscles, but it’s much more convenient to use once made into a salve.
Dandelion Salve Recipe
The recipe is incredibly simple…
You’ll need:
-One cup of dandelion oil
-One tablespoon of shea butter
-One tablespoon of beeswax pellets
-6 or so small, round tins
Put the dandelion oil and the beeswax pellets in a pyrex cup and hang it on the side of a medium sized saucepan, full of water, creating a make-shift double-boiler.
Bring water to a boil, watching your oil constantly until the beeswax has melted.
Then add the shea butter and melt the same way.
Let the oil cool down and then add lavender essential oil, if you like. The two oils work nicely together.
Slowly and patiently, fill small tins with the oil mixture.
Wait for the oil to cool off and solidify.
There you have it! Beautiful, inexpensive Dandelion oil salve!
I use it frequently on my arthritic hands after a long day in the garden, as well as on my shoulder joints.
Enjoy!
