To a diehard gardener, rough, beaten hands are a badge of honor. But by the time fall rolls around, enough is enough. The garden is put to bed, and your body is tired. It’s time to rejuvenate, and what better way to soothe your battered skin and chapped lips than with a homemade herbal balm scented with herbs from your garden?

The ingredients are relatively inexpensive, so you can afford to experiment with different combinations of herbs and essential oils. It’s all natural, too, with simple ingredients that you can pronounce and that you can find in your local health-food store. Making an herbal balm is a great winter project and a wonderful way to enjoy the bounty of your garden.

What you need

Yields enough to fill four 4-ounce jelly jars

• 2 cups light olive oil
• 1 cup dried herbs, such as lavender, rosemary, mint, lemon verbena, or chamomile
• 15 to 20 drops essential oil
• 1¼ cups grated beeswax

Directions
	1. Gently heat the olive oil and herbs in the top of a double boiler over simmering water for about 15 minutes. For this batch, we’re using dried lavender and chamomile.
	2. Strain the oil into a small bowl, and discard the herbs. Return the oil to the double boiler.
	3. Add the essential oil. Lavender oil will give this blend a pungent kick. The oil you choose, however, doesn’t have to match your herb.
	4. Melt the beeswax in the oil mixture until it disappears completely. Grating the beeswax first makes this step lightning fast.
	5. Test the consistency by dipping a spoon into the mixture and letting it set away from the heat for a few minutes. If it’s too soft, add more beeswax; if it’s too hard, add more olive oil.
	6. Pour the warm balm into clean jars, and let it harden. Cap the jars after the balm has cooled. Enjoy!

Dress it up!

Homemade herbal balms make thoughtful gifts. Search out fancy jars and tins, then decorate them with cloth, paper, raffia, or hand-printed labels to personalize your creations.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

DeWit Spork with Solid Socket

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Dimensions: 46" L x 2.5" W x 6" H; 3.5 lbs. Combines the features of a spade and fork - patented design. Ventilated head slides through the soil with less friction. The boron steel blade will not bend, even with heavy-duty use.

Buy at Amazon

Chapin International 10509 Upside-Down Trigger Sprayer

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

CLEAN & DISINFECT: made to handle disinfectants and mild bleach solutions. DESIGNED TO CLEAN: adjustable nozzle for fine to coarse spray. 32-OUNCE TANK: translucent, chemical-resistant poly. COMFORT: ergonomic handle and sprays upside down to reach awkward areas.

Buy at Amazon