OK so I may need to work on preventing the cracking thing going on, but I’m really proud of myself for making evergreen balm from blue spruce needles that I harvested myself!
I came across the idea in a recent Learning Herbs e-newsletter and knew I had to try it. The list of ingredients is pretty short:
- 3 cups or so of evergreens (blue spruce, fir, pine, etc.)
- organic olive oil
- beeswax
So, I went to my mom & dad’s house one Sunday afternoon and asked if I could cut some branches from one of their blue spruce trees. My dad thought I was nuts but helped me anyway. I let the branches dry for a couple of days just to make sure the snow had dried up.
Then, I stripped the needles from the branches. It was pretty fun to do sitting in front of the TV. It made the whole house smell like a pine tree! Next I put them in a jar and covered it with oil. The directions said to chop the needles first, or smash them with a cleaver, but blue spruce needles are VERY poky and hard and seemed fragrant enough after being stripped from the branches so I skipped that step. I placed the needles in a canning jar and covered with oil. Where to put it? I needed a warm dark place. I decided our front living room in front of the heat register would do.
Two weeks later, I opened the jar and . . . oh my, VERY sweet smelling! I was a bit worried until I re-read the original directions and said that it would smell sweet. Whew! It also said it could take 2-4 weeks to extract the fragrance but I thought it was plenty strong smelling so I proceeded to the next step . . . straining the needles out of the oil.
Now, you can use a cheesecloth and try to extract the oil from the needles, however as I mentioned before, the blue spruce needles are very hard and I could tell all I would accomplish by squeezing the needles in cheesecloth would be to further poke my hands. So I just used a strainer. It smelled HEAVENLY. In fact for the rest of the day I found myself hovering over the garbage can to catch a whiff of that beautifully infused oil that remained on the needles.
Next up was to add the beeswax. Here’s where I differed a bit from the recipe (again). My limited research into making balms said to use one ounce of beeswax per ounce of oil. However, the recipe said to use 3 cups of oil and 4 ounces of beeswax. Since I had 2.5 cups of oil, I decided to use 3.5 ounces of beeswax. It worked fine, but I think 2.5 ounces would have worked even better. As you can see from the photo, it was a little harder than I expected it to be and had a bit of cracking going on.
The procedure is, in a double boiler, bring the water to a boil, place the upper pot over top of the lower pot, add the oil, and then add the beeswax. Stir until the was is nice and melted in. Then pour into containers. Allow to cool before adding the lid.
The Verdict: I love this stuff! Not only does it smell great, but it has really helped my chapped hands (winter is brutal on skin here in Michigan). It’s a bit greasy on the initial application but absorbs fairly quickly. It is supposed to be good for chest congestion, sore muscles, and uplift one’s spirits. My homemade blue spruce balm definitely makes me happy, although that might be from the satisfaction of making something I never thought I could make (at the fraction of the cost of fancy organic lotion, plus with eco friendly ingredients), and remembering my dad helping me cut the blue spruce branches.
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So how many jars did it make? I think I just might take this on but I want to be sure I have enough containers so I am not putting all that hard work into old butter tubs 🙂
It filled 3 1/2 half pint jars. You can also order prettier tins online but since I was just making it for myself I used what I had laying around 🙂
I could imagine how sweet smelling your balm can be. When I was young, I was used to my grandma making such for the kids to use.
This sounds wonderful! Being a pine fanatic, I’ll make and use anything with it’s fragrance. My husband is a chef and cook, and gets chapped hands in the winter, and we’ll try this on him- anything to help alleviate that skin problem.
Wonderful post! Thanks so much.
Wow. I’ve been using essential oils recently and have been thrilled w/ the results. This is amazing that you did this yourself!
I have been wanting to learn more about essential oils. This was super easy though. And I’m guessing cheaper than buying pine essential oils 🙂 Not sure if it has the same medicinal properties as using actual pine essential oils. Will have to research this.
I was wondering the same thing. I’m still learning a ton too and hope to post on it soon. LMK if you have any questions.
I came across this article on essential oils vs infused oils http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/February05/healingwise.htm
Great post! I’m thinking that, since you mention needles need to be dry before starting the process, this would be a pretty nifty way to get some immediate use of of Christmas trees before they go on to dropoff center and “eventual use” as mulch. (Since my husband totally insists on doing a live tree even if — as this year – no one is here and no celebration at home, at least I’d derive some purpose from this annual obligation.) Thanks! I’m always up for a “recycling project”…
If you wish, you can place the jars into a pan of water and remelt them and add back in a little more olive oil. Stir well, allow to cool and it should be a little softer. And……..if you had a tsp of shea butter you could also put that in as well for added creaminess.Lots of fun !!!!
Thank you for the tips, I might just try that!
Love it! Great idea. I have made salves before, but was unsure of what I could harvest at this time of year. I am getting the itch. I’ve been bringing boughs of Western Red Cedar inside and hanging them until they dry. I love bringing the outdoors in, especially this time of year when we feel so disconnected. Then I put it in water and let it simmer. Makes the house smell wonderful and it feels very cleansing. Thanks again for the post!
I want to try to do that. I think a month ago, I ate a balm from a friend and it taste sucks. I want to try making my own.
I probably should have been more clear – the balm is for external use, like a lotion. I have not tasted it but I don’t recommend it 😉
You did an awesome job, the color is beautiful !!!! You can try covering it a little while it cools and adding more oil to keep it from cracking. Actually, the cracking isn’t a big deal anyway unless you are trying to sell it. So for personal use just keep on making it.!!!
thanks for the encouragement. It IS beautiful, isn’t it? I will try more oil next time. And there will be a next time, it’s so fun to make!
I will try also to create these beautiful kind of balm, Thanks for having such these.
I love this recipe – I have been making all of our lotions and salves for YEARS! Quick question – you mentioned to “bring the water to a boil, place the upper pot over top of the lower pot, add the oil, and then add the beeswax.” but your recipe doesn’t mention water – can you tell me how much you used?
Thanks so much!!!
you are basically making a double boiler, so use just enough water so that it’s as full as possible without spilling over when you add the top bowl 🙂