Home-made Burn Salve

Some people are born with natural grace and poise, walking through life like models, nary a broken high-heel or misstep. Some people can handle themselves like professional athletes, perfectly balanced and responsive to their ever-changing environment.

I, however, am not one of them. Driving the point home, my family gifted my baby sister and me affectionate nicknames. Together, we are Uh-Oh and Whoopsie. Interchangeable and painfully descriptive, we share this joint identity. Hospitals, medications, bandages, identifying poison oak, and  the distinct skill of being able to pick up broken glass with bare fingers, are all a part of childhood memories. We even have a recent Christmas ornament we (jokingly?) made of a cracked mirrored Christmas tree, signed and proudly displayed.

So,  I've been doing a lot of experimentation with essential oils recently, and with that as a background, first aid awareness seemed a natural extension. Today, I accidentally found the perfect burn salve. While working on a string of new baking experiments, I pulled a cast iron pan out of the oven and it slipped. Instincts being what they are, I decided to catch the falling 400 degree pan with my bare hand. ....... /sigh. So, with one blistering, throbbing hand under cold running water, I devised this little treasure of a salve.

If you're anything near as accident prone as me or my Whoopsie, keep this one handy.

Caramel Apple suckers, not necessary. But recommended.

What You Need: 

Apple Cider Vinegar - Raw, to reap the healing benefits; to wash minor cuts or burns


Salve: 
Aloe Vera: This blog has an article I found very helpful about harvesting Aloe gel directly from the                       plant, otherwise just use the store bought gel. It feels like handling a giant booger, so that                     may be the less gag-inducing option.
Coconut oil
Raw honey
Essential oils: Lavender, Thieves, Frankincense

I used Young Life essential oils, therapeutic grade.
I'm a distributor, so let me know if you ever need any!

Before you apply the salve, do what I didn't the first time, and cleanse the area with raw Apple Cider Vinegar. My excuse is that my brain stopped working from the throbbing pain, and my hope is that yours won't. Washing with the raw vinegar will help restore vitamins and minerals to your skin and provide a naturally sterile surface to apply the salve. But folks, use discretion. If it's a gaping wound or severe burn, seek help for it. This may be a decent temporary solution, but don't risk continued damage if it's serious. And don't use butter. Just don't.

To make the salve, I slapped some ingredients together a bit haphazardly. These are the measurements I went back and adjusted to. 

• 3-4 drops Lavender essential oil
• 1-2 drops Frankincense essential oil
•  2-3 drops Thieves essential oil
• 1 TBSP raw honey
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 full leaf from the Aloe Vera plant, which would probably equate to roughly 1-2 TBSP 

After cleansing the area with apple cider vinegar, apply the burn salve to the area. Cover in gauze or a band-aid to keep the salve in a concentrated place so the burn can heal. I soaked the band-aid in the salve, and since I had it available, sliced a piece of the aloe plant and used it to continue to cool the burn.

Aloe Vera, with the spiky sides cut off.

So far, it seems to be working pretty well. I'm happy, despite that last photo. The blistering has come under control, the pain is significantly reduced, and it's stopped throbbing entirely. Smells pretty good too, which I consider a perk.