The yarrow plant grows commonly and is edible and topically useful. Yarrow’s herbal support makes it incredibly helpful in a salve. Learn how to create a salve to easily access yarrow’s topical uses!

About Yarrow Plant

Yarrow grows almost everywhere and is a perennial plant in the Asteraceae family. It grows year-round in temperate climates with flowers that bloom in the spring.

The yarrow plant most often has white flowers, but can also have yellow or pink flowers. It’s easy to find growing in yards fields, or disturbed areas.

To harvest yarrow for salve, first, make sure to properly identify it. Yarrow has a few look-a-likes, including Queen Anne’s lace and one highly toxic plant, poison hemlock.

For more in-depth identification and look-a-like information, read my post on how to identify yarrow.

Harvest yarrow fresh, including the leaves and flowers. You’ll want to use dried yarrow to make this salve, so either hang the yarrow stalks upside down or spread out the leaves and flowers on a drying screen.

Both the flowers and leaves are okay to use to infuse the oil for this salve, so harvest and dry both if available.

Yarrow Benefits

While the yarrow plant is edible, for this post, we will focus on its topical herbal uses, as we are making a salve for the skin.

Several scientific studies indicate that yarrow helps wounds heal more quickly, slows bleeding, promotes skin regeneration, and reduces scarring. In salve form, yarrow works wonders to help heal minor cuts and wounds as well.

The yarrow plant also has general skin-supporting properties, too. It can make a very soothing soap, like this wild rose and yarrow soap. Yarrow has astringent properties and is super soothing for topical use.

Studies have proven that yarrow exhibits antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, as well as skin-calming and anti-inflammatory effects. It is recommended for use on sensitive skin and has been experimentally shown to soothe irritated skin caused by various natural elements, as well as chemical compound irritation from cosmetics.

This yarrow salve has the potential to ease the redness, swelling, or discomfort associated with acne, chapped skin, sunburn, windburn, or other dry and cracked skin conditions.

You can also make an arnica and yarrow skin cream as another way to access the skin-soothing elements of yarrow.

If you’re interested in the internal herbal use of yarrow, try making this homemade soda with yarrow, rose, and strawberries. It’s delicious!

How to Make Yarrow Salve

Now that you know all about what the yarrow flower looks like and its potential, it’s time to put it to use and make a salve! This is a straightforward process suitable for even the most novice herbalists.

Ingredients

Dried yarrow: Use both the flowers and leaves, or one or the other is ok too depending on what you have available. The flowers aren’t always in bloom, so if you end up with mostly or only the leaves, that’s just fine!

Alternatively, if you don’t have any yarrow plants to forage, you can opt to buy dried yarrow. Mountain Rose Herbs is my favorite place to buy high-quality, organic herbs.

Carrier oil: Olive oil works great as a carrier oil and you likely already have some on hand. I usually use a blend of about 50% olive oil, 25% coconut oil, and 25% sweet almond oil.

All of these oils have their own benefits, and you can use any combination that you want.

Beeswax: I buy this beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs. Feel free to use the pastilles if you prefer.

Make the Yarrow Infused Oil

To make the infused oil, add the dried yarrow plant (flowers, leaves, or both) into a jar until it’s about halfway full. Then pour the carrier oils of your choice over the herbs to fill the jar.

Place a lid on the jar and let the oil infuse for around 4-6 weeks or more. Keep the jar in a cool and dark place that is out of direct sunlight while it infuses.

Once the oil is infused and ready to use, strain the dried yarrow plant from the oil. I use a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth so I can squeeze the remaining oil out of the herbs with the cloth.

Make the Yarrow Salve

First, use a double boiler to heat the yarrow plant-infused oil.

Note: If necessary, it’s okay to use a makeshift double boiler by putting a small bowl or glass Pyrex measuring cup over a pot with about an inch of simmering water.

Once the infused oil is warmed, add the beeswax and stir it occasionally as it melts. I find that a bamboo skewer or chopstick works well for stirring the beeswax until it’s dissolved into the oil.

Take the oil and beeswax mixture off of the heat and continue to quickly stir until it melts completely, and pour the warm yarrow plant salve mixture into jars or tins.

Let the tins of salve rest for several hours to cool and set.

Once it is completely set, you can use your homemade yarrow salve!

How to Use Yarrow Salve

Use this yarrow plant salve on minor cuts, wounds, or burns to slow bleeding and speed the healing process.

Yarrow salve is also wonderful for skin care. Use it on any dry skin, including severely dry and cracked skin caused by natural or chemical elements.

It will moisturize extremely dry and flaky areas, as well as help heal irritation caused by dry weather. Soothing and astringent, use the yarrow salve anywhere your skin needs it!

More Herbal Salve Recipes

• Make & Use Dandelion Salve
• Homemade Lavender Salve
• Plantain Salve for Itchy Skin
• Chickweed Salve Recipe
• Homemade Calendula Salve
• 10 Herbal Salve Recipes
• Pine Salve