Spring is a wonderful time of year, especially after the cold, dark, and dreary weather of winter. I’m always so excited to see the first dandelions pop up, as that means that warmer weather is on its way and I can soon make homemade dandelion salve!
Wildcrafting Weeds eBook
Before we get started with this dandelion salve recipe I want to let you know about my ebook!
Wildcrafting Weeds: 20 Easy to Forage Edible and Medicinal Plants (that might be growing in your backyard!) gives you foraging and identification tips along with full color photos and recipes for using your foraged weeds. Be sure to check it out!
Gather & Root Online Foraging Course
My online foraging course is a great way to learn about wild edible and medicinal plants! Learn more about the gather + root online foraging course here.
Now for the dandelion salve recipe!
Dandelion Infused Oil
Foraging for dandelions isn’t difficult, as they are one of the most widespread and easy to identify “weeds” there is. There are so many wonderful things to do with dandelions, as every part of the herb is both edible and medicinal, even the root.
This salve is made using locally foraged dandelions, and is the perfect spring project.
The first step in making dandelion salve is to make dandelion infused oil. After you collect your dandelion flowers, it’s best to dry them for a day or two to remove the excess moisture.
I like to do this on my homemade drying screens, but you could also lay them out on a clean towel.
Our neighbors yard was completely covered with dandelions, so we asked if we could pick some! If you do this, just make sure to ask first and confirm that they haven’t been sprayed with anything toxic.
After your dandelions have dried a bit, put them into a jar and cover them with oil.
The size of the jar depends on how much oil you want to make.
A pint jar should yield about a cup of oil after straining, which is the amount you will need for this recipe. I wanted more oil than that, and I had a ton of dandelions, so I used quart sized jars.
The kind of carrier oil that you use is up to you.
I prefer to use a blend of equal parts olive, coconut, and sweet almond as carrier oils when making my dandelion infused oil, as they are all nourishing for the skin in different ways. If you use coconut oil, it’s helpful to melt it first.
Let your dandelion oil sit in a dark place for a week or two, but not too much longer than that as it can spoil pretty quickly.
Strain out the flowers using a cheesecloth so that you can really squeeze all of the dandelion goodness out. You will end up with a lovely golden oil!
Dandelion Salve Recipe
Making this dandelion salve is easy once you have your dandelion infused oil made. First you will need to warm the oil in a double boiler.
You can create a makeshift double boiler by putting a small bowl or a glass Pyrex measuring cup over a pot with about an inch of simmering water.
Put the dandelion oil and beeswax into the small bowl or glass measuring cup, and heat until the beeswax completely dissolves into the oil, stirring occasionally.
Add the shea butter and stir until it dissolves, then stir in the optional essential oils.
Carefully pour the mixture into small jars or tins and let sit until the salve sets up completely.
This recipe makes about 12 ounces of salve total, or six 2 ounce tins.
How to Use Dandelion Salve
Dandelion flowers have pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, so this salve is good for all kinds of aches and pains. It is particularly good for sore and tired muscles and joints.
Dandelion salve is also soothing and moisturizing for dry, cracked, and itchy skin. It would also work well as a lip balm for chapped lips.
I really love how this dandelion salve turned out! It smells wonderful and is perfect on my dry hands and feet. It’s really quite easy to make, too.
Dandelions are such an amazing plant, it’s too bad that they are so often thought of as a weed! What is your favorite way to use dandelions in the springtime?
More uses for Foraged Dandelion
Did you know there are over 50 ways to enjoy this amazingly versatile backyard “weed”? Among them are:
- Dandelion Root Muffins
- Dandelion Mead
- Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee
- Dandelion Pesto
- Dandelion Kombucha
- Dandelion Soap
- Dandelion Vinegar
Dandelion Salve
Ingredients
Dandelion Herbal Oil
- 1 cup dandelion flowers wilted for a day or so
- 1 ½ cups carrier oil approximately; I like to use a blend of equal parts extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil.
Dandelion Salve
- 1 cup dandelion infused oil
- 1 ounce beeswax
- 1 ounce refined shea butter
- 12-24 drops essential oils of your choice lavender and sweet orange work well (optional)
Instructions
Dandelion Infused Oil
- Put the wilted dandelion flowers into a pint sized jar and cover them with the carrier oil of your choice. If you use coconut oil, it's helpful to melt it first.
- Let your dandelion oil sit in a dark place for a week or two, but not too much longer than that as it can spoil pretty quickly.
- Strain out the flowers using a fine mesh sieve and a cheesecloth so that you can really squeeze all of the dandelion goodness out.
Dandelion Salve
- Create a makeshift double boiler by putting a small bowl or a glass Pyrex measuring cup over a pot with about an inch of simmering water.
- Put the dandelion oil and beeswax into the small bowl or Pyrex, and heat until the beeswax completely dissolves into the oil, stirring occasionally.
- Add the shea butter and stir until it completely dissolves.
- Stir in the essential oils.
- Carefully pour the mixture into small jars or tins and let sit until the salve sets up completely.
Notes
Is there any substitute to beeswax? like tallow?
Hi Joshua. You can use candelilla wax, soy wax, carnauba wax, or a number of other vegan waxes in place of beeswax.
Hi I’m very excited to make this recipe! Just wondering if the salve has to be refrigerated after its made?
It’s not required, but refrigerating it will definitely extend its shelf life.
Hi! I made this and it is absolutely wonderful!! I love it so much I was just wondering if it would work to use this recipie with different flowers? Like rose petals or something like that?
Yes, definitely!
I infused my dandelions in the oil for the last ten days in a dark cool cupboard. The dandelions floated on top and there is done mold in the very top. Is this a total waste? Or can it still be strained?
Unfortunately if there is mold it’s probably best not to use it. If there is only a small amount you could try to remove the mold on top and pour out the top portion of oil then proceed with the rest.
This is such a wonderful recipe, and you provide such clear instructions! I’m sure I speak for many who so appreciate you sharing your expertise, as well as all of the time it takes to prepare this post, take photos, answer questions, etc. — all at no cost to us readers. This made a beautiful batch of mellow golden salve, which I scented with gardenia. Many, many thanks!
Thank you so much for your kind words!
This is FANTASTIC! I’m so excited to have this recipe and information! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!
You’re welcome!
I still have a jar of infused dandelion oil from last year. There is a small amount of residue in the bottom of the jar. Would the oil still be good to use?
As long as it has been in a cool dark place, it should still be good to use.
Hello! I am super excited to use this recipe and I started my oil. I melted down the coconut oil and added it to me jar along with olive oil to infuse. I checked on my jar two days later and the coconut oil is starting to solidify. Is this normal, or is there something I can do to fix this? Could I heat my oil infusion and infuse it that way? Thank you!
Yes, it’s normal. Coconut oil solidifies when below 76 degrees. You could either set your jar in a slightly warmer area of your house, heat it with the sun in your backyard, or do a double boiler infusion on your stovetop. You can find out how to do them all here: How to Make Infused Oils
Hi Colleen,
I’ve infused my oil for a week now, it’s starting to smell lovely (I used a sunflower coconut blend)! However, I’ve neglected to order the shea and wax for the final step… I’m thinking about straining the oil and refrigerating while I wait. Thoughts on this?
Thanks for the post <3
That should be totally fine for a week or two! Enjoy!
Wow, the salve turned out amazing! it really does relieve pain :) :) so happy I found your site! <3 getting into herbs and plants and homemade things, this is the perfect place to explore… also, your photography is beautiful!
Thank you so much, Hannah! I’m glad you are enjoying your dandelion salve.
One thing worries me.
You’ve had a number of people ask questions about its stability, how long it lasts, when will it spoil? etc. and you haven’t answered one of them.
In the recipe, you say “A week or two but not too much longer than that as it can spoil pretty quickly.”
IF that’s the case, then you should have an answer to how long it will last, how to keep it stable, etc. The fact that you haven’t answered any of those questions tells me that you don’t have an answer.
Actually, Karen, that’s not the case. I only said in the post that dandelion oil itself can spoil quickly and that’s because fresh herbs leach water content into the oil as it infuses. The salve itself can last 6 to 8 months at room temperature and out of sunlight or refrigerated for a year or longer.
Thanks for the reply to it’s stability. I make cannabis oil with a magical butter machine. Do you know if I can use it to make the infused oil faster?
Hi Sarah, I don’t know anything about a magical butter machine so I can’t answer your question.
so anxious to finish my oil! and start the salve, I was wondering for in the winter would I be able to dry the dandelions and use them later?
Yes, you can definitely do that!
I’m vegan and I was wondering what I could use to replace bees wax? Would soy wax be ok?
Love all the recipes here.
Yes, that would be fine. I would look for non-GMO soy wax.
I am hoping that you can help! I did everything according to the directions but mine is not setting up very well. It is very “oily” as a result. The only thing that I may have done wrong is that I added too much essential oils?? I made 4 batches to use as salve and lip balm for Christmas presents. Is there something that I can do to “set them” up? I am considering re-melting all of it :( and adding more beeswax- thoughts??
Hmm, it’s really hard to say. I would remelt and add more beeswax.
I always do 4:1 oil to wax ratio. For example 4oz oil to 1 oz wax.
Thanks Regina. Like Gina Meeks, mine did not solidify (set-up). So i reheated and added a second ounce of beeswax. Much better.
So the 4:1, oil to wax ratio worked – 2oz per cup of oil.
have been interest in making my own salve for some time but couldn’t find a recipe until now thank you.
You’re welcome, Dory!
Will dried dandelions work as well for this recipe?
I’d like to make this closer to Christmas for gifting.
What’s the shelf life of the finished product?
Yes, you can, Patti! In fact, this recipe calls for dried dandelions!
Can you use powdered Dandelion root? If so how would you use is to make a salve?
I put my dandelions in the oil (coconut, sweet almond, evoo) to infuse on Sunday, it’s now Thursday and looking a little cloudy. Does that mean it has spoiled?
I was going up make the salve in Saturday, so I hope not :(… So excited to try this recipe!
I have been making this for the last 3 years since I found this recipe. Just finished another batch. I have 54 in just 4 days. I still have almost 3 cups of oil. I have Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Tea Tree, Lavender, and Lilac.
I made this with dandelion flower that I freeze-dried and soaked in olive oil for 3 weeks.
When you put the dandelions and the oil in the jar, you covered it with something before you put on the lid? Was that a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper, or something else?
I just finished my dandelion oil and the oil is really dark goldish color, is this normal?
Hi Tammy, yes that sounds about right!
Hello! I picked a huge amount of dandelions this weekend and put them on a screen to dry as instructed; a bunch of them went to seed and poof! I had half of a tray of useless billowy dandelions. Is there something I did wrong?
Hi Tori, yes that will sometimes happen! That’s why I only wilt them for a day or so. The older a dandelion is when it is picked gives it more of a tendency to turn to puffballs.
Hello. How long is the dandelion oil good for after it is strained? how do I keep it longer to add to other things throughout the year?
Hi! Is it possible to use something other than beeswax? I am vegan and don’t use animal products x
Candelilla Wax is a substitute for beeswax it is plant based.
I really would not use Candellila Wax – look it up, often made with harsh chemicals and not environmentally friendly
I am excited to try this recipe. I see that it can spoil if left too long while infusing the oil but do you have an idea of the “shelf life” of the finished salve?
Am wondering if I can freeze the dandelions after they are cleaned and before I infuse them? I love this salve as I suffer from chronic neck/shoulder pain and would like to make it thru the winter months instead of having to use OTC remedies. I find it works great if I massage it into the pain area and also into top and soles of my feet as well as into my hands and tummy.
Thank you for the time you spend sharing your knowledge and recipes with us. You are super sweet!
Yvonne
Freezing plants can greatly diminishes medicine potency. You can make the infused oil now just by filling small jar with wilted petals & pouring oil to cover petals, capping jar & leaving in dark place for at least 6 weeks. Can leave the straining until you want to make salve in winter. cheers ; )
I made your recipe for dandelion salve this past weekend. I had infused the dandelions in olive oil and coconut oil for two weeks. I used lavender, lemon and peppermint essential oils. The salve turned out wonderful. The recipe made 5 two oz. tins and 3 1 oz. tins. I am giving it as gifts to family and friends, and keeping some for myself of course! Thank you for sharing the recipe!