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Home » Herbalism » Herbal Bath and Skincare Recipes » Salves and Creams » Manuka Honey Salve with Propolis

Manuka Honey Salve with Propolis

May contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my privacy policy and affiliate disclosure.

Originally published on January 22, 2021. Last updated on February 26, 2023

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Manuka honey is pretty amazing stuff! Not only is it good for your immune system, it is also very effective at healing minor wounds and scrapes. This makes it the perfect addition to a salve! Propolis extract gives this manuka honey salve an extra boost!

manuka honey salves with propolis on a table

Manuka Honey and Propolis Extract from PRI

{This post is sponsored by Pacific Resources International (PRI)}

To make this salve, I used Manuka Honey and Propolis Extract from Pacific Resources International (also known as PRI).

PRI sells only genuine Manuka Honey that is independently tested for potency and purity. They work directly with the bee keepers in New Zealand and Australia who harvest the honey for their products.

Manuka honey has powerful antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which makes it a great choice for use on minor wounds, scrapes, and burns.

Propolis extract is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, so it is another great addition to topical salves! It can help to heal minor wounds and burns faster and has even been shown to have regenerative properties.

Propolis is also highly beneficial for the immune system and definitely something that we should be using more of!

See my other recipes using PRI honey and propolis:

  • Manuka Honey Vinegar Elixir
  • Rose Hip Syrup

Use this special code to get 10% off at PRI: GFCF

a bottle of propolis extract and a jar of manuka honey from PRI

Manuka Honey Salve Recipe

This manuka honey salve is easy to put together once you have all of the ingredients!

You can use any carrier oil you like as the base for the salve, but olive oil and/or coconut oil are good bets.

I used a calendula flower infused blend of olive oil and coconut oil. Calendula infused oil is highly beneficial for the skin and for healing minor wounds, so it is a great optional addition!

five tins of orange honey salve with calendula flowers

Heat the Oil and Beeswax

The first step is to heat 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.

Then add the beeswax to the oil and stir occasionally until it is completely dissolved. I find that a bamboo skewer works well for this.

Take the oil and beeswax mixture off of the double boiler immediately after the beeswax has melted.

melting the beeswax into the oil in a double boiler

Cool the Mixture and Add the Honey

Manuka honey is heat sensitive, so you don’t want to add it to the oil/beeswax mixture until it has cooled a bit to preserve the beneficial compounds in the honey.

The tricky part is that as it cools it starts to solidify.

Use a kitchen thermometer to see what temperature the oil/beeswax mixture is at. Continue stirring with the bamboo skewer until it ideally gets down to 104°F (40°C).

A few degrees over will probably be ok, because as soon as you add the honey it will immediately drop the temperature of the mixture by a few degrees.

Once the temperature is where you want it, add the manuka honey, stirring constantly to combine it before it sets. Add the propolis extract drops and preservative as you are stirring.

adding a spoonful of manuka honey to the oil mixture

Pour the Salve Into Tins

When everything is thoroughly combined, quickly pour the salve into tins or jars.

It will have thickened up some at this point, but you should still be able to pour most of it out. You may have to use a spoon to scoop it out if need be.

Set the salves aside to set up for several hours or overnight before using.

four tins of manuka honey salve on a green cloth

Is a Preservative Necessary for a Salve with Honey?

It is best to add a preservative to this recipe to be on the safe side. While honey has antibacterial properties, it does also contain water which means that a preservative should be added.

Two natural preservative options that are very effective are PhytoCide Elderberry OS and Leucidal Liquid SF. For a stronger, less natural preservative, try Germall Plus.

To determine how much to use it’s best to follow the instructions on the product you choose.

Jan Berry of the Nerdy Farm Wife has a great post about using natural preservatives in homemade products and which ones work best if you’d like to do more research.

How to Use Manuka Honey Salve

This salve is best for use on minor wounds, scrapes, bug bites, rashes, and burns.

The manuka honey and propolis will help to speed up the healing process! If you used calendula infused oil that will also help.

Put a small amount of the salve to cover the affected area and either leave it or cover it with a bandage if you prefer.

It’s almost like a homemade natural antibiotic ointment!

a hand holding a tin of manuka honey salve with propolis

Can Manuka Honey Salve be Used as a Moisturizer?

Because of the amount of honey added to this salve, it is quite sticky and not well suited for use as a moisturizer, though it is great for the skin.

If you would like to use it as a moisturizer I would add much less honey, perhaps one teaspoon. Then you still get the skin benefits of the honey with much less stickiness.

a jar of manuka honey and proplis with salves on a green cloth

This is such a great salve to have in your first aid kit!

It’s so useful and it’s always nice to have natural and homemade alternatives, thanks to the power of manuka honey and propolis extract!


Herbal Salve Recipes

Here are some other medicinal herbal salve recipes you may like:

  • Dandelion Salve
  • Calendula Salve
  • St. John’s Wort Salve
  • Diaper Rash Salve
  • How to Make an Herbal Salve
  • 10 Herbal Salve Recipes for Natural Skin Care

 

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5 from 1 vote

Manuka Honey Salve with Propolis

Manuka honey is good for your immune system and is also very effective at healing minor wounds and scrapes. This makes it the perfect addition to a salve! Propolis extract gives this manuka honey salve an extra boost!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 5 ounces
Cost $20
Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

  • Small Saucepan
  • Small Glass Measuring Cup
  • Wooden or Bamboo Skewer
  • Thermometer
  • Tins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1/2 cup carrier oil of choice can be an infused herbal oil
  • 1/2 ounce beeswax
  • 2 tbsp Manuka honey
  • 30 drops proplis extract
  • preservative of choice see post for more info

Instructions

  • Heat 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.
  • Add the beeswax to the oil and stir occasionally (a bamboo skewer works well) until it is completely dissolved. Take the oil and beeswax mixture off of the double boiler immediately after the beeswax has melted.
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to see what temperature the oil/beeswax mixture is at. Continue stirring with the bamboo skewer until it ideally gets down to 104°F (40°C).
  • Add the manuka honey, stirring constantly to combine it before it sets. Add the propolis extract drops and preservative as you are stirring.
  • When everything is thoroughly combined, quickly pour the salve into tins or jars. It will have thickened up some at this point, but you should still be able to pour most of it out. You may have to use a spoon to scoop it out if need be.
  • Set the salves aside to set up for several hours or overnight before using.

Notes

You can use any carrier oil you like as the base for the salve, but olive oil and/or coconut oil are good bets.
I used a calendula flower infused blend of olive oil and coconut oil.
Manuka honey is heat sensitive, so you don’t want to add it to the oil/beeswax mixture until it has cooled a bit to preserve the beneficial compounds in the honey.
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Previous Post: « 12 Ways to Preserve Citrus: Drying, Canning, Fermenting and more!
Next Post: Elderberry Popsicles for Immune Support »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jane says

    April 20, 2022 at 1:24 pm

    Is this sticky?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      April 25, 2022 at 9:43 am

      No, it’s not.

      Reply
  2. Sandy Hardcastle says

    January 28, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    Haven’t tried this yet, because I have a question. Would this be of help for psoriasis?

    Reply
    • Grow Forage Cook Ferment says

      February 1, 2021 at 11:37 am

      I can’t say for sure, but raw honey has been shown to help different kinds of eczema.

      Reply

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I want to inspire you to live seasonally, become more self sufficient, and protect your health. I share information on foraging and wildcrafting, fermenting and preserving, cooking whole foods from scratch, permaculture gardening, and making herbal products. And that’s just the beginning! Learn more.

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