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!
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.