15 easy salves and balms to mix at home • Schisandra & Bergamot

Creating gentle, nourishing salves and balms at home is easier than most people think, and it lets you tailor each blend to your skin’s needs. With just a few natural ingredients—like oils, herbs, and beeswax—you can make soothing formulas for everyday use.

These simple recipes bring a comforting, hands-on connection to your self-care routine.

DIY Floral-Infused Hand Salve Recipe

Two metal tins filled with yellow balm sit on a wooden surface, surrounded by dried flowers and lavender sprigs. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

Give your hands a little TLC with this homemade flower-infused hand salve. Made with nourishing oils, creamy shea butter, and a touch of beeswax, it melts into your skin to soften and soothe.

Get The Recipe: DIY Floral-Infused Hand Salve Recipe

Juniper Berry Salve

Five tins of balm with evergreen sprigs on top, surrounded by various greenery, placed on a wooden surface. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

An easy, healing juniper berry salve to soothe inflammation. This DIY salve uses only 3 ingredients and is the perfect addition to any medicine cupboard.

Get The Recipe: Juniper Berry Salve

Yarrow Salve

Round tins of balm and a lip balm tube are displayed on a wooden surface. Each tin is adorned with a small white flower. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

Use this yarrow salve recipe to make boo boo sticks or a yarrow balm to have on hand for a large variety of uses.

Get The Recipe: Yarrow Salve

DIY Beeswax Lotion

A jar filled with creamy homemade lotion, tied with twine, placed on a dark wooden surface with scattered paper and small white beads nearby. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

Soothe your skin and calm your senses with this DIY beeswax lotion! Made with only five, all-natural ingredients, this creamy homemade lotion recipe nourishes your skin and your senses with the calming aroma of vanilla and nutmeg.

Get The Recipe: DIY Beeswax Lotion

DIY Violet Rose Body Lotion Bar Recipe

Five decorative floral-shaped soaps with embedded dried flowers on a wooden surface. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

This easy DIY body lotion bar recipe is a must! These homemade lotion bars are non-greasy and leave your skin feeling silky smooth.

Get The Recipe: DIY Violet Rose Body Lotion Bar Recipe

DIY Chamomile and Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm Recipe

Small open jars of reddish-purple balm with white lids are arranged on a rustic wooden surface, along with dried flowers and a wooden spoon containing powder. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

This tinted lip balm is made with almond oil, chamomile flowers, cocoa butter, beeswax, and hibiscus powder. It’s a perfectly easy DIY project that moisturizes your lips with a sheer flush of color!

Get The Recipe: DIY Chamomile and Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm Recipe

Calendula Lip Balm

A tin of yellow salve with dried flowers on top, placed on a wooden surface, surrounded by scattered dried flowers. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

Making your own calendula lip balm is a great way to ensure your lips stay soft and moist during the extremes of temperature in different seasons. This recipe is easy to make with natural ingredients and you can even swap the essential oil in it for your favorite scent!

Get The Recipe: Calendula Lip Balm

Easy Homemade Tinted Lip Balm Recipe

Two lip balm tubes are tied together with twine and placed on a wooden surface, with small dried flowers nearby. — Photo Credit: Schisandra & Bergamot

Moisturizing lip balm with a touch of natural color (thanks to beet powder!) and a healthy dose of shine could not be easier or more fun to make! Once you get this recipe downpat, you can experiment with other natural food-based powders to create your own favorite tints.

Get The Recipe: Easy Homemade Tinted Lip Balm Recipe

Lemon Balm Healing Salve Recipe

Two open metal tins filled with yellow balm sit on a patterned fabric surface, next to a closed tin. — Photo Credit: FOOD FOR LIFE GARDEN

This healing salve recipe with lemon balm has fantastic benefits for the skin. Learn how Lemon Balm, or Melissa, can improve your well being! Make this salve so you have it on hand when you need some relief from sore skin conditions.

Get The Recipe: Lemon Balm Healing Salve Recipe

Tallow Lotion Bar Recipe

Assorted lotion bars in metal tins, a wooden spoon with shea butter, and chunks of beeswax arranged on a white marble surface. — Photo Credit: Boreal Bloom Homestead

Make nourishing tallow lotion bars with this simple DIY recipe. Made with grass-fed tallow, beeswax, and a carrier oil, they deeply hydrate and soothe dry skin. Customize with your favorite scents for a gentle, non-greasy moisturizer perfect for daily use or gifting.

Get The Recipe: Tallow Lotion Bar Recipe

Whipped Tallow Balm

A glass jar filled with swirled whipped cream sits on a marble surface next to a wooden spoon with whipped cream on it. — Photo Credit: Boreal Bloom Homestead

Whipped tallow balm is a rich, all-natural moisturizer made with creamy grass-fed tallow. Infuse it with vanilla or botanicals for a soft scent, or customize with essential and carrier oils like jojoba or almond for added skin benefits and a perfect texture.

Get The Recipe: Whipped Tallow Balm

Homemade Lotion Recipe

A jar of creamy white lotion or balm is shown from above, surrounded by several solid yellowish beeswax bars. — Photo Credit: Maxon Made

Believe me when I say this is the only homemade lotion recipe you'll ever need. It's the original "Perfect Cream," formulated by famous herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar. I link her original recipe and share how you can adapt it to your own preferences.

Get The Recipe: Homemade Lotion Recipe

Chickweed Salve

Open white jar of cream with a smooth creamy surface, placed on a wooden surface with green leaves nearby. — Photo Credit: Learning And Yearning

Be sure to try this chickweed salve recipe – it's easy to make and is great for itchy skin and all types of skin irritation.

Get The Recipe: Chickweed Salve

Plantain Salve

A round tin filled with green herbal salve sits on a marble surface, with dried herbs scattered around and a jar of herbs in the background. — Photo Credit: Kateable

Plantain Salve is a gentle, herbal remedy made from infused plantain leaves and nourishing oils. It’s known for its soothing properties, helping calm minor cuts, scrapes, bug bites, and irritated skin. With its simple, natural ingredients, this salve is a must-have for any folk-style or DIY skincare kit.

Get The Recipe: Plantain Salve

Chamomile Salve

A round, open tin container filled with smooth, light yellow balm. The lid is placed beside it on a white surface. — Photo Credit: Kateable

Chamomile Salve is a calming, skin-soothing balm crafted from chamomile-infused oils and natural waxes. Its gentle properties help ease redness, irritation, and dryness, making it a perfect choice for sensitive or easily stressed skin. This salve offers a soft, herbal comfort you can reach for anytime.

Get The Recipe: Chamomile Salve

With just a few herbs and simple ingredients, you can create salves that nourish, soothe, and support everyday wellbeing. These homemade blends offer a grounded, comforting way to care for your skin and reconnect with natural ingredients. Each recipe invites you to slow down and enjoy the beauty of simple, at-home creations.