# DIY: Plantain Salve

**Published:** 2025-07-23

It’s amazing how some of the most soothing and comforting ingredients for our skin come straight from the earth. This simple salve -- made with plantain leaf infused in olive oil, blended with beeswax, and finished with a few drops of tea tree oil -- is a gentle, natural way to support the skin's barrier and keep it feeling soft and calm.

These time-honored ingredients have been traditionally used to help moisturize, protect, and maintain the skin’s natural balance -- especially when it’s feeling dry, irritated, or in need of a little extra love.

### About the Ingredients

**Plantain Leaf **

- Often considered a "green bandage" in traditional herbal practices, plantain leaf is cherished for its gentle support of the skin.
- Helps comfort and soothe dry, irritated, or sensitive skin
- Traditionally used to support the skin’s natural recovery process
- Rich in skin-loving compounds like allantoin and flavonoids

**Olive Oil**

- A nourishing base oil that has been used for centuries in skincare routines.
- Naturally moisturizing and helps soften dry or rough patches
- Supports the skin’s natural barrier
- Full of antioxidants like vitamin E, which help protect and nourish the skin

**Beeswax**

- Beeswax acts as a natural protective barrier while allowing the skin to breathe.
- Locks in moisture without clogging pores
- Helps shield the skin from environmental stressors
- Gives the salve its smooth, balm-like texture

**Tea Tree Essential Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)**

- Used sparingly for its powerful aromatic and skin-supportive properties.
- Offers a clean, refreshing scent
- Traditionally valued for its purifying qualities
- Supports a fresh, balanced environment on the skin

### DIY: Plantain Salve

#### **Ingredients**

- 2 tablespoons of dried plantain leaf
- 3.5 oz of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of beeswax pellets
- 15 - 30 drops of tea tree essential oil

#### **Directions**

**Step 1:** Mix the leaf and oil in a jar with a lid on.

**Step 2:** Place the jar in a pot of hot water for 1 - 2 hours.

**Step 3:** Remove and strain the infused oil through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth, putting the infused oil in a fresh jar. Compost used herbs

**Step 4:** Add beeswax pellets to the strained oil and put a lid on it.

**Step 5**: Place the jar back in hot water until the beeswax is melted. Can use low heat if needed.

**Step 6**: Remove from heat and stir in 15 - 30 drops of tea tree essential oil.

**Step 7**: Pour the hot salve into a 4 oz or two 2 oz tins and let cool.

Store in a cool, dry place.

This salve pairs great with [**Earthley's Anti Itch Soap**](https://earthley.com/products/anti-itch-soap) and [**Black Drawing Salve**](https://earthley.com/products/black-drawing-salve-stick)!