Making dandelion balm | Ease aching joints and sore muscles

Today I'm making a dandelion balm (salve) which can help to soothe aching joints and sore muscles. Dandelion flowers have anti-inflammatory properties and it's this that helps relieve pain. Regular use of dandelion balm may help reduce inflammation and protect against its long term damaging effects. For this recipe you'll need: 100 ml of dandelion infused oil 50 g cocoa butter (or shea butter) 12.5 g candelilla wax (or 25 g beeswax) If you don't have cocoa/shea butter you could just use: 100 ml dandelion infused oil 8 g candelilla wax (or 15 g beeswax) To make the infused oil: Step 1: Collect dandelion flowers (2 or 3 handfuls should be enough for this recipe - March/April is the best time as this is their main flowering period. I prefer to just use the petals but you can use whole flowers. Make sure you collect your flowers on a dry day and after the morning dew has completely dried. Step 2: Spread the petals/flowers out on a flat surface and allow them to dry for a few days (longer if using whole flowers). Drying the petals first will prevent mould from forming in your oil. You can use fresh petals but you have to be more careful - best to stick to dry if you're a beginner Step 3: Put the petals/flowers in a sterilised jar, then add oil to completely cover the petals. Pop the lid on, label the jar with the date and contents and leave to sit . You can use whatever oil you like but try to avoid oils that have a strong scent that can overpower your finished product (e.g. olive oil). I prefer using sweet almond or coconut oil. Step 4: Check your jar every day or two to make sure that the plant material is completely submerged in the oil. Add a touch more oil if needed. Check that there's no mould forming on the surface of the oil (if mould forms, the entire batch needs to be discarded). Step 5: Leave the oil to steep for 2 - 4 weeks, giving the jar a gentle shake every few days (if you can remember - I always forget). Then strain the oil into a sterilised jug or bowl, through a fine sieve lined with muslin. If you don't have muslin, the foot of a pair of clean tights is just as good. Once the oil has worked its way through the sieve, gather the fabric to enclose the plant material and give it a squeeze to get the last bits of oil out. The oil can now be used to make a balm. How to Make Dandelion Balm Ingredients 100 ml dandelion infused oil 50 g cocoa or shea butter 12.5 g candelilla wax (candelilla is vegan alternative to beeswax - if using ethically sourced beeswax, use 25 g) 20 - 30 drops of an essential oil of your choice. Lavender is a great all rounder but you could do a bit of research and choose oils that are good for relieving aches and pains. Method Ensure your working area is clean and all your equipment is clean/sterilized. Pop the wax and cocoa/shea butter in a bain marie. If you don't have a bain marie, a large bowl over a pan of gently boiling water is perfectly adequate but be careful not to introduce any water into the bowl. Allow the wax and butter to melt, stirring gently to help the process along. Once the two have completely melted and blended together, add the dandelion infused oil and stir. The mixture may start to solidify slightly - don't worry, this is normal - continue to stir until everything is liquefied and blended together. For ease you can just add the oil, wax and butter to the bain marie all at the same time (as I did in the video) but I generally prefer to reduce the amount of time the oil is warming for, so I heat the wax and butter first. Then turn the heat off and add the essential oil, stir again to disperse and then immediately decant the mixture into sterilised jars. The balm will start cooling and solidifying pretty quickly - pop the lids on to prevent the essential oil from evaporating and losing it's potency. Once the balm is fully cool, its ready to use. Don't forget to label each jar with the date and contents. Your balm should last at least a year if stored in a cool place, out of sunlight. Once the balm gets a bit too old to use, the smell and texture will change. So trust your senses, if it looks ok and smells ok, it's probably ok :) I use this 2 - 4 times a day to relive aches and pains, when I have them. Enjoy :)