Comfortbalmwith plantain
Comfortbalmwith plantain
In spring and summer, it’s not unusual to get stung by insects (bees, wasps, ) or by plants, especially nettles What could be better than a soothing balm to calm little ones’ tears?! This remedy is even more meaningful when it’s made by the children themselves… Ribwort plantain is a very common plant that truly deserves to be known!
Materials and Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
Beeswax
Organic olive oil, first cold press
Optional: a few drops of true lavender
essential oil
Materials:
Harvest baskets
Cutting board / sturdy surface
Sieve / strainer
Glass jar for maceration
Scale
Small funnel
Small jars for the balm
Little bumps and minor aches are simply part of spending time with young children. A good first aid kit is essential, but so are comforting rituals, like a healing cuddle toy or a gentle song to soothe them. We have, for example, a comfort sheep (a soft toy sheep that hugs the children when something hurts), a dew drop (a drop of lavender essential oil to breathe in from their cupped hands), and also a rescue drop that calms emotions (Bach flowers).
Comfortbalmwithplantain
Take some harvest baskets and go in search of ribwort plantain. Show the children what the plant looks like— usually they have no trouble recognizing it afterwards. Fill your baskets and then spread the leaves out on a surface to dry.
The drying time depends on the humidity in the air. You can also place the leaves near a stove if you are still heating at that time of year.
How to recognize and use plantain: channel « Le chemin de la nature »
Step2:Macerationinoil
Once the leaves are dry, tear them into small pieces by hand and place them in a glass jar for maceration. When the jar is full of leaves, cover them with good-quality olive oil. The purpose of this step is to transfer the plant’s properties into the oil: this is called an oil macerate. Duration: 4 to 6 weeks, shaking the jar from time to time. Keep the jar out of direct light, or wrap it in a kraft paper bag and place it in the sun. You can track the maceration time with a calendar (see the “forsythia oil macerate” activity sheet).
Step3:Makingthebalm
Comfortbalmwithplantain
After 4 weeks of maceration, strain the oil through a fine sieve and weigh it. The amount of beeswax should be at a 1-to-4 ratio with the oil. For example, if you have 60 ml of olive oil, you will need 15 g of beeswax. Choose natural beeswax from hives raised with respect for nature. Melt the wax in a double boiler (never in the microwave), then mix it with the oil macerate, which you should gently warm beforehand (no more than 40°C). If you wish, add a few drops of true lavender essential oil—a soothing oil especially suited for young children, gentle and without contraindications. Pour the mixture into small jars using a mini funnel. Close the jars once the mixture has cooled. And there you have your finished balm!!
