We’ve put together a soothing, family-friendly recipe using traditional herbs and essential oil ingredients to help bring comfort to irritated skin. Our Owie Ointment is great for everyday bumps, bruises, and minor irritations to the skin. It’s safe to use on children (barring any allergies, of course) and the soothing effects are wonderful.
The first step is to make sure you have the tools you need to get the job done right. These are must-have items for this recipe:
- The glass measuring cup will hold all your ingredients. This glass measuring cup [1] is perfect since we’re heating the mixture and then later using essential oils. It’s big enough, heats beautifully, has a perfect spout for pouring, and won’t react with the essential oils.
- A small saucepan will be placed on your stovetop to hold water that heats your measuring cup. Make sure the pan is big enough to hold the cup before beginning.
- A stainless steel spoon is used to mix the ingredients because it won’t react with the ingredients.
- You’ve got to have an accurate kitchen scale that measures grams. This digital kitchen scale [2] is great, inexpensive, and has a tare button to make this recipe simple.
- This recipe makes 10 small tubes [3] of ointment. This is enough to have one in your purse, one in the diaper bag, one in the gym bag, another for the bathroom, and still have some leftover for gifting.
- We finish this project with the cutest possible labels. You can grab your own waterproof labels here [4].
Here are the ingredients in our amazing Owie Ointment:
- Fractionated coconut oil [5] and almond oil [6] are great carrier oils that work together to nourish the skin and deliver the other ingredients. They make the recipe smooth and easy to apply. See more carrier oils we love here! [7]
- Beeswax [8] helps to make the recipe creamy and emollient. It’s great for protecting the skin from the elements while holding moisture.
- We can’t say enough about vitamin E oil [9]. It’s a natural antioxidant that helps the skin heal itself by combating free radicals that can damage the skin.
- Frankincense, Lavender, and Tea Tree essential oils are great for moisturizing and treating sensitive skin. They encourage skin health by minimizing irritations.
- Calendula oil [10] helps to ease any inflammation and tenderness and is reported to help soothe mild aches or pains. (Note: this is different than the Calendula Gel we use in our homemade blemish gel recipe [11]!)
New to essential oils? Learn more about how we use them and why you should use them as well. [12]
Owie Ointment
Ingredients
- small saucepan
- glass measuring cup with a spout [1]
- stainless steel spoon for stirring
- kitchen scale [2]
- 30 grams fractionated coconut oil [5]
- 30 grams beeswax [8]
- 15 grams of almond oil [6]
- 10 grams of vitamin E oil [9]
- 5 grams calendula oil [10]
- 10 drops Tea Tree essential oil
- 10 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
- 10 lip gloss tubes [3]
- waterproof labels [4]
Directions
- Gather all your supplies and ingredients so that they’re all immediately at hand. When the mixture is melted you’ll want to act fast to add in the remaining ingredients, stir, and pour quickly before it starts to solidify.
- In your small saucepan, place about an inch of water. Bring this to a low simmer over medium-low heat.
- Place your glass measuring cup on the kitchen scale and zero balance the scale. Add in the coconut oil and beeswax to the measuring cup making sure to weigh and tare the kitchen scale exactly after each ingredient.
- Move the measuring cup with the beeswax and coconut oil into the water in the saucepan. Stir with your stainless steel spoon until the beeswax is completely melted. Remove the measuring cup from the heat.
- Immediately add in the almond oil, vitamin E, and calendula oil stirring all the while to combine.
- If the mixture begins to solidify before you add in the essential oils (next step), momentarily place it back into the water on the stovetop to melt it gently.
- Add in the essential oils and stir. Carefully pour into the lip gloss tubes or a glass jar to store. Allow to cool completely. Apply the waterproof labels and make sure to use a permanent marker to label your Owie Ointment.
- To use: Squeeze out a tiny amount of the ointment and rub onto sensitive or irritated skin. Store in a cool dark place for up to 12 months.
For our family recipe, we also added 5 grams of comfrey extract [13]. It’s up to you whether you include this or not. Comfrey extract [13] is added to help decrease skins dryness so that it can regenerate and heal quickly.
*Note: Comfrey root is an herbal remedy that is likely safe for most people when used topically in very small doses for no longer than 10 days at a time. Comfrey extract and products containing comfrey root should not be used on broken skin. It should not be used if pregnant or breastfeeding or anyone under on medication without consulting your doctor first.
As always, YOU are the expert on what YOUR family needs. Make decisions based on your family’s preferences, needs, desires, age, and medical situation. If you choose not to use comfrey extract the Owie Ointment recipe will still be comforting, soothing, and effective.