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    Home » DIY Projects

    How to Make Wild Violet Lip Balm and Salve

    May 5, 2021 by Patti Estep Leave a Comment

    Jump to How-to Card
    Violet flowers, small containers of violet infused lip balm.

    You can make infusions with many different plants and create your own bath and body products. In this post, I'm using the beautiful but weedy wild violet from the garden to make a nice homemade violet lip balm or salve.

    Violet lip balm in small round containers and a few live violet flowers

    My mother loved wild violets, common blue violets, or scientifically known as Viola sororia. My husband hates them because they grow rapidly through rhizomes in the grass and can be difficult to get rid of. However, I think they look so beautiful in the spring when they flower displaying a mass of purple throughout a sea of green.

    Patch of wild violets growing in the garden.

    Safety Note:

    You should never use violet flowers in areas that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Also, don't harvest flowers growing by the roadside.

    Wild violet plant from the garden.

    Did you know that these beauties are edible? Last year I made wild violet simple syrup. They also have many medicinal properties. Supposedly this plant is good for eczema, among other things. Since I suffer from eczema on my nails I decided to try to make a wild violet lip balm and salve and I plan to use it as a cuticle cream.

    Violets in jojoba in a mason jar.

    Making Violet Salve or Lip Balm

    It starts with an oil infusion. Infusions are plants that are steeped (soaked) or heated in oils or water (tea).

    Straining plant material from oil with a coffee filter in mason jar.

    The plant material is then strained out and the resulting oil is used to make balms and salves. In this example, I used jojoba oil. It's more of a wax and does not go bad for a long time. However, you could use olive oil or something like grapeseed oil which is much lighter, but their shelf life is shorter.

    Beeswax pellets, fresh violets, essential oils, mica powder and small containers filled with violet balm/salve.

    How Long will the Balm Last?

    The question of how long a homemade salve will last is a difficult one. On the one hand, this is made with jojoba oil which is actually a wax and doesn't really turn rancid. Other oils do have a shelf life and will start to smell bad after a while. However, there is also the issue of bacteria. When we put our fingers into a salve they may have bacteria on them contaminating the balm. Washing your hand beforehand helps but isn't practical.

    Some people add a little vitamin E into their salves to act as a preservative but others say that though it may help prolong the oils it does nothing to preserve the product from microbes.

    This is why I often make homemade cosmetics in very small batches and place them into small containers. The idea is to use them up before there is a problem.

    One fresh violet flower next to a small round container of homemade violet lip balm or salve.

    On a final note, I added a tiny amount of peppermint and lavender essential oil to my balm because the infusion did not smell great. This is totally optional and the amount is small enough that there should not be any issues. Still, if you are concerned you can leave out the essential oils or do some research on the best essential oil for your skin.

    More Flower Crafting Ideas

    • Pressed Flower Wax Sachets
    • Flower Herbarium Bottles
    • Handmade Paper with Pressed Flowers
    Fresh wild violets, lavender and peppermint essential oil, beeswax, jojoba oil, brown mica powder and small plastic round containers filled with violet lip balm.
    Print

    Wild Violet Lip Balm and Salve

    Use wild violets from the garden to make a nice homemade violet lip balm or salve.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Active Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Homemade Bath and Body
    Yield: 7
    Author: Patti Estep
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • Microwave oven or stove

    Materials

    • 4 tablespoons jojoba violet infused oil
    • 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets
    • 2 drops of lavender essential oil
    • 3 drops of peppermint essential oil
    • mica powder for color optional

    Instructions

    • Pour infused oil and wax into a strong plastic cup.
    • Microwave until the wax is melted stirring with a plastic spoon every 30 seconds. (about 2 - 4 minutes depending on the oven)
    • Add 3 drops of peppermint oil and 2 drops of lavender oil and mix well.
    • Add a bit of mica powder for color if desired.
    • Pour into small containers.

    Notes

    Jojoba oil doesn't go rancid but there are no preservatives so it is best to make this in small batches and use the product quickly.
    You can use whatever essential oils you like or none at all. However, some oils are not good for skin applications so check them out ahead of time.
    The mica powder is just a fun natural way to color the balm and is not necessary.
    You can use an old pot with water on the stove to set a cup in instead of a microwave.
    Never use flowers that have come in contact with chemicals.

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    • Homemade Dusting Spray

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

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