DIY Healing Balm for Eczema
My youngest has had sensitive skin since he was a baby, the kind that flares up red all the time. We tried the usual drugstore creams, the fancy prescription stuff, all of it.
Some would help temporarily, but nothing really stuck. It wasn’t until I started diving deeper into traditional herbal remedies that I found a combination of ingredients that actually made a lasting difference.
The moment I saw his skin calm down after just a few days of using this DIY healing balm, I knew I had to share it with every person I know!
Tallow-based salves have been used for centuries, long before we had petroleum-based creams lining every pharmacy shelf.
This homemade healing balm recipe draws on that same wisdom, combining the richness of tallow with a carefully crafted herbal infused oil.
Whether you’re dealing with eczema flares, dry cracked hands, a healing wound, or even supporting a fresh tattoo, this is the kind of healing salve that earns a permanent spot on your bathroom shelf 🙂
Here is exactly how to make this DIY healing salve from scratch, including how to infuse your own herbal oil, and why every single ingredient earns its place in the jar.
Herbal Benefits
This balm is quite amazing! Here are the ingredients and their benefits:
- Tallow: Rendered beef fat closely mirrors the fatty acid profile of our own skin, which means it absorbs beautifully without clogging pores.
It’s deeply moisturizing and acts as an occlusive barrier, sealing in all that herbal goodness while protecting skin from environmental irritants. It is by far my FAVORITE base for any DIY salve or homemade skincare recipe. - Chamomile has been used for generations to calm inflamed, reactive skin. It contains compounds that help quiet the kind of redness and itching that comes with eczema or irritation. Think of it as the “take a breath” herb for angry skin.
- Marshmallow root is incredibly soothing! It’s rich in a slippery, mucilaginous quality that coats and softens even the most parched, irritated skin (my favorite in for a homemade hair detangler spray). It’s been used traditionally to reduce inflammation and support skin barrier repair, which makes it perfect in a healing salve recipe.
- Calendula is one of the most well known skin-healing herbs. Beloved by herbalists for centuries, it’s traditionally used to support wound healing, reduce inflammation, and gently encourage skin regeneration, which is why you’ll find it in everything from scar salve DIY recipes to baby skin care. (My absolute favorite for anything skin-related!!)
- Jojoba oil isn’t technically an oil, it’s actually a liquid wax that closely resembles our skin’s natural sebum. It’s deeply nourishing, non-greasy, and makes an ideal carrier for drawing the herbal properties into the skin. It also helps the finished balm stay stable.
- Lavender essential oil brings its centuries-old reputation for calming irritated skin and supporting the healing process. It’s also beautifully relaxing, a little bonus benefit when you’re applying this before bed.
- Helichrysum essential oil is the powerhouse of this blend! Often called “immortelle,” it’s traditionally used to support skin regeneration and is in many DIY tattoo healing balm recipes and formulas targeting scars and damaged skin.
Trust me, once you start using helichrysum, you’ll put it in everything, I figured that out the hard way after leaving it out of an early batch!
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DIY Healing Balm Recipe
Makes: About 5 ounces
Ingredients
- ½ cup tallow (learn how to render your own)
- 2 tablespoons herbal infused oil
- Chamomile
- Marshmallow root
- Calendula
- Jojoba oil
- 3 teaspoons beeswax
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops helichrysum essential oil
Instructions
Fill a clean glass jar about halfway with chamomile, marshmallow root, and calendula. Cover the herbs completely with jojoba oil. Let infuse for 2-4 weeks in a cool place, shaking occasionally, or gently heat in a double boiler on low for 2-4 hours.
Strain well before using.
Add the tallow and herbal infused oil to a double boiler or heat-safe bowl over simmering water.
Heat gently until fully melted and combined.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly for a few minutes.
Stir in the essential oils. Allow to cool, then slightly mix.
Pour into a clean jar.
Notes
- Store in a cool, dry place.
- Any carrier oil will work!
- Essential oils are optional, but lavender and helichrysum add extra healing benefits for your skin.
How to Use It
Apply a small amount to affected areas, eczema patches, dry cracked hands, healing wounds, scars, or fresh tattoos, daily.
A little goes a long way with a tallow-based balm; you don’t need much!
For best results, apply at night so the balm can work while skin is at rest (my kids and I both do this, it’s become part of our evening routine).
Avoid use on open wounds or broken skin without consulting your care provider first, and skip the essential oils if making this for babies or very young children.
Eczema Balm
A rich, tallow-based herbal balm infused with chamomile, marshmallow root, and calendula to help moisturize and soothe dry, irritated skin.
Materials
- ½ cup tallow
- 2 tablespoons herbal infused oil
- chamomile
- marshmallow root
- calendula
- jojoba oil
- 20 drops essential oils (optional)
Tools
- Glass jar
- Double boiler
- Strainer
- Mixing spoon
- Storage jar
Instructions
- Fill a clean glass jar about halfway with chamomile, marshmallow root, and calendula. Cover the herbs completely with jojoba oil. Let infuse for 2-4 weeks in a cool place, shaking occasionally, or gently heat in a double boiler on low for 2-4 hours. Strain well before using.
- Add the tallow and herbal infused oil to a double boiler or heat-safe bowl over simmering water.
- Heat gently until fully melted and combined.
- Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly for a few minutes.
- Stir in the essential oils. Allow to cool, then slightly mix.
- Pour into a clean jar.
Notes
- For the most potent herbal infusion, allow the herbs to steep in the oil for the full 4 weeks before straining.
Final Thoughts
This DIY eczema balm has genuinely changed how I approach skin care in our house. I keep a jar on the bathroom counter and one in my nightstand, because once my kids discovered it works on everything from chapped lips to scrapes to eczema flares, it disappeared fast.
Next time I make a batch, I’d love to try adding a bit of plantain leaf to the herbal infusion for extra wound-supporting power.
And honestly? These make the most beautiful handmade gifts! Pour them into small glass jars, tie on a little label, and you’ve got something so much more thoughtful than anything you could pick up at a store 🙂
