Here’s another homemade skin care standard to go along with our lotion bars, sugar scrub, and lip balm, this time a recipe for a general purpose ointment. It is made of shea butter, avocado oil, beeswax, calendula and rooibos extracts and aloe vera, all of which are known for their soothing, protecting, and healing properties. The ingredients can be found online at most soapmaking suppliers. Here is the recipe:

SKIN OINTMENT/LINIMENT

1 oz. shea butter
1 oz. avocado oil
1/2 tsp. beeswax
1/4 tsp. each calendula and rooibos extract
1 tsp. aloe vera gel

Here are the basic ingredients:

From left, shea butter, avocado oil, rooibos and calendula extracts, beeswax, and front, aloe vera.

Weigh shea butter and avocado oil. Ew. Dust scales.

Melt shea butter and beeswax in double boiler or small pan in larger pan of hot water on the stove. Take care not to overheat shea butter and to cool it quickly after all ingredients are blended or it may become grainy. If this happens, it won’t ruin the ointment, it just effects the feel of it. The graininess melts at skin temperature. Remelting it at low temperature and quickly putting it in the fridge to cool will smooth out the grains.

Add extracts and aloe.

I like to whip it in the processing attachment of a stick blender, but this is not essential.

Pour into small dish or tin for storage.

It is the consistency of butter at room temperature. Use for minor skin irritations.