Comfrey Salve; making your own in simple to follow steps

Comfrey Salve

On a day where the sun shines and the soft falling rain glistens in its bright rays, I decided to harvest some of my comfrey from the garden and make a comfrey healing salve.

Why Comfrey for a Salve?

Used for millennia to help heal burns, sprains, bruises and even slight bone fractures, comfrey contains allantoin which is thought to speed up production of new cells. It’s also known as knitbone. Even its Latin name, symphytum, is derived from the Greek, “symphis”, meaning growing together of bones, and “phyton,” meaning plant.

Ingredients: (yield: 300ml, shelf life: several months

300ml organic sunflower oil (I used sunflower but olive or sweet almond oil is also recommended)
large handful of fresh comfrey leaves (make sure they are dry just so they aren't so 'splattery' in the oil
25g-30g beeswax, grated for faster melting (organic if possible)

Half a grated nutmeg
Tsp dried chillie flakes
5 cloves
20 dried hawthorn berries
Tsp black peppercorns

I crushed and blended the above 5 together and added to warming oil. These are my own choice for added warmth and healing benefits

So back to the infusing, I placed the oil into a small pot and as many comfrey leaves I thought could fit in there and placed (jammed) the lid on. The oil was gently heated over a low heat until the leaves were mushy, wilted. 
You can  also  heat the oil in a stove-top water bath (bain marie), to be sure the oil does not overheat and burn.
The oil was left to cool slightly and then strained. For a stronger oil, this process could be repeated a second and third time if need be. 

The grated beeswax was then added to the comfrey oil and placed back over a low heat for a couple of minutes, until the beeswax had melted into the oil.

This was then poured into a clean, sterilized jars and left uncovered until set. It's worth noting that any residue in the bottom of the pan should be left in there and not added to the jar as this excess moisture will cause the ointment to spoil faster than usual.

Apply as needed by rubbing a small amount onto the affected area (not to be used on broken skin - just aches and pains) as often as needed. 
Always try a small tester patch first in case of skin sensitivity

While herbal remedies are generally safe to use , they may still cause problems, if used improperly.
Do not use on this on very young children or if pregnant or on broken skin and always seek medical advice first.