How to Make St. John's Wort Oil & Salve

This St. John's wort oil is so easy to make and is a great way to utilize the many benefits of this amazing plant!

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Prep Time: 15

Infusing Time: 30

Total Time: 30 15

Servings: 12 tins of salve

Author: Hilda Sterner

Snip fresh St. John's wort flowers and buds off from plant until you have approximately 4 cups of flowers. If you have less, you can make a smaller batch.
Lay flowers out in a single layer on a tray and air dry for an hour or two. Add dry St. John’s wort flowers to a sterilized mason jar and pour enough grape seed oil to fully submerge them.
Screw the cap onto the jar, write the date and contents of the jar, then place it in a sunny location. Shake daily during the first week to redistribute the flowers and keep them submerged. After that, shake occasionally.
After 4 to 6 weeks, strain the oil using a fine mesh strainer or a soup bag, then pour into a sterilized jar. The oil is now ready to use on your aches and pains, and makes a great massage oil!

Add 1 cup of St. John’s Wort-infused oil, 1 ounce of beeswax pellets, and ½ ounce of shea butter to a saucepan.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the wax and shea butter to melt completely, stir to combine, then pour into 1 or 2-ounce tins and add labels.

If you want to make St. John's wort warming oil, add a couple of fresh or dried cayenne peppers.
If you're unsure if the variety of St. John's wort you have access to will be beneficial, try crushing the flowers between your fingers. They should stain your fingers red; the more red pigment, the more beneficial it will be!
You can also add vitamin E oil or a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the oil mixture before you pour it into the tins.
In this recipe, we're using 4 cups, but you can make a smaller batch, for example, 1 cup of flowers to 1 cup of oil.
You can increase the flower-to-oil ratio to make the oil even more potent.
Some herbalists recommend infusing the oil in a dark location, while others recommend keeping the jar in sunlight. I've found that either will work.
If some sediment remains in the oil, you can strain it again using a coffee filter.
St. John's wort oil should be good for at least one year. Adding vitamin E can help lengthen its stability.
Store the oil in dark bottles in a cool, dark location. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.

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