Solid Ointment with Nootka

Ointments as spreadable homogeneous mixtures are one of the oldest remedies. Applying and massaging them into the skin allows you to nourish the skin with active ingredients that help in wound healing and regeneration of the upper layers of the skin, while preventing dryness. Some substances from the ointment get deeper into the tissue or into the bloodstream and have positive effects on the body. When you use ointments with essential oils, they are inhaled at the same time therefore also aromatic.

You can make healing ointments even at home, avoiding harmful substances that are found in many products available in stores. You can create natural and non-toxic ointments and customize them completely to your needs. 

You need vegetable fat or oil for ointments (see our list of suitable oils for each skin type), but you can also use animal fats such as lard or butter. It is important to choose only high-quality and preferably unprocessed natural ingredients.

In the case of using liquid fats, it is necessary to supplement the ointment with some spreadable fats that have a firmer consistency at room temperature and can be used on the skin. For this you can use cocoa or shea butter. It is also possible to use waxes, such as organic beeswax (preferably from a proven beekeeper in your area), Carnauba wax, or rose wax. 

If you want an ointment with a creamier consistency, you can replace up to half the weight of beeswax with a double amount of lanolin without water. For example, using 4 g of beeswax and 2 g of lanolin or 3 g of beeswax and 4 g of lanolin. However, we recommend the use of lanolin from a verified source because lanolin is often contaminated with pesticides and therefore the ointment created in this way may not meet the parameters of non-toxic cosmetics.

You can further supplement the ointment with medicinal substances by using essential oils (just a few drops) and at the same time give the ointment a pleasant scent. You can also enrich the ointment with other ingredients such as extracts from medicinal plants, honey, milk, or salt.

It is very important to maintain cleanliness in the production process, as this increases the shelf life of homemade products. Depending on the degree of compliance with hygienic conditions, homemade ointments will last up to one year.

Solid ointments should ideally be stored in small metal containers. Alternatively, you can also fill the liquid into empty lip balm or deodorant containers to create a healing stick for travelling. It is recommended to store it in a cool place.