Intermediate~13 hours12 lessons

Salves, Balms & Topical Preparations: Intermediate Formulation

From the all-purpose salve into real topical formulation — lip balms, butters, emulsions, and preservation

Twelve lessons that move you from "calendula infused in olive oil with beeswax" into deliberate topical formulation. You will work through skin anatomy and absorption routes, the chemistry of carrier oils and butters, the three infused-oil methods (solar, heat, alcohol intermediary), the beeswax ratio spectrum from lip balm to hard stick, a healing-salve build using three plants, and the harder territory of emulsions and preservation that most home-craft books skip.

Taught by Deidre Starner, Master Herbalist

What you'll learn

Choose a carrier oil for any topical product based on stability, comedogenicity, and skin affinity
Run three different infused-oil methods (solar, heat, alcohol intermediary) and pick the right one for the plant
Calculate beeswax ratios accurately to produce balms, salves, and hard sticks of intended firmness
Build a three-plant healing salve from infused oils with deliberate plant ratios
Recognize when a product needs a real preservative and select one appropriate to its pH and use case

Course outline

1
Course Welcome — The Topical Toolbox
25 minFree preview
2
Why Topicals Work — Skin Anatomy and Absorption Routes
50 minFree preview
3
Choosing Your Carrier Oil — Stability, Comedogenicity, Skin Affinity
65 min
4
Infused Oils — Solar, Heat, and Alcohol Intermediary Methods
75 min
5
Filtering Infused Oils and Checking Water Content
50 min
6
The Beeswax Ratio Spectrum — Lip Balm to Salve to Hard Stick
55 min
7
Butter Blending — Shea, Mango, Cocoa, Kokum
55 min
8
Building a Three-Plant Healing Salve — Calendula, Plantain, Yarrow
70 min
9
Lip and Cuticle Balms — Smaller-Pour Techniques
50 min
10
Introduction to Creams and Lotions — Emulsions and Why Water Changes Everything
60 min
11
Preservation Basics for Water-Containing Products
65 min
12
Capstone — Formulate, Make, and Label a 4-Product Topical Kit
80 min