The mallow has arrived and may already be taking over your garden. I love this plant! It is abundant and so helpful to me a person with a dry constitution.
If you have a dry constitution, you know it. Taking in and using moisture plants is a must. I don’t try to correct who I am using plants. I accept my current “Set Point” (The place my body considers homeostasis) and rely on our abundant nature to help me feel my best. Our bodies and emotional selves change through our our life and what the set point looks like. I trust that my body knows what best and goes with that flow. Perhaps I am dry now because this ensures I get more nourishing infusions during my premenopausal years. Maybe I tend to my skin in a way that allows greater plasticity and strength. Who knows…. trust it and learn from nature along the way.
If your mallow is out of control, it’s time to add the leaves and flowers to your infusions. Nettle can be drying, especially if your order it from Europe online. It’s a great product but I find it’s more drying than American nettle. So, add some mallow to your nettle infusion to get all the minerals and some beneficial mucilage.
Because of its abundant mucilage, herbalists consider mallows one of the best demulcent herbs. A demulcent is a substance with mucilaginous properties that is used to relieve inflammation and irritation. I love the word mucilaginous far more than the typical adjectives of slimy and gooey, which immediately creates an undesirable image in my mind.
Mallow’s energetics are cooling and moistening and are specifically used on hot, inflamed, irritated tissues. Taken internally it is excellent for soothing sore throats and dry, hacking coughs.
Marshmallow works wonders throughout the digestive system from inflamed gums to heartburn to constipation and other serious form of digestive disease.
Externally, mallow is especially effective on inflamed skin conditions like wounds, burns, ulcers, and dry, itchy skin. We live in Colorado. Lip balm and a beverage is a must at all times. We do not leave the house with out our tea bottle and lip balm.
Healing Mallow Root & Calendula Lip Balm
First, infuse dried marshmallow root (or the root from your garden) and calendula into your preferred carrier oils. You can combine the two into one oil infusion, but I prefer infusing each herb separately.
Mountain Rose Herbs offers step-by-step directions. I use the quick method. I will also make this with chamomile flowers instead of calendula flowers. I use the long folk method of infusing chamomile in apricot oil. It takes 6 weeks but is worth it. I usually have large bottles of this in my cabinet at all times.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons marshmallow root infused oil
- 2 Tablespoons calendula flower infused oil
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoon cocoa
- 2 Tablespoons beeswax pastilles
Directions
Have lip balm containers cleaned and ready for pouring. I prefer small tins and small apothecary jars to plastic lip balm tubes. We need to use less plastic and these are hard to clean and reuse. Just use a tin and resume it 🙂
In a double boiler set-up over medium-low heat, add coconut oil and butter and melt to liquid. Add infused oils and beeswax, and heat until completely melted. Remove from heat and pour into a lipped container that makes pouring easy.
Pour into containers and allow to cool and harden. Place lids on, label, and store in a cool, dark place. No essential oils are needed. The plants, beeswax, and cocoa butter have a lovely smell.
I might have more beeswax in the summer so it doesn’t melt. It’s a little bit of a test process to find your preferred consistency and melt point where you live.
Wishing you happiness and health,
Chrystal Cocek
Loveland, Colorado Herbalist
Integrated Earth Medicine