How to Make Cannabis Salve
Knowing how to make cannabis salve at home will give you a functional and cost-effective topical that you can use for a range of purposes. Homemade cannabis salve is easy to prepare and offers a great natural product to add to your skincare routine.
The growing number of cannabis topicals on the market is a testament to salve’s increasing popularity as a therapeutic product. However, there’s nothing like making a product to your own specifications; let's check out how.
Making a Cannabis Salve Step-by-Step
Every cannabis salve recipe requires two preliminary steps: decarbing your weed and infusing your oil mixture. Once you have completed these two steps, making your own cannabis salve is incredibly easy.
Please note: This recipe is a full-spectrum product using decarboxylated cannabis. It will therefore contain activated THC, so label the jar carefully and store it out of the reach of children.
You will need:
7-10g of decarboxylated cannabis. Choose a soothing strain (like one of these cannabis strains for inflammationor one of these cannabis strains for arthritis) for the best results.
1.5 cups of coconut oil
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup beeswax (vegan alternatives: organic soy wax, candelilla wax, or carnauba wax)
Optional: A few drops of your favorite essential oils
Optional: 1 tablespoon of shea butter, cocoa butter, or vitamin E oil for additional moisturizing benefits
1. Decarb Your Weed
Cannabis flower in its raw form contains THCA rather than THC. You must decarb your weed before infusing it if you want your salve to contain THC in its active form.
Break up the cannabis into fairly small, even pieces. Spread the buds on a baking sheet and heat them in the oven at around 250°F for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2. Infuse Your Oil
The next step is to infuse the oil that you will use as the basis of the salve. The most important thing to remember when making cannabis oil is not to overheat it. Maintain a low temperature to preserve the cannabinoids and terpenes in your decarbed weed, preferably between 120-180ºF.
To infuse your oil:
Add water to the bottom pan of a double-boiler. Add your coconut oil to the top section and heat gently until it melts.
Mix your decarbed cannabis into the melted coconut oil.
Heat the coconut oil and decarbed weed over low heat for another 30-60 minutes. Stir it occasionally. Use a probe thermometer to make sure the oil mixture stays below 200ºF.
Strain the oil mixture to remove the cannabis bud. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or an alternative and pour the oil mix through. Gently squeeze out the excess oil.
Top Tip: A crock pot is a great way to infuse your oil if you don't have a double boiler. Add your oil and decarbed cannabis and heat on the lowest setting for around three hours.
3. Mix the Salve Ingredients
Add the beeswax to a pot or double boiler and heat until melted. Turn the temperature down to low and stir in the infused oil along with the olive oil. Stir until combined. Remove the mixture from heat and add any optional ingredients you would like to use. Lavender essential oil, for example, will add a beautiful smell and an extra injection of linalool terpene.
4. Cool and Store
Pour the liquid salve into glass or aluminum jars immediately to cool. An opaque jar is the best option as light will degrade the THC and terpenes in your salve. Store your salve in a cool, dark place to further protect its active components.
5. Do a Patch Test
Making your own salve is a great way to control the ingredients that go onto your skin. However, it's always worth doing a patch test before applying it to a large area. Familiarize yourself with the telltale signs you're allergic to weed and monitor any reactions to both the cannabis and any essential oils you use in your salves.
How to Use a Cannabis Salve Therapeutically
To use a cannabis salve therapeutically, scoop up a small amount with your finger and massage it into the affected area as often as needed. You may start to feel the effects of the salve after around 30 minutes on average, although some people feel the effects much sooner and others don’t feel any effects for an hour or two.
Conditions that Cannabis Salve Could Relieve
Many individuals make cannabis salves to relieve conditions that can benefit from the therapeutic compounds in the cannabis plant. For example, there's evidence to suggest that weed can help with acne and a range of other skin complaints including allergic contact dermatitis, eczema, pruritus, and psoriasis.
One study showed that using a 3% cannabis extract cream directly on the skin significantly decreased sebum and erythema content. This suggests that cannabis salves could be useful for the treatment of skin conditions like acne, seborrhea, papules, and pustules.
The efficacy of salves isn't restricted to skin conditions. A salve made with the best strains for muscle spasms and applied locally to the painful area could help with medical conditions that cause spasms like multiple sclerosis, injuries, or even cramps after a hard training session.
Things to Take Into Account When Making Cannabis Salves
Cannabis salve recipes are highly customizable. Experimenting with recipe adaptations will offer a salve that perfectly matches your needs and preferences.
How to Adjust the Potency of a Cannabis Salve
Many people choose to make cannabis salves at home to ensure a product that meets their specific needs. This can involve making your salve more potent or with a specific THC/CBD ratio.
To adjust the potency of your salve:
Increase or decrease the cannabis-to-oil ratio.
Use a stronger or milder strain: Weed strains sold in reputable dispensaries like ours in Seattle, WA are labeled to inform customers about each strain's potency. Alternatively, ask one of our budtenders for advice on how to use different strains for their therapeutic benefits.
How to Make a THC-Free Salve
Individuals who prefer to avoid THC can make a CBD salve with CBD oil. Replace decarbed cannabis buds with a few drops of CBD isolate to make a therapeutic homemade CBD topical.
How to Change the Scent of a Cannabis Salve
Switching up the essential oil you add to your infused oil will change the scent and your salve's therapeutic effects. Try tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, or rosemary oil.
FAQS
Which Oils Can You Use to Make a Salve?
You can use a range of carrier oils as a base for a salve. Coconut and olive oil are a classic combination, but you can also experiment with jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, or grapeseed oil.
Can You Use Raw Cannabis to Make Salves?
You can use raw cannabis alongside decarboxylated cannabis for extra therapeutic benefits. Raw cannabis contains THCA and CBDA, the acidic forms and chemical precursors to THC and CBD. THCA and CBDA offer their own therapeutic benefits.
Benefits of CBDA: CBDA has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and pain-relieving effects.
Benefits of THCA: Research has shown that THCA has anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticonvulsant, and anti-seizure properties.
Try Your Hand at Homemade Cannabis Salves
More and more people are experiencing the benefits of cannabis salves. Making cannabis salves at home is a great way to ensure a customized and highly effective product.
The key to the perfect salve is choosing the right ingredients. Ask our expert budtenders for a cannabis strain that combines the right balance of potency and therapeutic benefits for you.