DIY Peppermint Salve — A Cooling Salve with Up the Hill Inc.

At Up the Hill Inc., we believe every creation is more than a recipe — it is ceremony. Peppermint, with its bright green leaves and invigorating aroma, carries the spirit of clarity and renewal. To craft a salve from scratch is to weave together plant, earth, and intention, transforming simple ingredients into a ritual of care.

Step One: Infusing the Oil

Infused oil is the heart of your salve, carrying peppermint’s refreshing character into a form that can be blended with wax and poured into vessels of care.

Gather: (remember, never take more than you need at one time)

• Dried peppermint or spearmint leaves
• A carrier oil (olive, sunflower, or jojoba, or oil of your choosing)
• A clean glass jar with lid

Ceremonial Process:

1. Fill your jar halfway with dried leaves., pour oil until the jar is full, ensuring the leaves are submerged.
2. Place the lid on the jar, and place it in a warm, sunny spot for 2–4 weeks. Shake gently every few days, turn the jar upside down to make sure all of the leaves are wet.  I usually place my jar in a window or bright spot.  
3. You shake the jar, breathe in the aroma and set an intention — prayer, clarity, refreshment, renewal. Each movement becomes part of the product. 
4. Strain through cheesecloth into a clean containerA, when the correct time has lapsed.  two to four weeks. 

Step Two: Crafting the Salve

With your infused oil ready, you now transform it into a salve — a cooling balm for ceremony and care.

Gather:

• 1 cup peppermint infused oil
• 1 oz beeswax pellets (or candelilla wax for a vegan option)
• Optional: a few drops of peppermint essential oil for extra aroma and strength.
• Small tins or jars

Ceremonial Process:

1. Place infused oil and beeswax in a heat‑safe bowl or double boiler.
2. Warm gently until the wax melts completely.
3. Stir slowly, weaving together plant and earth.
4. Add optional essential oils.
5. Pour into tins or jars while warm. Allow to cool and solidify. .

Pouring the salve is an offering - a gift to yourself, your family or your community

Step Three: Using Your Peppermint Salve

Your salve is now ready to join your rituals. Apply it as part of daily ceremony — after journaling, before meditation, or as a mindful pause in your day. The cooling aroma of peppermint refreshes the senses and invites clarity.

Each time you open the tin, take a breath. Let the scent remind you of spaciousness, renewal, and the cycles of care that connect us to the land.

DIY peppermint salve is simple, yet deeply meaningful. It is a way to slow down, connect plants, and transform everyday care into ceremony. At Up the Hill Inc., we celebrate these practices as pathways to balance, creativity, and mindful living. May your salve be more than balm — may it be ritual, renewal, and a gift of clarity.

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