Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (2024)

Use this Amish black drawing salve on cuts, scrapes, splinters, and boils to naturally pull toxins and debris from the skin.

I am so excited to bring you this recipe because it was a few years in the making. We used to buy a great drawing salve, but we can't find it anywhere anymore. We tried a few other brands, but they didn't work as well as the original one.


I found a few recipes for Amish Black Drawing Salve, and they were all close to what we like. I took the best of each recipe, combined them, and came up with this Amish black drawing salve recipe.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (1)

This recipe shouldn't be confused with a black salve recipe. A true black salve can burn the skin, but this salve is safe.

It's made with mild ingredients that won't cause irritation.

Drawing salves pull from your skin, so they are great for bee stings and splinters. They also help with infections, so many people use them on boils, wounds, and cystic acne.

Last week, my son and I were at Cub Scout day camp. It was so hot--the "feels like" temp was 105!--so of course the kids were standing right next to a building for the shade. My son rubbed his arm on the wood and got several long, deep splinters.

I took him to first aid, where I found an ER nurse. She said they were so deep that she would numb the area before trying to extract them if he were in the ER.

She said he was fine to keep playing once we got it cleaned up, so she pulled out what she could and put some antibiotic cream and a bandage on it. I brought him home, and the splinters were so deep that we would have had to use a needle to extract them.

I put a thick layer of this salve on him and a large 4x4 bandage on him so it wouldn't leak. I was shocked the next day that I could pull out several more. There are still some that are fairly deep, but they are coming to the surface.

Keep track of your favorite essential oil recipes with my printable essential oil journal or my printable essential oil recipe cards.

Infusing Oils for Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe

Before you can make the recipe, you'll want to infuse the olive oil. I used comfrey, plantain, and calendula for the benefits (see below). You can skip this, but I don't recommend it.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (2)

These herbs are a little hard to find in stores, but I will link you to a few stores that sell them.

I found a great Amish greenhouse that specializes in herbs and herbal remedies a few weeks ago, and they helped me pick the best herbs.

There are two ways to infuse oils. You can pour the oil in to a jar and place the herbs inside and set in a warm place for a few weeks. Give it a good shake or stir every day, and strain after two weeks.

I didn't want to wait that long, so I placed the jar in my crockpot filled with a few inches of water. I heated it on low for four hours and turned off the heat. The next day, I strained out the herbs.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (3)

If you don't want to infuse the oils, you can buy already infused oils. Calendula oil and comfrey oil are easier to find, and you'd be fine to use just those two oils if you can't find plantain infused oil. Just use the same amount of oil and mix them about 1:1 (or 1:1:1 if you use all three).

Learn more about how to use herbs in DIY recipes in the Herbal Academy's Botanical Skin Care Course.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Ingredients and How They Work

I'm going to link to both Mountain Rose Herbs and Starwest Botanicals. Both have high quality products. Starwest does offer free shipping, but Mountain Rose Herbs has lower prices.

Comfrey - An anti-inflammatory herb that can help wounds heal quicker. (Get it from Starwest Botanicals. or Mountain Rose Herbs)

Plaintain - An herb that has natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. (Get it from Starwest Botanicalsor Mountain Rose Herbs) Learn more about plantain leaf benefits for skin.

Calendula - Promotes collagen production to speed up healing. (Get it from Starwest Botanicalsor or Mountain Rose Herbs.)

Olive oil - Full of antioxidants and vitamin E. (Get it from Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest Botanicals.)

Beeswax - Acts as a barrier trapping the healing ingredients next to your skin and thickens the oils. (Get it from or Mountain Rose HerbsAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (4)or Starwest Botanicals.)

Vitamin E oil - An extra dose of this skin-loving vitamin. (Get it from Mountain Rose HerbsAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (5)or Starwest Botanicals.)

Tea tree oil - Naturally anti-bacterial. (Get it from or Mountain Rose Herbs orSimply Earth)

Honey - Naturally anti-bacterial and moisturizing. (Get it from iHerbAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (6).)

Charcoal - Pulls bacteria and toxins and traps them. (Get it from iHerbAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (7)or Starwest Botanicals.)

Bentonite clay - Draws toxins and chemicals out of your skin. Be sure to not use metal utensils with it or it won't work. (Get it from or Mountain Rose HerbsAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (8)or Starwest Botanicals.)

Just a word of caution though, you'll want to cover the area with a bandage because the charcoal gets on everything. It cleans up fairly easily from your skin, but I can't say how well it comes off of fabric.

Ingredients

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe

STEP 1

Place the infused oil, beeswax, and vitamin E oil in a Pyrex measuring cupAmish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (21). Microwave on high at 30 second intervals until melted.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (22)

STEP 2

Add tea tree oil, honey, charcoal, and bentonite.


Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (23)

STEP #3

Stir with a wooden spoon. Stir very well or the charcoal will sink to the bottom.

Pour in to a 4-ounce mason jar. Let sit until hard.

Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (24)

    To use, smear a small amount on a cut, bite, or scrape and cover with a bandage so the charcoal doesn't stain.

    Have you ever used an Amish Black Drawing Salve recipe?

    This recipe was featured in the May/June 2018 issues of The Backwoodsman. Look for it at most major retailers.

    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (25)


    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (26)

    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe

    Author: Cari Dunn

    Estimated cost: $5

    prep time: 1 hourperform time: 1 hourtotal time: 2 H

    Use this Amish black drawing salve on cuts, scrapes, splinters, and boils to naturally pull toxins and debris from the skin.

    materials:

    tools:

    steps:

    How to Infuse The Herbs and Oil

    1. Place about 2 tablespoons of each herb in a mason jar.
    2. Cover with olive oil.
    3. Let sit for two weeks.
    4. Strain and discard the herbs.

    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe

    1. Place the infused oil, beeswax, and vitamin E oil in a Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on high at 30 second intervals until melted.
    2. Add tea tree oil, honey, charcoal, and bentonite.
    3. Stir with a wooden spoon. Stir very well or the charcoal will sink to the bottom.
    4. Pour in to a 4-ounce mason jar.
    5. Let sit until hard.
    6. To use, smear a small amount on a cut, bite, or scrape and cover with a bandage so the charcoal doesn't stain.

    NOTES:

    Do not use metal utensils with bentonite clay.

    https://www.yourbeautyblog.com/2015/06/amish-drawing-salve-with-activated.html

    Copyright © Everything Pretty 2019. All rights reserved.

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    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (27)

    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal (2024)

    FAQs

    Amish Black Drawing Salve Recipe With Activated Charcoal? ›

    The products come in many forms including salves, pastes, creams, and poultices. Products that contain any of these ingredients: sanguinarine, Sanguinaria canadensis, bloodroot, and zinc chloride. Salve products that claim to cure or treat cancer, remove moles or warts, or treat other skin conditions.

    What was in that old time black salve? ›

    The products come in many forms including salves, pastes, creams, and poultices. Products that contain any of these ingredients: sanguinarine, Sanguinaria canadensis, bloodroot, and zinc chloride. Salve products that claim to cure or treat cancer, remove moles or warts, or treat other skin conditions.

    What salve draws out an infection? ›

    ICHTHAMMOL (ik THAM awl) is a topical drawing salve. It is used to treat insect bites or stings and minor skin infections. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

    What is Amish black drawing salve used for? ›

    You can use this salve to draw out infections, splinters and other foreign objects, and to soothe bug bites, allergic skin reactions, and blemishes. We've added Vitamin E as a natural preservative and to help minimize scarring.

    How long to leave activated charcoal on skin? ›

    Apply a light layer of mask around the face, taking care to avoid your mouth and eyes. Then leave it to work its pore-purifying magic for around 15 minutes.

    Why is black salve illegal? ›

    Salves intended as an alternative cancer treatment are no longer legally allowed on the market. The idea that black salve can be used to specifically draw out cancerous cells without affecting healthy cells is impossible. Black salve burns away both unhealthy and healthy tissue, leading to necrosis or tissue death.

    How long do you leave drawing salve on? ›

    To use your DIY drawing salve, apply a small amount to the affected area and gently rub. Leaving it on overnight may be needed to allow time for the skin to soften, especially if you have splinters. Applying a loose bandage can help prevent staining of your clothing or bed covers.

    What is the main ingredient in drawing salve? ›

    The ingredients usually include zinc chloride and the plant extract sanguinarine. Both zinc chloride and sanguinarine are corrosives, which means they damage or destroy what they touch. Experts think black drawing salve may kill some cancer cells, but it also kills healthy tissue.

    Does drawing salve really work? ›

    It could potentially help “draw” things out of your skin simply because it's making the skin soft around the object but it's 100% not some kind of miracle salve that works like a magnet to draw things out of your skin. Be wary of anything that claims to be homeopathic, usually that means it's BS snake oil.

    What cream draws out boils? ›

    Magnesium Sulphate Paste is known as a drawing ointment, it is applied to skin and used for boils and carbuncles. It is usually safe for most people to use Magnesium Sulphate Paste, but there are a small number of people who should not use.

    What is the best thing to draw out infection? ›

    A poultice can treat infection by killing bacteria and drawing out the infection. The use of poultices made of herbs, mud, or clay for infection is ancient. Recently, researchers discovered that a poultice made of OMT Blue Clay may help fight certain types of disease-causing bacteria when applied to wounds.

    Is ichthammol the same as black salve? ›

    Ichthammol ointments, commonly known as black ointment or drawing salve, should not be confused with black salve, an escharotic (corrosive) paste intended to destroy skin tissue. In contrast, ichthammol does not have any corrosive properties on the skin.

    What is the difference between a tincture and a salve? ›

    Generally, salves are used as an adhesive substance for application to wounds or sores. What is a Tincture? Tinctures are heavily concentrated extracts made by placing chopped fresh or dried herbs into a jar and covering them with a solvent: alcohol, glycerin or vinegar.

    Why is it called drawing salve? ›

    The main ingredients are often ichthammol, phenyl alcohol, or Arnica montana, and may contain herbs such as echinacea or calendula. The name comes from archaic belief that an irritant can "draw out" evil humors. (This should not be confused with black salve which is dangerous.)

    What does activated charcoal do topically? ›

    Reducing the appearance of pores

    Activated charcoal may help unclog pores and remove dead skin cells by binding to bacteria and toxins. This may help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.

    Can you add activated charcoal to melt and pour soap? ›

    This soap is easy to make, and is great for beginners. First, the activated charcoal is mixed into the tamanu oil and tea tree essential oil. This breaks up any clumps, and makes the activated charcoal easier to incorporate into the Aloe Vera Melt And Pour Soap Base.

    What can activated charcoal be mixed with? ›

    For treatment of poisoning: Treatment with one dose: Adults and teenagers—Dose is usually 25 to 100 grams mixed with water. Children 1 through 12 years of age—Dose is usually 25 to 50 grams mixed with water, or the dose may be based on body weight.

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