Ointments can be made at home.
Ointments are thick oil-based products that are designed to be used directly on the skin, whether to soothe rashes or burns or to deliver herbs and medications to the skin's surface and into the bloodstream. Comprised of beeswax, a vegetable oil and sometimes a specific herb, combination of herbs or pharmaceutical medication, ointments have been used for centuries around the globe in skin care. Several high-quality oils provide the skin with a number of healing and protective benefits and make the best choices for making ointments.
Hempseed Oil
This thick, dark green oil is rich in powerful omega-3 fatty acids, which soothe and moisturize the skin, as well as an abundance of antioxidants and minerals. According to Mountain Rose Herbs, hempseed oil has also been found to be beneficial to those suffering from eczema, psoriasis and acne as well as dry and damaged skin conditions. The rich texture of hempseed oil gives the ointment a thick, glossy look when applied to the skin and is suitable for use as both a soothing ointment on its own and as a carrier oil for herbal and medicated ointments. Hempseed oil is available through a variety of online retailers as well as at health food stores, where it is also marketed as a nutritious food product.
Sea Buckthorn
The cold-pressed oil of the seeds of this hardy coastal shrub is renowned for its ability to treat wounded skin, including burns. This property is thought to be due to the potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in its unique oils. In fact, according to a review published in the Journal of Biological Sciences in 2004 by Alan Zeb, palmitoleic acid, one of the oil's key ingredients, is also a natural and essential component of human skin. The review concluded that sea buckthorn oil had "magic effects" in treating burns and scalds. The only drawback to sea buckthorn oil is its relatively high price compared to other potential oils used for making ointments.
Oilve Oil
This low-cost and all-purpose oil is not only one of the key components to a healthy kitchen but potentially one of the all-around best oils to use when making an ointment. Olive oil's high antioxidant content provides a host of protective effects on the human skin including protection against radioactive damage and revitalizing and regenerating properties. Additionally, a study published in Medicinal Research Reviews in 2001 by Francesco Visioli et al. stated that the potent antioxidants found in olive oil, called phenolics, also give the oil a high degree of stability, making it even more suitable for all-purpose and general-use ointments that require long shelf lives.
Jojoba Oil
Although technically a wax and not an oil, jojoba oil has become one of the most widely used natural substances in skin care products because of its resemblance to the skin's own sebum. This unique characteristic allows jojoba oil to act as a powerful carrier and delivery agent for other potent medicinal agents found in added herbs or medications. In fact, a study published in the PharmSciTech journal in 2011 showed that antiyeast gels prepared with jojoba oil not only delivered more of the active chemicals to the patient but also had a longer shelf life. Jojobo oil is one of the best oils to use when making an ointment designed to carry the medicinal properties of another substance into the human skin.
Tags: human skin, best oils, best oils when, herbs medications, making ointment