When you live your life outside gardening and adventuring, there are bound to be minor cuts and scrapes.

My kids are a lot like me and fall down a lot, so I wanted to come up with a natural Neosporin alternative to use on their boo-boos that I feel good about. I don’t feel good about petroleum-based products so Neosporin is out. That’s why I decided to go with a calendula and comfrey ointment for helping boo-boos heal.

Herb Use and Safety

Calendula has been used for centuries medicinally to treat skin irritation, burns, and sunburn. It has been used to heal wounds and prevent infection. Calendula was used in the Civil war to treat wounds, measles, smallpox, and jaundice. (source)

Calendula is generally considered safe topically and internally. Calendula has been many culinary uses adding flavor to soups and salads. Some traditional medicine boasts calendula can help alleviate digestive issues. 

There is some controversy about whether comfrey is safe to use. Studies show that a component of comfrey may cause liver damage. However, the studies that found this isolated the component pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) rather than studying comfrey as a whole.

Because injecting this isolated component into rats created liver damage, researchers decided that comfrey must also cause liver damage, even though the amount they injected was much more than any human could use. Also, they didn’t consider the fact that any substance, isolated from its natural state and used in high enough concentrations, can be dangerous.

There is no evidence that comfrey, used in its whole state, in the amounts that humans use, causes any ill effects. I also consulted with an herbalist friend who told me that comfrey and calendula were safe for everyone when used properly, meaning not drinking cups and cups of tea plus slathering your body in ointment every day. For this reason, I choose to use comfrey, judiciously. Consult your healthcare provider whether you should use comfrey.

How to Make Calendula and Comfrey Olive Oil

• 1/2 cup dried calendula 
• 1/2 cup dried comfrey 
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil 

Mix ingredients in a mason jar and let steep for 2-3 weeks in a dark, cool place OR heat mixture on a very low simmer or in a crockpot for 3-4 hours. Don’t overheat.

Strain herbs out when done.

DIY Natural Neosporin Recipe

Makes 2 – 8 oz jars

• 1 1/2 cups calendula and comfrey oil (the amount in the recipe above)
• 4 tsp beeswax pastilles
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil 
• 20-30 drops of quality essential oils 

Take the hot calendula and comfrey oil (or reheat if it has cooled) and add the beeswax and coconut oil to it. Stir until beeswax and coconut oil has melted. Check the consistency by sticking a popsicle stick, skewer or spoon into the ointment and letting it cool. If it’s too soft add more beeswax, too hard add more olive oil. add essential oils ( I use lavender) and stir.

How to Use Natural Neosporin: Calendula and Comfrey Healing Ointment

Dab a little on burns, bruises, cuts, bug bites, scrapes, diaper rash, etc. Don’t go crazy, a little goes a long way!

This healing salve/ointment is fantastic for helping heal all kinds of skin issues.

Now It’s Your Turn!

What do you use on boo-boos at your house?