How to Make Comfrey Infused Oil for Salves & Balms
If you're building a home apothecary, learning how to make an herbal infused oil is one of the most useful skills you can develop.
And comfrey is a classic herb to start with.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) has a long history of topical use and is commonly incorporated into herbal salves, balms, and massage oils.
Making comfrey-infused oil at home is relatively simple. You need dried comfrey, a carrier oil, a clean jar, and some patience.
Once you've made it, you'll have a versatile herbal oil that can become the foundation for several different topical preparations.
Here's how.
What Is Comfrey-Infused Oil?
Comfrey-infused oil is created by allowing comfrey plant material to steep in a carrier oil.
Over time, oil-soluble plant constituents move from the herb into the carrier oil.
The plant material is eventually strained away, leaving you with an herbal oil that can be incorporated into:
- Salves
- Balms
- Massage oils
- Body oils
- Other oil-based topical preparations
It's important to note that comfrey-infused oil is not comfrey essential oil.
An herbal infusion and an essential oil are completely different preparations.
Comfrey Leaf or Comfrey Root?
Both comfrey leaf and root have histories of topical use, but they're not identical.
For a beginner home infusion, dried comfrey leaf is an approachable choice.
Comfrey root can contain higher concentrations of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs, than mature leaves, although concentrations vary considerably.
If you'd like a deeper explanation, see:
Comfrey Leaf vs. Comfrey Root: What's the Difference?
Whatever you choose, make sure you know the botanical identity and plant part you're working with.
Use Dried Comfrey for Your Oil
For a traditional home oil infusion intended for storage, I recommend starting with thoroughly dried comfrey rather than fresh leaves.
Why?
Fresh plants contain water.
Water introduced into an oil infusion can increase the potential for microbial growth and spoilage.
Comfrey leaves are thick and can retain quite a bit of moisture, so don't assume they're completely dry just because the surface feels dry.
Properly dried leaves should be crisp rather than flexible.
Choosing Your Carrier Oil
The carrier oil you choose will affect the feel, aroma, cost, and shelf life of your finished product.
Here are several options.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the classic choices for herbal infusions.
It's:
- Easy to find
- Relatively inexpensive
- Stable
- Excellent for salves and balms
The downside is that it has a heavier feel and noticeable aroma.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil has a lighter feel than olive oil and works nicely in body-care products.
Choose fresh, good-quality oil and pay attention to its expected shelf life.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba is technically a liquid wax rather than a triglyceride oil.
It's popular in skincare because of its feel and oxidative stability.
It can be more expensive, making it a nice option for smaller batches.
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil has a pleasant skin feel and is frequently used in massage and body-care products.
People with allergy concerns should consider whether nut-derived oils are appropriate for them.
What You'll Need
Gather:
- Thoroughly dried comfrey leaf
- Carrier oil
- Clean, completely dry glass jar
- Lid
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth or other fine filtering material
- Clean, dry storage bottle or jar
- Label
You don't need specialized herbal equipment to make a basic infused oil.
Method #1: Traditional Slow Infusion
This is the easiest method and requires very little hands-on work.
Step 1: Add the Comfrey
Place dried comfrey leaf into your clean, completely dry jar.
Loosely fill the jar rather than packing the herb tightly.
Step 2: Cover With Oil
Pour your carrier oil over the comfrey.
Make sure the herb is thoroughly saturated.
Use a clean, dry utensil to gently stir the mixture and release trapped air bubbles.
Add additional oil as necessary.
Step 3: Label Your Jar
Before you walk away, label it.
Include:
Comfrey Infused Oil
Symphytum officinale — Leaf
Carrier Oil Used
Date Started
Trust me—you think you'll remember which oil you used.
Four weeks later, when there are five different herbal jars sitting on the shelf, you may not.
Step 4: Allow It to Infuse
Place your jar somewhere away from excessive heat, moisture, and strong direct sunlight.
Allow it to infuse for approximately 4–6 weeks.
Check the jar periodically and gently turn or swirl it.
Make sure the plant material remains saturated with oil.
Step 5: Strain the Oil
When your infusion is finished, pour it through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or another appropriate filtering material.
Press the plant material to recover as much oil as practical.
For a cleaner finished product, strain it again through a finer filter.
Step 6: Bottle and Label
Transfer your finished comfrey oil into a clean, completely dry container.
Label it with:
Comfrey Infused Oil
Carrier Oil
Date Finished
For External Use Only
Store the oil somewhere cool and dark.
Method #2: Gentle Warm Infusion
Don't want to wait a month?
Gentle heat can speed up the infusion process.
The important word is gentle.
You don't want to fry the comfrey or overheat your carrier oil.
Double-Boiler Method
Place dried comfrey and carrier oil into a heat-safe container.
Use a double boiler or gentle water bath to warm the mixture over low heat for several hours.
Avoid overheating the oil.
Stir occasionally.
Allow it to cool completely before straining.
Slow-Cooker Method
A slow cooker can also be used as a controlled water bath.
Place your comfrey and oil into a heat-safe jar.
Set the jar into the slow cooker and add water around it, being careful to keep water out of the jar.
Use the lowest practical heat setting.
After several hours of gentle warming, allow the oil to cool and strain it thoroughly.
Don't Let Water Into Your Oil
Whether you're using the slow method or warm method, moisture control matters.
That means:
- Start with dried comfrey
- Use completely dry jars
- Use dry utensils
- Don't allow water from a double boiler into your infusion
- Store the finished oil in a dry container
Oil-based herbal products don't require the same preservation system as lotions containing water, but that doesn't mean sanitation and moisture control don't matter.
Does Comfrey Oil Need a Preservative?
A properly prepared anhydrous product—one containing no water—doesn't generally use the same broad-spectrum preservation system required by a lotion or cream.
However, oils can oxidize and become rancid.
You may see vitamin E added to herbal oils.
Vitamin E can function as an antioxidant, helping slow oxidation.
But:
Vitamin E is not a broad-spectrum preservative.
It won't make a contaminated or water-containing product microbiologically safe.
How Long Does Comfrey Oil Last?
There isn't one expiration date that applies to every homemade infused oil.
Shelf life depends on factors including:
- Carrier oil
- Age of the original oil
- Storage conditions
- Heat exposure
- Light exposure
- Moisture contamination
- Handling
Your infusion won't magically last longer than the carrier oil you started with.
Start with fresh oil and store your finished infusion somewhere cool, dark, and dry.
Discard it if you notice unusual odors, visible contamination, or other signs of deterioration.
How to Turn Comfrey Oil Into Salve
Once you've made your oil, you're only one step away from a salve.
A simple starting formula is approximately:
1 cup comfrey-infused oil
1 ounce beeswax
Gently warm the oil and beeswax together using a double boiler until the beeswax melts.
Stir thoroughly.
Place a small spoonful onto a cool plate and allow it to harden.
Check the texture.
Too soft?
Add a little more beeswax.
Too hard?
Add a little more oil.
Once you're happy with the consistency, pour the warm salve into clean, dry tins or jars.
Allow it to cool completely before adding the lids.
Make a Calendula + Comfrey Salve
If you've already made the calendula-infused oil from our Calendula Herb Guide Series, here's an easy way to connect the two projects.
Try combining:
½ cup comfrey-infused oil
½ cup calendula-infused oil
Approximately 1 ounce beeswax
This gives you a simple botanical balm combining two herbs with long histories of topical use.
You can adjust the beeswax slightly depending on how firm you prefer your salves.
Other Herbs to Combine With Comfrey
Once you're comfortable making herbal oils, you can explore combinations.
Popular topical herbs include:
- Calendula
- Plantain
- Yarrow
- Arnica
- Lavender
You can infuse several herbs together or make individual herbal oils and blend them afterward.
Making separate oils gives you more flexibility because you can change your formulas without starting a completely new infusion each time.
Should You Add Essential Oils?
You can formulate certain salves with appropriately diluted essential oils, but they're optional.
An herbal salve doesn't need essential oils to be useful.
If you do use them, choose oils appropriate for the intended user and product and calculate safe dermal concentrations rather than simply adding drops until the product "smells right."
This is particularly important for products intended for children, pregnant individuals, older adults, or people with sensitive skin.
Where Can You Use Comfrey Oil?
Comfrey oil and salves have traditionally been applied topically to areas experiencing everyday:
- Bumps and bruises
- Sore muscles
- Joint discomfort
- Rough skin
- General aches after physical activity
For home use, keep comfrey preparations on intact skin.
Don't casually apply them to deep wounds, puncture wounds, infected skin, surgical wounds, or significant injuries.
Why Is Comfrey for External Use Only?
Comfrey contains naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs.
Certain PAs are associated with serious liver toxicity when consumed.
For that reason, internal comfrey preparations such as tea, capsules, and homemade internal tinctures are generally discouraged.
Labeling your homemade comfrey oil FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY is a good habit, particularly if you keep many different herbal preparations in your apothecary.
Start Small
If this is your first comfrey infusion, don't make a gallon.
Start with a small jar.
You'll learn:
- How much oil the dried herb absorbs
- Which carrier oil you prefer
- How quickly it strains
- How you like the finished oil
- How much salve you actually use
Once you've made a batch you're happy with, scaling up is easy.
One Herbal Oil, So Many Possibilities
Learning to make comfrey-infused oil gives you much more than one finished product.
It teaches you a foundational herbal-making skill.
Once you understand how to properly dry herbs, infuse them into carrier oils, strain the infusion, and transform that oil into salve, you can apply the same basic process to many other herbs.
Calendula.
Plantain.
Yarrow.
Lavender.
And countless herbal combinations.
That's how a home apothecary begins to grow—not necessarily by buying dozens of finished products, but by learning a handful of techniques you can use again and again.
Continue Learning About Comfrey
This article is part of our Comfrey Herb Guide Series.
Continue with:
- Comfrey Benefits & Uses: A Beginner's Guide to This Traditional Herb
- Comfrey Salve: Traditional Uses & Why Herbalists Keep It in the Apothecary
- Comfrey Leaf vs. Comfrey Root: What's the Difference?
- How to Grow, Harvest & Dry Comfrey
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This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids associated with liver toxicity when consumed. Comfrey preparations discussed here are intended for external use on intact skin. Seek appropriate medical care for significant injuries, wounds, or persistent symptoms.