Les Petits Secrets : Sleep Salve

I am the spread out on the bed, hit the pillow and start snoring kid of a girl. On a worse day, I read a page and flip once and half way down I have missed a couple of words and I am a Gonner. To wit, there's even talk of my having slept on a speaker of a Ganpati float when I was all but 12. Becoming a wife to a light sleeper, however has proved a sleep - pattern game changer. Oh, those nights of uninterrupted solace that used to be so common. I don’t think I’ve experienced such nocturnal bliss in over one year ( 1 year of being engaged... and half a year of maritial bliss ), which is why having an all-natural sleep salve that I can whip up in a pinch is so wonderful...ofcourse this for Kunal, I can still sleep whenever he allows me to go to sleep. *Touch Wood*

For today I’m sharing a recipe for a balm that can be made in very little time once you’ve acquired the ingredients. .. As read on D*S

Read the full how-to after the jump . . .

I keep a small jar of this salve beside my bed. Each night, right before I turn out the light, I dab a bit on my temples, my forehead, my wrists and under my nose. The texture is great for spreading, and it blends into my skin right away. Feel free to play around with the scents. If you want your balm to have a really pronounced fragrance, add a bit more essential oil. If the scent feels too strong, dial it back in the next batch. Experiment with fragrances that you find calming and restful, too.

Homemade Sleep Salve
Yield: 2 ounces

The Goods

• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil (not toasted)
• 1 Tablespoon beeswax (either grated or pellets)
• 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil (15 drops)
• 1/8 teaspoon tangerine essential oil (10 drops)
• 1/8 teaspoon sandalwood essential oil (10 drops)*
• 1/8 teaspoon rosewood essential oil, optional (10 drops)

*You can also substitute an equal amount of ylang-ylang, neroli or chamomile essential oil for the sandalwood. 

The Deal

1. Place a heatproof glass container, such as a Pyrex measuring cup or a Mason jar, inside of a small pot (I prefer using a spouted container for this, as it makes pouring easier, but any type of heatproof glass will work).

2. Fill the pot with 1 to 2 inches of water, until it is halfway up the side of your glass jar.

3. Put the olive oil, sesame oil and beeswax in the glass jar. Bring the water to a gentle boil.

4. Using a wooden stirrer, such as a chopstick, stir the oils around gently until they have fully melted.

5. Remove the pot from heat. Add the essential oils to the melted oil blend. Gently stir with your wooden utensil until the essential oils are completely incorporated.

6. Pour the oil mixture into small glass, metal or ceramic containers.

7. Allow to cool, then cover the containers with lids and label them.

8. At bedtime, rub the salve into your temples and onto your forehead and dab a bit under your nose. You can also put some on the backs of your hands and onto your wrists.

9. The salve is most potent within 6 to 8 months of making it.

What about you? Have any handmade, trusted, natural sleep solutions you swear by? I’d love to hear about them. Sleep is so very precious. May we all have an abundance of it today and beyond!

Images and styling by Jen Altman