Modern Herbal Salve for Cold Sores and Herpes Outbreaks
A Gentle, Natural Approach to Skin Healing
This lightweight, all-natural salve is crafted for both day and night use, designed to support the body’s natural healing process and help reduce the severity and duration of cold sores (fever blisters) and herpes simplex outbreaks. Formulated with gentle yet potent ingredients, the salve combines premium oils, certified organic lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) leaves, fresh unrefined beeswax, a safe natural preservative, and is infused using solar warmth to maximize the botanical benefits.
Lemon balm is a fragrant, lemon-scented herb with a rich history in traditional medicine. Ancient healers like Pliny, Dioscorides, and Gerard praised its wound-healing properties, and modern herbalists continue to value its soothing, restorative effects on the skin.
Today, scientific research supports these traditional claims. A notable double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in Germany in 1999 found that a topical cream containing a concentrated lemon balm extract (70:1) significantly improved healing in patients with recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores). Sixty-six participants, each with frequent outbreaks, applied the cream to affected areas four times daily for five days. By the second day of treatment, the lemon balm group had notably smaller lesions and milder symptoms—including reduced itching, burning, swelling, and discomfort—compared to the placebo group. Importantly, lemon balm did not promote viral resistance, and the study suggested it may help lengthen the time between outbreaks.
More recent clinical research confirms that lemon balm’s antiviral activity is attributed to its high content of flavonoids, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds. These natural constituents make lemon balm especially effective when used topically for managing herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes oral cold sores, and type 2 (HSV-2), responsible for most genital herpes infections.
Many herbalists and integrative health practitioners now recommend lemon balm-based creams and balms as part of a holistic approach to skin outbreaks. Modern formulations are carefully preserved, non-irritating, and rely on organic, sustainably sourced ingredients.
Whether used at the first sign of tingling or during active outbreaks, this salve offers a contemporary, research-backed solution for those seeking gentle yet effective relief from the discomfort of cold sores and herpes outbreaks.
Tips for using your herbal salve.
Never apply with the same brush or applicator, if using your finger always wash thoughtfully as the virus is very contagious and spreads rapidly, it can also reinfect other bodily areas including the eyes, so please be careful. Use clean wash towels, kitchen wipes are best at this time of infection as you can throw them for recycling. Take some extra amino acid Lysine and a high absorption Vitamin C supplement in a powder form, consider a good multivitamin to boost your immune system, decide to eat fresh organic food, and try and decrease your stress levels with exercise or yoga or something else you enjoy. Drink Lemon Balm tea if possible, before bed, it is ideal as it can send you into a restful slumber, hence allowing the teas anti-viral activities to work over night.
Foods to heal Herpes.
Eat highly nutritious foods during a herpes outbreak as you would for any viral infection: grass fed meats, wild salmon and other fish, pastured-raised eggs, and dairy from pastured cows.
Eat coconut oil and milk for lauric acid (defends against virus).
Eat foods rich in lysine. Fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer's yeast, mung
bean sprouts, and most fruits and vegetables have more lysine than arginine, except for peas. (Arginine competes with lysine for absorption; herpes virus loves arginine and is thwarted by lysine! Tipping your diet away from arginine and towards lysine helps your body resist or overcome the virus.)
For the greatest improvement of your herpes symptoms with the fewest steps, do the following:
L-Lysine. Take two 500 mg capsules three times daily for an acute outbreak. Continue taking 1 capsule daily for at least three months, and possibly for years, to prevent recurrences.
Barleans Omega 3 Swirls are delicious ways to get the essential omega-3 fatty acids: take 1000 mg daily.
A moistened black tea bag applied for five minutes twice daily has anesthetic and anti-viral properties.
Avoid Problematic Foods
Avoid immune stressors, starting with ALL SWEETS and ALL GRAINS. As you would during any viral infection, avoid immune stressors such as alcohol, processed foods, sodas, white flour products, sugar and other refined carbohydrates, and excessive caffeine, all of which can interfere with immune function. Stay off these foods for two months. If you are symptom-free, re-introduce foods one at a time to identify which foods might need a permanent boot off your plate!
Avoid foods rich in arginine: gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut meat, oats, whole wheat, white flour, peanuts, soybeans, wheat germ, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, and sesame seeds.
Avoid all foods suspected to be allergens. If you crave a certain food, question whether it might be an allergen to be avoided.
My customers love this salve and the new Lemon Balm ointment too!
"Hi, just wanted to take a minute to let you know how much I love this item. It works sooooo much better than all those otc medications for fever sores. Thank you so much for offering this.
THANKS," Gina
"Worked overnight! I am amazed, you really know your herbs Amber....I will be buying more next time the horrors strike!" John. TX
" I was so embarrassed by the outbreak on my mouth, I tried this will little hope, next day it was almost gone. Cannot thank you enough, awesome salve!" Terry. NM
My customers love this salve and the new Lemon Balm ointment too!
"Hi, just wanted to take a minute to let you know how much I love this item. It works sooooo much better than all those otc medications for fever sores. Thank you so much for offering this.
THANKS," Gina
