Calendula Is The BOMB For Your Skin!

Not only is this a very cheerful looking flower, Calendula packs a mighty punch for healing the body by promoting cell repair!
Calendula acts as an antiseptic, keeping infection from occurring in injuries. Calendula is most often used externally for burns, bruises, sores and skin ulcers. You can use it internally for fevers and gastrointestinal problems like stomach ulcers, cramps, indigestion and diarrhea. The way I usually use Calendula is for making cosmetic and medicinal lotions and potions for my skin. I started growing it in my New York garden a few years ago. The orange and yellow blooms are so perky and pretty. I have found that the plant produces an open flower every day, you can accumulate a nice amount of blooms to dry with as little as three individual plants!
If you’re not into gardening, no worries, you can still rock out with Calendula. All ingredients, bottles and packaging can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs, it’s where I shop for all of my supplies! They are one of the best resource for purchasing top quality herbs, ingredients and supplies.

How To Make Calendula Oil

This medicinal oil is simple to prepare and has so many uses. The gentle, soothing, and healing oil is perfect for cradle cap, diaper rash, chapped or chafed skin, bruises, and sore or inflamed muscles. The oil can be used alone, or incorporated into salves, massage oils, lip balms, ointments, creams, and lotions.
Ingredients:
organic olive oil
organic Calendula flowers
Directions:

1. Place Calendula flowers in a clean, dry glass jar. TIP: If using fresh Calendula, wilt for 12 hours to remove most of the moisture (too much moisture will cause the oil to go rancid) before adding to the jar.
2. Pour olive oil into the jar, making sure to cover the flowers by at least 1” of oil so they will have space to expand.
3. Stir well and cap the jar tightly.
4. Place the jar in a warm, sunny windowsill and shake once or more per day.
5. After 4-6 weeks, strain the herbs out using cheesecloth.
6. Pour the infused oil into glass bottles and store in a cool dark place.

Heat Method: I prefer to infuse oils utilizing the solar or folk method described above, but heat can be applied if you need the oil quickly. To prepare, follow step 1 from above, but place the olive oil and Calendula flowers in an uncovered container. Warm over low heat at approximately 100 degrees F for at least 3-5 hours, the longer the better. A yogurt maker, double boiler, or inside the oven with a pilot light on are all effective ways to heat the oil, just make sure to check the temperature occasionally to ensure that the oil isn’t getting too warm. Once the oil has infused, strain out the herbs using cheesecloth and package the infused oil into glass bottles.

Calendula Salve

A soothing and healing salve. Rub into sore or inflamed muscles; apply to minor cuts, scrapes, insect bites, rashes, diaper rashes, stretch marks, chapped lips, chafed skin, bruises, and other skin irritations.
Ingredients:
4 oz Calendula flower infused herbal oil (from above recipe)
½ oz beeswax
20 drops organic Lavender essential oil (optional)
Directions:

1. Coarsely chop the beeswax or use beeswax pastilles.
2. Melt beeswax and Calendula oil over a double boiler.
3. Once melted, remove from burner and stir in the Lavender essential oil. Pour into tins or glass jars.
4. Allow to cool thoroughly before using or placing caps on the jars.

Calendula & Shea Butter Lip Balm

This nourishing lip balm is made from healing ingredients which soothe dry and chapped lips.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon shea butter
3 tablespoons Calendula herbal oil (from above recipe)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon beeswax
10-15 drops essential oil of choice
A few drops of Vitamin E oil
Directions:

1. Coarsely chop the beeswax or use beeswax pastilles.
2. Place beeswax, butter, and oil in a small pot or glass Pyrex measuring cup and gently heat in the top of a double boiler until the beeswax and butters have melted.
3. Once melted, remove from the stove top and stir in the essential oil and Vitamin E oil.
4. Immediately pour the mixture into lip balm tubes or small containers.

This recipe will make approximately 1.5 oz of lip balm, enough to fill 10 lip balm tubes, 6 of your 1/4 oz plastic jars, or 3 1/2 oz tins or plastic jars.

Calendula Spray

A healing spray that can be misted on burns, insect bites, rashes, minor cuts and scrapes, bee stings, inflammations, bug bites, or used as a medicinal and soothing facial toner for acne or other skin irritations.
Ingredients:
4 oz organic Calendula flower water (hydrosol)
15 drops organic Lavender essential oil
10 drops Calendula herbal extract/tincture (optional)
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 4 oz bottle with a mister top. Use as often as desired!

 Calendula Compress

A soothing and medicinal treatment that’s effective and simple to prepare. Calendula compresses can be applied to burns, cuts and scrapes, bee stings, bug bites, inflammations, and other skin irritations. They can even be used on animals with minor skin conditions or injured paws.
Ingredients:
Calendula flowers
boiling water
Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup boiling water over fresh or dried Calendula flowers, cover, and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
2. Once cooled, strain out flowers and reserve the remaining liquid.

Create a compress by soaking a clean cloth in the herbal infusion and placing it on the skin.  This process is gentle and may be repeated several times a day.