I love calendula. The bright orange colour of the flowers makes me so happy, and I love using calendula in almost everything—be it tea, bread, or, you guessed it right: oil.
For centuries Calendula has been used topically—calendula is believed to be vulnerary (promotes wound healing) and antibacterial. It helps healing wounds, cuts and bruises, and it can be beneficial for those who have eczema. Personally I love using it as a moisturizing oil after a long soak in the bath. It gives your skin a natural, healthy glow.
If you grow your own calendula, believe me when I say there’s nothing more rewarding than cutting the flowers, drying them, and then plucking the petals for your own calendula oil. You can buy dried calendula flowers online but I find it way more fun to grow them myself.
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I love using sweet almond oil as a carrier oil, because it has a very neutral scent and is kind to all skin types. I use this sweet almond oil carrier from the Soapery.
It takes about a month before your calendula oil is ready to use, so be patient. Also make sure that the flowers are completely dried before you start making the calendula oil, as the fluids in the flower can make the oil go off—you wouldn’t want mould growing on top of it!
Make Your Own Calendula Oil
Ingredients
- A small sterile jar, approx. 100 ml
- A carrier oil of your choice (I use sweet almond oil)
- Dried calendula flower petals, enough to fill the jar you’re using
- A metal spoon
- A sieve
- Cheese cloth
Directions
- Fill the jar with the dried calendula petals and top up with carrier oil.
- Make sure the flowers are fully covered with oil—if not this can lead to mould.
- Gently, with a metal spoon, stir until the air bubbles are gone.
- Place the jar somewhere where it will get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.
- Every day for a month, gently shake the bottle.
- After about a month you will be able to filter the oil. First, sieve the oil to get the big bits out.
- Use a cheese cloth to get rid of the smaller bits that are left after sieving.
- Put your calendula oil in a sterile jar. You can now use it directly from the jar, or transfer it into a smaller container for daily use.
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