Calendula heals wounds, relieves inflammation, increases beneficial immune responses, is mildly antimicrobial, and even protects the skin from radiation damage. 

Rosalee de la Foret – See full benefits and video here

Since we have been back in Arizona, and as I get older, my skin gets so dry any more that lotion doesn’t seem to help. I have noticed that I’m beginning to develope dry patches and find that my face especially gets dry, which amazes me as when I was younger I tended to have very oily skin. I began researching the benefits of Calendula, especially the use of Calendula salve, and was amazed how beneficial this flower is to have and maintain in my apothecary cabinet.

Herbalists have long used calendula for skin health, including it in luscious creams or even herbal steams. Science has further validated this use by showing that calendula improves elasticity and skin hydration.4 I recommend frequently using calendula creams on your skin to keep it healthy, soft, and pliable. 

Rosalee de la Foret – Herbs With Rosalee

It took me about two weeks to collect enough flower heads to dry (I used my food dehydrator and the sun) and then I used the dried flowers to infuse into 4oz of grapeseed oil, which sat on my kitchen counter for about three weeks.

This past Sunday I made my first salve and it feels so amazing on my skin! I started a new facial skin care regimen too and have started cleansing my face with pure honey and water (which will leave your face soft) and then follow with my newly made calendula salve. My face hasn’t been this soft in years and I am hopeful that this salve, along with the use of honey, will help reduce my dry patches and help restore balance to my skin.

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Here’s the recipe I used, which I cut in half (link to my post)

Ingredients:

• 4oz of Now Grapeseed Oil infused with 1/4 cup dried Calendula flowers and petals for 3 to 4 weeks
• 1/2 bar of Beeswax
• 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

Preparation:

Using a fine mesh strainer, I strained all the oil so there would be no petals in the salve, and used a spoon to mash down the flowers to make sure no oil was left behind. I ended up with almost a half of a cup of golden orange calendula infused oil. Next I poured the oil into my double boiler and added a half bar of beeswax. Over medium heat, I stirred the oil and beeswax until the wax was completely melted and then added 10 drops of lavender essential oil. I immediately removed it from the heat and poured into my 2 oz tins. This batch yielded two tins of salve.

One thing I noticed while making this salve was the smell of the calendula. It smelled like sunflower oil, which too me is a nice scent. This was exciting and fun to make and I definitely will be making more.

➡️ Next Tuesday I will be writing about a natural pain relieving massage oil (simple ingredients) that I’ve been using not only for myself, but on my husband too.