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Calendula is a hearty flower that can easily be grown in various climates and is also commonly used in teas, infusions, and DIY preparations. Not only that, it is also edible.
What is Calendula
Calendula is a hearty flower that is edible and is commonly used in teas, infused oils, and DIY preparations. It’s a flower that is easy to grow in various climates.
Although the two flowers are often confused, calendula is NOT the same as marigold. That’s because calendula is often called ‘pot marigold,’ and the flowers are in the same family (the Asteraceae, or sunflower, family) but are not in the same genus.
So the flowers do share some similarities but are not the same. Consider them cousins.
Marigold is not an adequate replacement for calendula when using it as a home remedy. Make sure you’re getting calendula plants or flowers, particularly if purchasing fresh flowers or seeds to grow in your garden!
Why Calendula Is Popular
Calendula flowers offer many benefits when eaten internally or used topically on the skin. They are a bright and healthy addition to any salad, make a lovely, healing tea, and are a star ingredient in many healing salves and lotions.
Here are some of the reasons you may wish to add calendula flowers to your life:
Popular in Topical Preparations—Calendula is often a major ingredient in preparations of homemade salves, lotions, and infused oils.
Herbal Tea Ingredient – Calendula makes an excellent tea and can be used to prepare herbal teas because of its mild floral flavor.
Homemade Calendula Oil
The method I’m sharing with you today is intended for topical use as calendula oil can be used as an ingredient in various topical DIY preperations.
This method is very versatile and can be made with various carrier oils. My favorite oil for infusing with calendula is almond oil because I like to use it in many DIY recipes. It’s straightforward to substitute calendula into any recipe if you’ve used the same carrier oil for your infusion.
Olive oil is also a popular choice for making calendula oil. I recommend using your favorite carrier oil for the infusion!
How to Make Calendula Oil
To make homemade calendula oil, you’ll need:
- Calendula flower petals, dried or freshly picked and then dried for two days
- Almond oil (or other carrier oil of choice, such as olive, avocado, or coconut oil)
- Mason jar for infusing
- Fine mesh strainer or tea strainer
- Glass jar for storage
Method:
- Pick your calendula flowers and dry them on a towel for about two days before infusing them. This prevents any water from the flowers from contaminating your oil. If using already dried petals, skip this step.
- Once flowers are dried, gently remove the petals from the centers and stems of the flowers. You’ll only need the petals.
- Add flower petals to a jar of choice. Fill your jar about ¾ full of flowers.
- Pour your oil of choice over the petals, making sure to cover all of the flowers completely.
- Place a lid on the jar and give the jar a gentle swirl to make sure all petals are incorporated into the oil.
- Put the jar in a warm spot to infuse for 4-6 weeks.
- Check on your oil weekly by giving it a gentle swirl.
- After 4-6 weeks, strain the flowers out of the oil and store them in an airtight container until ready to use.
9 Ways to Use Calendula Oil on Skin
While your calendula oil is infusing, check out some of the things you can do with it once it’s ready!
- Use it straight as a massage oil.
- Add a tablespoon to an Epsom salt bath for an extra nourishing, relaxing bath experience.
- Use your homemade calendula oil in a cold process soap recipe.
- Create a calendula-infused spring salve with lavender, rose, and calendula
- Make calendula lip balm by substituting your homemade calendula oil for one of the carrier oils in this homemade lip balm recipe.
- Make a calendula-infused lotion bar for a homemade skincare product.
- Try shelf-stable calendula and chamomile body cream.
- Make a calendula fizzing bath powder to give as gifts!
- Try it on cuticles and nails in this homemade cuticle oil recipe. Substitute one of the carrier oils for your homemade calendula oil.
Troubleshooting DIY Calendula Oil
How long does homemade calendula oil last?
Your homemade calendula oil will keep for up to a year if stored in a cool, dark place. Store it in an airtight container or in the fridge to extend the shelf life further.
As with any homemade remedy, your final product is as good as the ingredients you put into it. So make sure to use high-quality oil and organic calendula petals.
Infuse for 4-6 weeks?? Isn’t there a faster way?
I get it—you decide to make calendula oil, gather the ingredients, and then find out you have to wait a month or more to use it—kind of a let-down.
There is an alternate way to make much faster calendula oil—use heat!
I will preface this by saying I prefer the slow method because it is fool-proof. When using the heat method of infusing, it’s essential to watch it carefully and not overheat it.
To make calendula oil using the heat method:
Place your calendula petals and oil in a small saucepan over LOW heat. Very gently warm the mixture—do NOT let it boil or simmer! You are looking for very gentle warming here—not to fry your calendula flowers. Make sure to watch the mixture closely, as it can go from ‘just right’ to ‘too hot’ very quickly.
Once you establish that just-right temperature for your oil, cover and keep it low for about 30 minutes. Check it often to make sure it’s not simmering!
After 30 minutes, remove from heat and cool before straining and storing your calendula infusion.
Are there worms in my calendula oil?!
You may have gone to check on your calendula-infused oil and see something that looks like tiny worms floating around with the petals. Don’t fret—your oil is OK. It’s NOT worms!
Those are just the calendula seeds. They look strangely like tiny worms when they infuse and are plump with oil.
The first time I made calendula oil more than ten years ago, and I had this experience and was so grossed out I threw out the entire batch! Had I known then what I know now, I would have strained my oil and gone about my day.
So I’m sharing this information with you to not make the same mistake I did.