How To Make Calendula Oil

Calendula oil is an herbal infused oil, made with calendula flowers harvested from the garden. The infused oil is full of beneficial properties from the calendula plant. Learn how to make calendula oil, and use this herb-infused oil as an ingredient in culinary and cosmetic creations.

We grew lots of calendula in the flower garden this season. This plant is easy to grow from seed, and will readily reseed in the garden year after year.

The intention of the planting was to use the calendula flowers to make an infused oil. With this oil I planned to make calendula salve, and calendula lip balms.

There are many other natural and homemade skin care products that can be made from this infused oil as well.

It was wonderful to watch the calendula plants grow and produce beautiful vibrant blooms all season long. There were many blooms to harvest and use for this recipe.

About Calendula

Calendula, or pot marigold as it is also known, is a fabulous flowering herb in the Asteraceae Family. It's an annual plant that is coveted and grown for it's many herbal and garden benefits.

There are a number of different species of calendula.

If you are growing the plant for it's medicinal properties, make sure to get Calendula officinalis. The yellow variety is the best for this purpose.

The plants are excellent companion plants, and the pollinators absolutely love them. They attract beneficial insects, and repel insect pests, so are very valuable in the garden for these characteristics.

The calendula flowers are edible, and can be used to garnish salads and beautify your baking.

Calendula flowers can be used in both the fresh and dried forms.

The flowers can be added to soups and sauces, and lots of different recipes. If you make calendula oil with an edible oil, you can also use this oil to make homemade salad dressing,

It is mainly the flowers of the plant that are used in herbal medicine.

The Beneficial Properties Of Calendula

Calendula is an edible herb long valued for it's beneficial properties and essential oils.

It has great value as an herb, both for it's place in the garden, as well as the compounds which exist within the plant itself.

Calendula can be used internally or externally, depending on the formulation of the herbal preparation.

External application is the most beneficial use, in the form of a compress made from the tea, or direct application of an ointment or a salve.

The National Library Of Medicine and PubMed Central published this article on the wound healing properties of Calendula: Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalisL. Growing in Brazil.

They have also published a comprehensive study on the photochemistry of calendula: A review on phytochemistry and ethnopharmacological aspects of genus Calendula.

The Calendula plant has been studied and found to contain active metabolites such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, sterols, and coumarin.

Indications Of Use

This herb has been used to reduce pain and inflammation, aide in digestion, and treat certain gastric disorders. It is known to have estrogenic effects, affecting female hormones.

It has long been used to effectively treat wounds, sprains, contusions, cuts and burns.

The plant is also reported to help fight bacteria and viruses.

Use calendula on:

• Cuts and bruises for healing and pain reduction

• Minor burns, such as sunburn

• Minor skin irritation for soothing relief

• Insect bites for healing

• Diaper rash

• Dry chapped lips, or routine lip protection with a calendula lip balm

• The skin, as a massage oil for relaxation and skin nourishment

Calendula should not be used by anyone with allergies to plants in the Asteraceae Family. As well, it should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women, due to it's estrogenic effects.

Please note, before using any herbal treatments on medical conditions, it's always best to discuss your condition and intended treatment with your family physician.

How Are The Medicinal Compounds Extracted?

The medicinal properties within the flower can be drawn or extracted from the flower, using different methods of extraction. These medicinal compounds can then be used in herbal treatments, for either topical application or internal use.

For internal use it's important to make sure that the substance used to draw out the calendula resins is edible as well.

Different extraction methods include:

Brewing A Tea

• This herb is sometimes steeped in the form of a tea.

• Calendula tea draws out the beneficial compounds from within the flowers, which can then be consumed internally, and also applied externally in the form of compresses.

Making A Tincture

• Making a tincture is another way to extract the calendula compounds from the flowers.

• This is done using alcohol or glycerin to draw the medicinal ingredients from the plant. The tincture can be used internally with specific dosing, or also used externally.

Oil Infusion

• Calendula is also be used to make herbal infused oils. Soaking the flowers in a carrier oil will draw the medicinal compounds into the oil.

• The oils can then be used internally or externally, depending on the type of carrier oil that is used.

What Is Calendula Oil?

Carrier oils are used to draw out the medicinal oils and compounds from within the herb, into the oil itself.

The flowers are then strained from the oil, leaving the herb infused oil as the final product.

Calendula-infused oils are often used in external applications, such as salves, creams, lotions, and soaps. They can also be applied directly to the skin for treatment of minor skin irritations.

Calendula oil is made by infusing calendula flowers in a carrier oil.

The internal application is dependent on the type of carrier oil that is used. If you use a high grade edible oil to make the infusion, the final product can also be used for culinary purposes.

Which Carrier Oil Should Be Used?

To make Calendula oil, you will need to decide on a carrier oil.

There are a number of great oils to choose from, depending on your intended use for the final product.

Some oils are edible, and some are best for external use.

If you use an edible oil such as olive or coconut oil to make the infused oil, the final infused product will be edible.

Make sure to choose a high-quality oil for the infusion process.

Some popular carrier oils to make herbal infused oil include:

• Edible carrier oils, such as grapeseed oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, hemp seed oil, rosehip seed oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and fractionated coconut oil.

• Non-edible carrier oils, such as jojoba oil, and some argan oils.

Using Dried Calendula Vs Fresh Calendula Flowers

Calendula oil can be made with either fresh or dried flowers, however you will have greatest success with the dried form.

Using dried flowers will result in improved shelf life of the oil. The dried flowers will be moisture free, unlike fresh blooms which will have a high moisture content.

When infused oil is made with dried flowers, there is less chance of any moisture entering the infusion. If you are using fresh flowers however, there is an increased risk for this to occur.

If moisture gets into the oil, there can be bacterial growth, which will cause the oil to become rancid.

Even if the oil does not go bad immediately, it can still decrease the shelf life of the products that you make with it.

If given a choice, dried flowers will result in a longer lasting product.

How To Make Calendula Oil

Ingredients You Will Need:

• Carrier oil of your choice, such as olive oil, jojoba oil, or sweet almond oil

• Dried calendula flowers ( whole flower heads or calendula flower petals)

Tools You May Need:

• A clean dry jar with an airtight lid

• A fine mesh sieve

• Cheesecloth

• A funnel

Preparing The Flowers

• To take full advantage of the herbal properties of the plant, it's important to harvest and dry the calendula flowers in their prime state.

• This means harvesting the flowers throughout the growing season, as they produce the blooms.

• Calendula plants are heavy producers, and produce flowers all season long. The more flowers that you harvest, the more flowers will be produced.

• Harvest the calendula flowers in the morning, when the dew has evaporated off the plants. At this time of day the flowers will be at their most hydrated, and in their prime for harvesting.

• Harvest the entire calendula flower head by picking fully opened blooms, or almost fully opened blooms. Remove the flower heads from the stems just underneath the blooms.

• You may notice that your hands are very sticky from the natural oils and resins in the flowers as you harvest them.

• Dry the flowers immediately after picking. You can dry the entire flower head, or the petals only.

• The whole flower is valuable for the oil infusion, as there are resins in all parts of the flower.

• Make sure that the flowers are completely dry and crispy before making the calendula oil.

Making The Oil Infusion

• Using a clean jar, place the dried calendula flowers inside the container.

• You can fill the jar with the dried petals alone, if this is what you have dried, or alternatively use the whole flowers.

• Whole flowers will take up more space, and allow for a larger amount of the oil to be made. The green parts of the flower also contain the resin, and will add more of the compounds to the oil infusion.

• Allow a couple of inches at the top of the container, to allow for the oil to completely cover the flowers.

• Pour the carrier oil over the dried calendula flowers, covering the flowers completely.

• I used extra virgin olive oil to make the infusion, as I plan to use the oil for culinary purposes as well.

• It is important that the dried flowers are not exposed to the air during the infusion. Pour the oil so that there is an inch or so of oil covering the flowers in the jar.

• Place the oil covered calendula flowers in a warm location out of direct sunlight to infuse for 4-6 weeks.

Straining The Flowers

• When the infusion time is complete, it's time to strain the flowers from the oil.

• To do this you will need a fine mesh strainer or a piece of cheesecloth. I used both.

• A funnel is also helpful to direct the flow of the oil, if you are using mason jars in which to place the final calendula oil.

• Place the funnel on your container, and cover with the mesh strainer. Place the cheesecloth over the strainer.

• Pour the oil and flowers slowly through the cheesecloth and strainer.

• As the oil has finished draining from the flowers, lift the cheesecloth and squeeze the flowers further. This will result in lots more oil extracted from the flowers.

• This part of the project can get a bit messy.

• Continue to pour, and squeeze, until you have processed all of the infused flowers.

• Place the flowers in the compost.

• Top the containers of calendula infused oil with a tight cap. The oil is now ready to store until future use.

Storing The Oil

• When storing calendula oil, the product should be protected from light and moisture.

• Therefore make sure to store in an airtight container, such as a glass jar with a lid, in a dry and dark place until ready to use.

• Shelf life can vary, and will be dependent on the shelf life of the carrier oil that was used.

• Generally the shelf life will be around one year.

Using Calendula Infused Oil

Calendula-infused oil can be stored, and used as is. It can also be used as an ingredient to add to herbal skin care products.

The oil is infused with the herbal compounds of calendula. Apply the oil directly to the skin for topical use when needed.

Use calendula oil for dry skin, skin irritations, bug bites and inflammation by adding a drop or two directly to the affected areas.

Depending on the type of carrier oil that has been used, the calendula infused oil may also be used in culinary applications.

If you have used an organic olive oil to infuse the calendula, the oil will also be edible.

For olive oil infusions, consider using as a dressing for salads to add that special touch. Use the oil in any in recipe where you would normally use olive oil.

Calendula oil is an important ingredient in calendula salve and calendula lip balm. Both of these cosmetic applications will have the beneficial properties of the calendula in the final product.

The oil can also be used to make homemade soap and other skincare products, such as body butter, and massage oil.

Calendula Oil Recipe:

Conclusion

Calendula has long been used as a medicinal herb. The benefits of calendula have been recognized and appreciated in herbal medicine.

The edible flowers have a long harvest time, and are fabulous flowers to grow in any garden.

The blooms have ornamental value, as well as medicinal properties.

This year I have made lots of calendula oil, to make healing salves and lip balms. Many will be given as special gifts.

I will also be keeping some for my own first aid kit.

Consider growing your own calendula, both for the value it offers in the garden, as well as for it's herbal and medicinal uses.

You can then make your own homemade calendula oil infusion for herbal salves, massage oils, and lotion bars, as well as many other applications.

Disclaimer:

Please note that this information has been presented to you based on my own research and personal experience using these medicinal plants. It is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment. Sometimes herbal treatments may be contraindicated with your own medications or medical condition, so it's always best to consult your physician before using any new herbal medicine.

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