The Many Uses For Calendula Oil

Calendula oil is an extraction of the flowers of marigold, which has been used for ages for its healing and anti-aging effects for natural beauty and skin care in general. It’s really a simple process to make your own oil, but is quite time consuming. To make your own infusion, all you have to do is place dried petals into a jar and then pour olive (or sunflower, or other high quality oil) in the jar and completely cover the petals, and place in a window with sun for a few days. Mix the flowers and oil two times per day to make sure petals stay covered with the oil. Once the oil is a pretty shade of yellow or orange, it’s time to strain off the petals. You can really use any type of strainer, and now some are available that screw on the top of jars to make the process really easy.

Another way to infuse your calendula quicker, is to use your slow cooker on low overnight and strain the oil the same way to produce your own fresh preparation. It’s always a good idea to use sterilized equipment as much as possible to avoid anything you don’t want on your skin to end up in your oil.

Calendula extract is now available in a highly concentrated oil; there is no need to do the extraction, or use a diluted “infused” oil in your formulas You can produce an infused-type oil by just mixing a few drops of this per fluid ounce of your carrier oil. This new high-tech concentrated extract can save a huge amount of time to produce your blends.

There are many ways to use your new oil concoction, including straight out of the bottle as a gentle topical solution for many skin irritations and inflammations. Another way to use it is with a base lotion or salve, sometimes made with beeswax or other ingredients to emulsify it. In the days before most modern medicine, calendula oil was used to relieve the symptoms of eczema and even acne, as it is gentle and soothes the irritated skin.

Infant skin is also excellent to be cared for by the oil. Apply a little to diaper rash, or any irritated skin. Calendula can also be used as a general relaxing body massage oil for young ones; though if you do use the concentrate, use a very low concentration – almost so you can’t detect any aroma.. You can choose one of several oils for a massage base: Sweet Almond, Hazelnut, Grapeseed, or Fractionated Coconut are all great choices.

Another way to use this amazing oil is for bruising or minor strains and sprains. The anti-inflammatory ingredients can promote faster healing, especially with irritants like insect bites and even bed sores.

If you don’t want to make your own oil, or don’t have access to the ingredients, there are many places you can buy some already prepared oil. Check your local health food store or any of a multitude of sites on-line that sell natural products. You can find items such as lotions, soaps, and balms already made up and ready to use, as well as just the straight oil itself. Just be sure to check the ingredients to make sure you know what other ingredients may have been added.

The author, manager of The Ananda Apothecary, regularly employs pure essential oils and flower essences in her professional wellness practice.