She’s bright and bold, and she can put a smile on anyone’s face! Calendula infused oil is a key ingredient in our Restorative Face Oil and has a plethora of medicinal qualities.
While it is not common to use the essential oil of this plant, in Herbalism, Calendula is a potent healer. It is mainly known as an antifungal, vulnerary (wound-healing) plant when used topically.
However, when used internally this bright shining flower has an affinity for the female reproductive, lymphatic, immune, and digestive systems. It also supports a healthy liver and gallbladder!
Calendula also makes for a beautiful addition to your annual garden, where you can grow and harvest her to make your own plant medicine at home! Here is what you need to make your own Calendula Infused Olive Oil:
1. Once your Calendula flowers have bloomed and the bees have had a fair chance at visiting them (bees love this plant), collect as many full flower heads as you can and set them on a mesh sheet in a well-ventilated area to air dry them. You can also place them in a dehydrator if you have one.
2. Place your freshly dried, bright flowers into a mason jar. The size of jar will depend on how much plant matter you have – the jar should be as full as possible when filled loosely with the flowers.
3. Fill the jar all the way to the brim with extra virgin olive oil, and seal it tightly. Keep the jar in a pantry closet (away from direct sunlight) for a month (or a full lunar cycle, if you want to get really witchy about it).
4. Check on your infusing oil every few days to make sure mold isn’t growing (it shouldn’t, if your flowers are properly dried). If you do see mold, then your flowers still had some water content and the combination of water, oxygen and oil is what caused it. You’ll have to start over.
5. After a month, use a cotton cloth and a sieve to strain your oil, and voila! You have a beautiful, bright yellow calendula infused olive oil!
You can use this oil topically as a wound healer, moisturizer, sunburn soother, or even as a facial serum. You can also use it internally for its gut-healing properties – just add it to your salad dressing!