It’s the secret ingredient in many healing balms and skincare products, and for good reason. Calendula petals are rich in compounds that nourish, hydrate, and support skin healing – they’ve been used for centuries to help with everything from pinkeye and sore throats to skin irritations. But don’t think you need a cut or scrape to make use of it – I use it on my face and love the way it makes my skin glow!
A few weeks ago I shared a super simple method for making calendula infused oil at home, and now I’m going to show you how ridiculously easy it is to make it into an #allthethings salve. By #allthethings I mean I use it as a:
- face moisturizer
- chapped-lip balm
- baby bottom balm
- owie salve
- burn salve
- bug bite balm
And by easy I mean you can make it while your toddler tries to climb your back like Mount Kilimanjaro. Ask me how I know.
Anyway, this stuff is so amazing I carry a little tin of it in my purse. I love these 2 oz. tins for everything from this salve to this children’s chest rub and these bug repellent lotion bars. They also make a gorgeous gift when you make lotion bars with this recipe and these molds.
(Also, if you love the sound of calendula salve but want to skip the infusion process, you can buy pre-made calendula oil here.)
Essential Oils That Complement Calendula
I love the earthy, herbaceous scent of calendula, and truly it’s an ingredient that stands on its own. However, there are several essential oils that can be complementary based on what you are trying to achieve. A few of my favorites are lavender, frankincense, chamomile and tea tree.
Carrot seed essential oil (which is distilled from wild carrots) is thought to be beneficial for supporting skin elasticity and healing, but from what I’ve heard its fragrance can be overpowering. It’s been out-of-stock at the shops I buy from for quite awhile, but it’s finally available again. I just ordered some, so I’ll let you know. 🙂
Calendula Salve Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces calendula infused oil (you can make your own calendula oil using this recipe, or buy pre-made calendula oil here)
- 1/2 ounce by weight beeswax (about 2 tablespoons grated, packed beeswax)
- 25-50 drops essential oil, optional (lavender, frankincense, chamomile and tea tree are good choices)
Instructions
Gently heat the beeswax in a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a stainless steel bowl set inside a pot of boiling water.) When the beeswax is melted, add in the calendula oil. Allow it to warm up for 30-60 seconds, then stir until the beeswax and oil are thoroughly mixed. If you’re adding essential oils, wait until the mixture cools just a little and then stir them in.
Pour your salve into a clean, dry container and allow to cool – I used three of these 2 ounce tins. Now you’re ready for the next bug attack, bee sting, scrape, etc.
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