I make calendula-infused oil for some of my DIY beauty products. I love the vibrant yellow color of calendula petals and of course, the tons of medicinal benefits it offers! Learn how to make calendula-infused oil and 9 ways to use it in this post!
Calendula oil or ‘liquid gold’ is one of the best herb-infused oils. It is super easy to make – all you need is dried calendula flower petals and a carrier oil of your choice.
Before we check out the exact instructions for how to make calendula-infused oil, here’s a list of the healing properties of calendula!
Healing & Medicinal Properties of Calendula
Scientific name: Calendula officinalis
Herbalists and naturopathic doctors have been using calendula for centuries in traditional herbal medicine.
It can be used both internally as a tea or externally as an infused oil to treat skin ailments, boost the immune system and heal infections.
Some of the medicinal properties of calendula include:
- Antiseptic properties
- Antifungal properties
- Antiviral which makes it good for cold sores
- Antibacterial properties
- Anti-inflammatory properties for calming eczema and psoriasis
- Skin nourishing
- Wound healing
- Skin cell repair and regeneration
- Anti-aging
- Skin soothing for rashes, bug bites, swelling, stings and scrapes
- Good for acne prone and sensitive skin
- Heals sun damaged skin and hair
- Moisturizes dry chapped lips
- Helps lubricate and repair cracked heels
- Acts as a remedy for razor burn
- Minimizes varicose veins
- Fades the appearance of scars
What is Calendula-Infused Oil?
Calendula infused oil is nothing but oil that has been infused with dry calendula flowers or flower petals. Whole flower heads or simply the petals are steeped in a carrier oil such as olive oil, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil for several weeks.
Make sure you are using completely dried whole flowers or dried petals when you are making calendula-infused oil.
Do not use fresh flowers because the moisture in them increases the risk of microbial growth in the calendula-infused oil. Not to mention, moisture makes your oil go rancid super quickly.
Steeping calendula flowers in oil ensures the natural active resins and nutrients within the petals are extracted and draw into the oil.
When the time is up, be it 4 or 6 weeks, the dried calendula flowers/petals are strained in a plastic mesh strainer or nut milk bag to obtain the pure calendula-infused oil. It can be used on its own directly onto your desired area or as an ingredient to create a salve, ointment, cream or lotion.
What Carrier Oil Should I Use to Make Calendula-Infused Oil?
This depends on what you want to use your calendula-infused oil for.
Most of us are making this infusion to apply it on our skin, so choose a skin friendly and organic pure oil. If you are using it for your face, then you have to find a carrier oil well-suited for your skin type. For example, for acne-prone skin, you should find a non-pore clogging oil with a comedogenic rating of zero such as argan, hemp and sunflower seed oils. Comedogenic rating is a scale of 1-5 measuring the pore clogging ability of a product.
For consumption purposes (yes, you can use calendula-infused oil in cooking or as a salad dressing!), you will want to use an edible oil such as olive oil, avocado oil or sunflower seed oil.
Top 5 Carrier Oils for Making Calendula-Infused Oil
Here is a list of the top 5 carrier oils for making calendula-infused oil. Most people like to use a widely available carrier oil, especially if making big batches. However, if you have acne prone or sensitive skin, consider using a carrier oil with a comedogenic rating of zero, meaning it won’t clog your pores.
No matter what carrier oil you choose to use, always go for a high quality 100% pure organic cold -pressed oil!
You can also choose to mix different carrier oils, depending on what you have, what works for you and the oil’s benefits to create a blend to infuse your calendula!
1. Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the carrier oil I mostly use when making calendula-infused oil. If you use olive oil, you can use your calendula oil both internally and externally!
Olive oil is well known for its moisturizing qualities. It’s good for dry skin with its slightly thick texture.
It has a comedogenic rating of 2 but it doesn’t really do any harm if you have acne prone skin and you want to use it. Just don’t use it heavily on your skin.
Olive oil is amazing for protecting your skin from premature aging. It contains a special anti-aging antioxidant, hydroxytyrosol, which fights free radicals that cause oxidative damage to skin cells.
2. Avocado Oil
Just like olive oil, cold pressed avocado oil is also edible which will make your calendula-infused oil good for cooking.
It is quite thick and incredibly nourishing to your skin. It provides deep moisturizing, softens skin and also helps fade scars.
Due to its rich fatty acid content including oleic and linoleic acids, avocado oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
It has a comedogenic rating of 2, so it may not be suitable for acne-prone skin.
3. Jojoba Oil
NOW Solutions, Organic Jojoba Oil, Moisturizing Multi-Purpose Oil for Face, Hair and Body, 8-Ounce
Jojoba oil is a carrier oil to be used externally. It is not edible.
Jojoba oil has a chemical structure similar to that of our skin’s natural oils. This makes it a wonderful carrier oil for making your calendula-infused oil.
Though it has a comedogenic rating of 2, it is considered a non-comedogenic oil because of its resemblance to the skin’s sebum or natural oils. It is light-weight, absorbs easily into the skin and is non-greasy.
Jojoba oil helps cleanse pores deep inside by breaking down and pushing out excess stale oils that clog pores and cause blackheads and breakouts. This is a reason why some people have an initial reaction or detox when using jojoba oil for the first time, because it helps unclog pores and get rid of impurities stuck within.
This oil is also anti-inflammatory and promotes skin regeneration. It is a stable oil with a long shelf life of up to 5 years.
4. Sunflower Seed Oil
Artizen Sunflower Oil – (100% Pure & Cold Pressed) – 16oz Bottle
Sunflower seed oil is edible like olive and avocado oils.
It has a comedogenic rating of zero, which makes it perfect for acne prone and oily skin types.
Rich in Vitamin E, known as the beauty vitamin, sunflower oil aims to repair skin cells, prevent fine lines and wrinkles and keep your skin soft, smooth and supple.
5. Argan Oil
More on the exotic side, argan oil is a carrier oil that is suited to those with sensitive and acne prone skin.
It is gentle, soothing and has a comedogenic rating of zero.
Argan oil is also great for repairing damaged hair, whether the damage is caused by UV rays from the sun, heat tools, too much bleaching or harsh hair products.
For your skin, it helps prevent and reduce sun damage, reduce fine lines, balance oil production and treat stretch marks and scars.
Other Carrier Oils for Calendula-Infused Oil
- Coconut oil (choose the kind that stays liquid at room temperature, which is fractionated coconut oil)
- Castor oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Rosehip seed oil
- Safflower oil
How to Make Calendula-Infused Oil
What you Need
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (where to get it)
- ½ cup dried loose calendula petals (where to get it)
- Glass jar for storage (where to get it)
Directions
- Fill a clean glass jar ½ way full of dried loose calendula petals.
- Now pour 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil until the jar is full or the petals are completely submerged.
- Place a lid on your glass jar and store in a sunny warm location such as a windowsill to speed up infusion.
- Allow the oil to infuse for 4-6 weeks.
- When the time is up, strain the dried petals from the oil using a cheese cloth, nut milk bag or plastic fine mesh strainer.
- Pour the oil into a glass jar and it’s ready for use!
- You can use it straight up on your skin or save it as an ingredient for a DIY salve or cream!
Calendula-Infused Oil Storage & Shelf Life
Store in a cool, dry and dark place.
Calendula-infused oil pretty much lasts as long as the carrier oil you used to infuse the calendula in! Some oils are more prone to rancidity but most carrier oils have an average shelf life of 1 to 2 years, by which time you’ll probably be done with your jar and on to making some more!
You can also refrigerate your oil to extend its shelf life!
9 Ways to Use Calendula-Infused Oil
- Healing facial oil – Apply a thin layer to your face after cleansing and toning in the morning and at night.
- Nourishing body oil – After a shower/bath, rub calendula-infused oil from head to toe to lock in moisture and make your skin soft and youthful.
- For oil cleansing – The oil cleansing method (OCM) means using oil to cleanse your skin. Basically, apply a thick layer of calendula-infused oil all over your face. Massage it in for about 30 seconds. Next, get a washcloth and run it under hot water, wring it out and apply it on your face gently. This softens skin, allowing gunk to come out of your pores. Rinse the cloth and repeat once more. Finally, wipe away the oil residue with a towel and enjoy your soft supple glow!
- Deep tissue massage oil – Calendula oil is soothing and healing, making it a perfect massage oil to relax your muscles, heal aches and pains and help stimulate the lymphatic system.
- Soothing skin treatment – Use calendula-infused oil to calm bug bites, skin irritation, rashes, eczema & psoriasis flareups and other skin ailments.
- Powerful ingredient in DIY products – Calendula-infused oil can be used as an ingredient in homemade natural skin care products like salves, creams, lotions, body butters, ointments, soaps and more! It’s a very popular ingredient in a healing multi-purpose salve.
- Makeup remover – If you infused calendula with gentle oils such as argan, olive, coconut, sunflower and castor, then you can use it as a makeup remover. Simply massage it on your closed eyelids then wipe off with wet wipes or a warm damp wash cloth before double cleansing your face.
- As a salad dressing – Ensure your carrier oil is edible before ingesting calendula-infused oil. It’s great as a salad dressing or drizzled on top of roast veggies or as a oil for your stir fry! When consumed, calendula can help increase immune and lymphatic systems, fight fungal and viral infections, reduce inflammation, alleviate menstrual cramps, soothe stomach upsets and bring down fevers as well.
- Wonderful hair conditioner for soft and shiny locks – Last but not least, calendula-infused oil makes for a wonderful hair conditioner! It’s great for damaged hair, especially. Simply apply a coat of it all over your scalp and hair length, concentrating on the hair ends. Tie up your hair in a bun or with a clip and cover with a shower cap or warm damp towel. Let it sit for anywhere from 30-60 minutes, then wash your hair as usual, shampooing twice to remove the excess oil residue.
I hope you learned or got some tips on how to make calendula-infused oil! Don’t forget to share this article with your loved ones, if you found it helpful! Thanks and take care! xoxo
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