Herbs & Oils: Calendula (aka 'Marigold)

How to Make Your Own Calendula Salve 

Gotta admit; calendula is one of my very favorite herbs. I love the cheerful yellowish orange petals (so pretty!) and I love what it does for our skin. It has a powerful reputation as a healing herb. 

Stick with me here while I tell you a little bit about the herb itself, and at the end, I’ll show you how you can use calendula in your own home. First a little bit of background – I find it oh so helpful to know the history of the ingredients I use in making body and bath products. Calendula is a member of the marigold family. Calendula is the Latin name for the European marigold, and its name comes from the Latin word calendae, meaning ‘first day of the month’. 

 Marigolds (from “Mary’s Gold”) were traditionally considered ‘golden gifts’ offered to the Virgin by the poor, who couldn’t afford to offer cold, hard metal gold. They were also lovingly planted throughout the ages in dedicated Mary’s Gardens. Marigolds are seen often as symbolic of passion and creativity, and have been used as love charms and woven into wedding garlands. In some traditions, marigold petals are added into sleep pillows to encourage psychic dreams. 

In traditional herbal medicine, calendula has been used for centuries to heal wounds and skin irritations. Its anti-inflammatory, astringent, antifungal and antiviral properties make it an excellent herb for healing minor wounds and inflammations of the skin. You can read more about all the super cool healing things our colorful herb does by visiting Mountain Rose's Blog. 

 I add calendula petals to my Dog Poo shampoo bars for gentle exfoliating action to keep those canine babies clean and healthy. And I love to infuse avocado or apricot kernel oil with calendula petals and use it in lotions and creams. Or sometimes I just use the infused oil itself, straight from the bottle, wherever there’s a patch of skin that needs help.   You can make your own calendula salve. I’ll admit; I’m taking the easy way out here – I’m giving you a helpful, handy-dandy link to click on instead of walking you through a spiffy photo shoot I set up myself. But I like this recipe, and the directions are super simple and easy to follow, so why not just share? 

 HOW TO MAKE CALENDULA SALVE 

 That's all there is to it; honest. If ya' get stuck, message me through my Etsy site (I'm a bit leery about putting my email addy out here) and I'll do my best to help you out. I think you should go for it. 


(Note: This information is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe, treat, prevent, or diagnose any disease or condition.)