My exceptional doula introduced me to the wonders of Calendula Oil for my post C-Section belly, and I have been in love ever since. Calendula is a wildflower with several medicinal properties such as antiseptic, detoxifying, inflamed skin remedy, and even gynecological uses. The dried flower heads can be steeped in a hot tea or infused into an oil for topical use, which is what I did for the first time! I'm looking forward to using this fresh batch of liquid gold on both my skin and my baby's skin since it's even safe and so healing for infants.
While I did grow a couple Calendula flowers last year as part of my wildflower patch, I did not harvest enough flowers heads to infuse a whole mason jar of oil. I purchased this bag of organic dried Calendula flowers - be sure to get organic so they are not treated with any chemicals! A whole pound of flowers heads is quite a bit, so I am set for awhile!
To make the infused Calendula Oil, you will need:
-glass jar with lid
-oil such as olive oil or jojoba. I used olive oil. You can do a little research to choose the best oil for you!
-dried organic Calendula flower heads - enough to fill your jar
-piece of cheese cloth for straining. A funnel is helpful too if you have one.
-glass container to store your finished product if you aren't using the same steeping jar
Making this oil couldn't be easier. Simply fill your chosen jar with the Calendula flower heads. Then pour your oil to completely submerge the flowers. Close the lid and let the flowers steep in the oil for around 6 weeks, until the oil has a beautiful golden color to it. I placed mine on a sunny window sill as the sunlight helps with the steeping process.
Once the oil is ready, remove the lid and place a piece of cheesecloth over a funnel or clean container to catch your oil. Since I don't have a funnel, I used a container with a spout so I can pour the oil into it's final storage container. Secure the cheesecloth to the funnel or container with a rubber band, leaving a bit of slack to catch the flowers. Then dump out all the goodness. I let it drain for a bit and then gathered the flowers in the cheesecloth and squeezed out the extra oil.
Pour your oil into it's final storage container and enjoy all the wonderful healing properties of this flower! I will save some of this oil to use as is and will also use it in a homemade lotion for my baby girl's sensitive skin. Let me know what you think of this oil!
