The calendula flower has been used for centuries to help promote healing by reducing inflammation and combatting bacteria. Modern science has discovered that it indeed does help speed the recovery of minor wounds.
We add calendula oil to most of our products, and especially to our bum creams, in order to increase the beneficial quality of our products. Not only is it good for the skin but it helps to keep that skin barrier happy and healthy. While calendula is not beneficial to major wounds it does help minor lacerations and skin irritants.
We also grow most of our Calendula organically in the Pacific Northwest. When we run out of our stock we suppliment with only organic certified flowers that are food grade. The above photo is Calendula from our own garden!
Want to make Calendula extract for your own experimentation and benefit? It's easy! Follow the simple recipe below.
Calendula Extract:
1 lb organic whole calendula flowers
1 large container that can fully seal.
Olive oil or other carrier oil.
Something to crush the flowers (parchment paper and a rolling pin work well!).
Cheese cloth
Crush the flowers. Only crush enough to stuff into your container.
Stuff the flowers into your container half way.
Fill with oil to cover the flowers.
Add more crushed flowers until it is tightly packed.
Fill the container with oil to the top. Make sure to not overfill so that the container seals properly.
Leave for two weeks in a dark, cool place, shaking every day.
Strain the oil through a cheese cloth squeezing out as much oil as you can.
Crush more flowers and follow steps 1-5 but reuse the infused oil you have already made. (it may not go to the top depending on how much the flowers absorbed. This is ok, just add enough crushed flowers for the oil to cover).
Leave for another 2 weeks, shaking daily.
When ready, strain the oil out of the flowers and store in a clean, sealable container in a dark, cool place for up to 1 year. Make sure to label the container with the date!
This infusion/extract can be added to any cream a few drops at a time. It is POTENT. A little bit goes a long way. Use up to 6% of the total weight in any formulation.
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