I recently tried to make some Calendula flower infused oil. I have to say I didn’t do half bad for my first attempt! I can now use this oil to make lip balm, hand salve, lotion or liquid soap for my personal use. Since the shelf life for this oil is approximately a year, I will have plenty of time to use it up! Calendula has all sorts of healing properties (even anti-inflammatory properties), so I’m anxious to give those additional products (projects?) a try. Here are the steps I followed for the oil.
First you have to have DRIED Calendula flowers. To accomplish this, I spread the flower heads (right out of my flower bed) out on a clean dish towel (you can use a paper towel, too), in a single layer and let them dry for several days. There’s no specific timeframe on the drying, you will know when they’re ready.
Next, place those dried calendula heads in one of those Mason jars (use the middle sized one) until the jar is half full.
Now fill the jar with a favorite oil of yours. I used coconut oil but there’s also sunflower or almond oils for example. Make sure the heads are all saturated (I stirred them around in the jar a bit).
I then took the traditional route as far as infusing them. I put the cap on the jar and placed it on my counter for 5 weeks. They recommend 4-6 weeks so I picked a time in the middle. I don’t know why I left it out on the counter, except to remind myself to shake it occasionally.
The last step is to strain the flower heads off and what you have left is sweet, sweet calendula infused oil!
Just a side note. You can perform a quick infusion by placing the sealed jar into a small saucepan of water (enough water to cover about half or three-quarters of the jar). Have the burner on low and heat up the jar for about two hours. Remove from the heat and strain off the flower heads right away. The reason I didn’t follow this procedure is because you have to keep a very close eye on the jar or the water will evaporate. I have too many distractions in my house to trust my close eye on this one.
I will post when I’ve made a hand salve for my very dry hands. After the summer and extra washing of my hands, they will need some tender loving care. This infused Calendula oil will be its main ingredient.
