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Written by Mindy, Contributing Writer 

Calendula is such an easy and fun flower to grow.  Besides being beautiful to look at, it offers a wealth of beneficial healing properties for your skin.  It is an herb that will definitely earn it's spot in your garden!

Homemade Calendula Oil

What you will need:

• dried calendula petals
• carrier oil (olive oil, almond oil, or sunflower oil are all great choices)
• a clean, glass jar ^[2] with a lid

How to infuse the oil:

There are two different methods to infuse your oil with the healing properties of calendula. We'll look at the two different methods below and talk about the pros and cons to each method.

1. Cold Infusion Method

This is usually the preferred method, because it protects the delicate calendula from being damaged by heat.

Steps for the cold infusion method are as follows:

• Put your desired amount of dried calendula petals in your clean, dry glass jar.
• Fill the jar with your carrier oil of choice to cover the petals by one inch.
• Put in a sunny place to infuse for 4 weeks.
• Drain the petals from the oil and store your oil in a container with a lid for up to one year.

That's it! Very simple and straightforward. The only downside to this method is that it takes 4 weeks to get your finished oil. If you are in a hurry then you might need to use this next method.

2. Hot Infusion Method

This method is much quicker then the cold infusion method, but it won't have quite the same strength because of the heat that it is subjected to.  Don't worry though!  It will still have healing properties, just not to the same extent as the cold infused oil.

Steps for the hot infusion method are as follows:

• Put your desired amount of dried calendula petals in your clean, dry glass jar.
• Fill the jar with your carrier oil of choice to cover the petals by one inch.
• Dump the entire contents of your jar (the petals and the oil) in a small saucepan or slow cooker.  Heat on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Let cool.  Drain the petals from the oil and store your oil in a container with a lid for up to one year.

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Photo Credit ^[4]

What to do with your calendula oil:

This is the fun part!  Now that you have the oil, the things that you can do with it are almost limitless.  Here is a list of ideas to get you started.

• Use it as a body oil after bathing.
• Make a calendula salve ^[5].
• Use it as a baby oil.
• Make a calendula lotion ^[6].
• Apply it to specific problem areas where you might have dry skin, inflammations, or rashes.

If you aren't able to grow calendula yourself, Mountain Rose Herbs ^[7] is a great place to buy them from!  If you are interested in growing your own and would like more information on how to do that, check out these articles below!

• How to Grow Calendula ^[8]
• Harvesting and Drying Calendula ^[9]

Have you ever made anything with calendula before?  What are your favorite uses for this beneficial flower?

 Top photo credit ^[1]