Homemade Calendula Salve
Updated: Sep 16
The perfect recipe for getting you hooked on making your own herbal remedies. It is a simple salve combining olive oil, calendula, and beeswax. The combination of ingredients creates a solidified ointment with healing and soothing properties for all occasions.
↪︎JUMP TO RECIPE↩︎
If you read my calendula herbal profile, you'd know calendula has been used internally and topically for centuries to heal wounds, burns, and rashes. It even has antifungal properties in it. You may wonder how you could get these benefits, and the simple answer is a calendula slave.
This recipe is perfect for getting you hooked on making your own herbal remedies. It is a simple salve combining oil, calendula, and beeswax. The combination of ingredients creates a solidified ointment with healing and soothing properties for all occasions.
The wonderful part about this salve is the potential to customize it with essential oils. Personally, I added Earthley's Skin and Scalp Essential Oil Blend at a 1% dilution (72 drops) to help heal some old surgical scars. Earthley combined the citrusy notes of geranium and Neroli with the richness of sandalwood to create this therapeutic essential oil blend that encourages soothing and healing. When used topically, this blend can help repair dry or damaged skin, soothe a dry scalp, and reduce redness. This blend is also calming, relaxing, and not heavily scented. This essential oil blend has a 0.5% and 2% dilution recommendation (36 drops = 0.5% dilution, and 144 drops = 2% dilution).
If you are not entirely ready to make your own, or if you need something similar until your materials come in, Earthley's All-Purpose Salve is a great option. All-Purpose Salve is the perfect remedy for minor scrapes, cuts, rashes, burns, and more. Safe for all ages, this multi-purpose salve stick is a must-have for any family.
Other Essential Oils You Can Add
I recommend avoiding essential oils known to cause photosensitivity, like angelica root, bergamot, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and mandarin. Instead, I recommend the following essential oils commonly used for skin health:
Blue Tansy is a precious oil. Blue Tansy possesses a complex, herbaceous aroma with sweet, apple-like undertones. This essential oil is best known for its anti-inflammatory properties, making it the perfect go-to when those pesky allergy seasons roll through. On top of its respiratory benefits, use this to help soothe troubled or irritated skin. Emotionally, Blue Tansy supports high self-esteem and boosts confidence.
Geranium Egyptian is a marvelous skin-balancing oil that can improve skin complexion. It is known for its beneficial effects on women's reproductive health and can help ease the tension associated with the stress of daily life. It is uplifting and gentle.
Helichrysum Italicum is used to reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles, or other skin blemishes on the face or body. Organic Helichrysum Italicum supports the body through post-illness fatigue and convalescence, mainly by boosting normal immune function. Organic Helichrysum Italicum oil is believed to soothe deep emotions and diffuse anger and destructive feelings.
Lavender is perhaps the most well-known of the essential oils and for a good reason. Lavender essential oil is renowned for its many beneficial properties, including promoting calm and relaxation and being a nervous tension reliever. It can also be added to a carrier oil to help reduce the appearance of scars and wrinkles and help soothe alterations in skin integrity, such as during sun exposure or a minor cooking burn.
Neroli is the perfect essential oil for when you need a break from the world. It is one of the most comforting and effective essential oils when dealing with grief, nervous tension, or exhaustion. Neroli is often used in skincare preparations to promote a healthy complexion. Adding Neroli to a lotion or carrier oil can help reduce the appearance of scarring, wrinkles, and blemishes, all while minimizing the look of pores and supporting new cell growth.
Rose Absolute is extremely useful in skin rejuvenation, as Rose oil counteracts the visible signs of aging, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and helping smooth skin. Rose Absolute is also reputed to help with the "power surges" suffered by many women going through the normal change of life.
Tea Tree is one of the world's best-known and beloved essential oils. It is known to have remarkable effects on irritated skin by helping to ease redness and restore smoothness. Other popular uses include helping to combat skin blemishes and soothing skin that has been overexposed in the sun.
⚠️ Warning: The Holistic Hipppie is not a functional medicine practitioner. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or replace medical guidance. The Holistic Hipppie assumes no liability for the application of the information discussed.
Homemade Calendula Salve
Ingredients & Materials:
1/2 cup of organic olive oil
1/3 cup calendula flowers (I use Anthony's Goods' Organic Calendula Flowers)
1.5 tbsp. of beeswax or candelilla wax
2 mason jars (I use Ball wide-mouth mason jars)
4 oz. container to put your salve in (I used this)
Wooden utensil (for stirring)
Optional: 36-144 drops of Earthley's Skin and Scalp Essential Oil Blend or other essential oil
Optional: canning jar lifter (I use the Norpro Canning Jar Lifter)
Optional: cheesecloth (I used this)
Directions:
1. Add dried calendula and extra virgin olive oil to the mason jar and close it.
2. Fill a pot with water and place the jar inside (the water should cover 3/4 of the mason jar). Simmer for 1-2 hours. You can start with medium heat and then drop to a low simmer when it bubbles the slightest (anything hotter may cause the glass to explode). Be sure to check the water level every 15 minutes and add water to the pot as necessary.
3. When the oil is infused, it should be golden/orange. When it has reached that color, remove it from the heat with a canning jar lifter and strain. I use a fine mesh strainer covered in cheesecloth.
Optional: Use a French press to extract the remaining liquid.
4. Pour out some water in the pot from the infusion process, leaving enough to cover approximately half of the mason jar.
5. Add beeswax and return to stovetop to melt. Mix occasionally with a wooden utensil.
Optional: Add essential oils if you're using them.
6. Pour it into the container of your choice (I like using a dark-colored, glass, airtight container) and let it cool.
Usage & Storage: Use it for any skin issues your family might be experiencing. When stored in a cool, dark place, such as a cabinet, it will last about 1 year.
What's your favorite way to use calendula flowers?
