Calendula Salve

A calendula salve is something every household should have in their medicine cabinet. If there were one plant most useful for topical complaints, it would be Calendula flower. Calendula is a known bacteriostatic which means it prevents the growth of bacteria making it great for infected skin issues. It’s also emollient which means it brings moisture and helps soften, soothe and heal irritated, dry, cracked skin.

I had some beautiful dried Calendula from a local herb farm and in October of this year I decided to make an infused oil with it. I placed some chopped up flowers in a mason jar and covered it with olive oil and let it sit -- shaking daily - for about 2 months.

The result was a beautiful - vibrant orange oil that served as the base for making this recipe. There are also methods using heat where you can make an infused oil in a a few hours. Another great option is to simply purchase infused Calendula Oil from Rebecca’s Apothecary. This is a fabulous recipe to make salve for yourself and to have extra to give for gifts this holiday season and beyond.

What is a salve? A salve is a combination of an infused oil with beeswax which makes it a similar consistency to lip balms and chap sticks. You apply the salve topically as a thin layer over the affected area.

Topical uses for Calendula Salve:

All purpose for skin complaints

Scrapes, abrasions, cuts, scratches, wound healing—- it can be thought of as Nature’s Neosporin

Bug bites like mosquito bites and bee stings

Sun burns and other burns

Chapped, cracked, dry, irritated, itchy, red skin

Tender nipples from breast feeding

Seborrheic Dermatitis in infants

Eczema, dermatitis, diaper rash and other rashes

Skin infections

Relieves inflammation

Reduces scars

Historically applied to the belly buttons of new born babies

Contraindications: Don’t use on deep puncture wounds as this can support the surface healing with potential to lock in a deeper infection.

How to make a Calendula Salve:

Ingredients:

4 oz (volume) of infused Calendula Oil

15g (weight) = 1/2 oz by weight beeswax shaved into small pieces or purchased as pearls

8 oz mason jar

4 — 1 oz metal tins or glass jars - also available at Rebecca's Apothecary

Instructions:

Beeswax comes by the brick or in small pearls. A scale is needed to weigh out the amount of beeswax needed. Another option is to purchase beeswax pearls from Rebecca’s and to purchase 1/2 oz (15g) directly from them. If you have a kitchen scale you can buy a small 1 oz brick and shave bits of it off with a knife. The smaller the bits of beeswax, the faster they will melt in the Calendula Oil.

Bring water to a boil in a small sauce pot on the stove. Reduce to a very gentle simmer. Add the oil to the mason jar and place in the water—- creating a double boiler. The water should come 1/3-1/2 way up the side of the mason jar.

Add the beeswax to the oil and stir occasionally until it melts fully. Pour into the tins or jars and allow to set up and harden at room temperature. After they have set, place the lids on.