Calendula Herbal Oil

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Calendula Herbal Oil

The WOW Story

My granddaughter is having a grandma day today because she (my granddaughter)  has developed a rash of unknown origin. (No fever, so apparently not contagious).

Maybe not contagious but, apparently, it is itchy.

She doesn’t like the aroma of essential oils, so that option was off the table; what about some olive oil infused with calendula? (Aka diluted essential oil)

She tried it and a while later I asked how the itching was…. Her response?

 “I forgot about it.” 

The itching had stopped. 

CALENDULA FOR THE WIN!! 

The Infused Oil

Last year, I grew some calendula flowers.

I grew them for a number of reasons: 
  1. They are pretty flowers.
  2. They are attractants of pollinators for my garden.
  3. They have herbal medicinal properties. 

When the flowers were in full bloom, I harvested some of the flowers and freeze-dried them.
I, also, harvested some to put directly into olive oil for an infused concoction. 
 
  • I put a handful (or so) of freshly harvested calendula flowers into a small, lidded container 
  • I covered the flowers with olive oil
  • I put on the lid
  • I put the container into a cupboard for 2-4 weeks (I forget how long, exactly) and I shook the jar every morning or when I thought of it 
  • I then used a French Press coffee maker for straining. I dumped the contents into the pot and gently squished the flowers to the bottom and poured the infused oil into a small mason jar.
  • The jar of diffused oil went into the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. 

I’ve used the oil a bit as a face cream, as calendula is apparently good for the skin, but I don’t spend a lot of time or energy on skin care so I hadn’t used much of it. 

And then the “wow story” happened. Was it just a coincidence in timing or did the calendula-infused oil help? 

I’m not a scientist; just a grandma… but I’m tucking away this story for future use. 

.. and I am infusing some oil with the freeze-dried flowers and will be sending this home with my granddaughter! 

a simpler life