Calendula oil is made with just the flower of the plant. Pick the flowers right under the bloom, below the base of the flower which holds the petals. You should pick calendula flowers as they bloom, collecting them over the course of a week or two. This will assure that the blooms are picked when they are in the best condition. [3] X Research source You can make the oil with a few or a lot of calendula flowers. As long as you have at least a quarter cup, you can infuse them into oil.
Calendula oil can be made with fresh flowers. However, the risk of mold growing as the calendula infuses in oil is greater with fresh flowers because they contain so much moisture. This is why using dried flowers is suggested. [5] X Research source
Jojoba oil can also be added to the infusion, although it is usually used in combination with another less expensive oil.
The size of your glass container will depend on the amount of calendula flowers you want to use to make oil. Pick a container that fits all of your flowers with room to spare. A see through glass container works well because the sunlight can get into the container and you can easily keep an eye on the mixture while it steeps.
You do not want to pack the flowers into the container tightly, as you want the flowers to be totally encased in oil. On the other hand, you don’t want just a few flowers and a ton of oil. This will make a very, very weak calendula oil.
You can also stir the mixture a little bit to make sure the flowers are covered with oil and that there are no big air bubbles. With your spoon, finish by pushing all flowers into the oil so they are all submerged. There should not be any pieces popping out. If there are, push them down or add more oil.
Usually a south facing window is best. This should get a lot of sun during the summer. If you live in an area where there are animals that might knock it over or mess with it for some reason, put it inside by a window. If you can safely put it outside where no one or no animal will take it, putting it outside would be better. Ideally, oil making should be done in summer, so when the oil is set in a window it heats up. If you are making the oil at any other time of year, gently heating up the oil and herbs and stewing it for 10 minutes on a very low heat is a good idea. This will approximate the heating that the sun does to the mixture.
If you leave your mixture in the window for more time, you will get a stronger oil. Once you get some practice at making the oil, you can decide how long is perfect for your desired strength of oil.
You can use different strainers to get different purities of oil. For example, a cheese cloth will filter the oil less than a coffee filter.
To apply to the skin, simply put a small amount of the oil on a cotton ball and wipe it onto your skin. The oil should absorb into your skin relatively quickly, especially if your skin is dry.
To make an ointment, also known as a salve, combine 3/4 cup of your calendula oil with 1/4 cup of coconut oil and 1 ounce of beeswax in a pan over a double boiler. Heat the mixture until it is completely melted and thoroughly combined. Then pour it into a container, such as several glass jars, and allow to cool. Once cool, it’s ready to use.
You can also apply calendula oil to your dog’s ears to stop ear mites. [10] X Research source Rub a few drops in the visible part of the ear to deter mites.
