Salve
Calendula salve
Calendula is the herb I would choose if I could only have one for skin. Gentle enough for a baby, strong enough for eczema that has been there for weeks.
The flowers are orange like something that knows what sun is, and the oil turns golden. It is one of the most beautiful things you can make in a kitchen.
It asks for patience of the pleasant kind: two hours over low heat, where you have nothing to do but look in on it. Set it going on a morning you are home anyway.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp dried calendula flowers
- 100 ml coconut or almond oil
- 1 tbsp beeswax, grated or in pastilles
Equipment
- Heatproof bowl
- Pan for a water bath
- Cloth or coffee filter
- Clean jar with lid
Method
- 1
Let 4 tbsp dried calendula flowers steep in 100 ml coconut or almond oil over gentle heat (water bath) for 2 hours.
- 2
Strain, melt 1 tbsp beeswax into the warm oil, pour into a clean jar and let set.
- 3
Apply twice daily.
Dosage
A thin layer on the affected areas, twice daily.
Apply to damp skin right after bathing. That locks the water in, rather than simply laying fat on dry skin.
Shelf life
9-12 months, dark and cool. Water in the salve makes it mould, so always use a dry spoon.
Safety
Calendula is in the daisy family. If you react to mugwort, ragweed, chamomile or ox-eye daisy, try a small patch on your forearm and wait a day.
Almond oil is a nut. With a nut allergy, use coconut or sunflower oil.
Do not use the salve on open, weeping or infected wounds. Calendula is for intact skin and for eczema that has not broken.
If the eczema turns wet, yellow, crusted or hot, that is likely infection. Then see a doctor.
Always melt beeswax over a water bath, never directly on the heat.
Use a dry, clean spoon every time. Fingers in the jar bring bacteria and moisture with them.
How the herbs work
Calendula contains flavonoids and triterpenes that calm inflammation and encourage new tissue to form. It is gentle enough for sensitive skin and has traditionally been the first choice for eczema, chafing and small grazes.
The oil draws the fat-soluble compounds out of the flowers, and the beeswax keeps them on the skin instead of letting them evaporate.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.