calendula cream

[charlie]

not sure if this is the right forum,
but does anyone have a recipe for making calendula cream?
I seem to have plenty of flowers that i don't want to go to waste.

[farmerdrea]

I don't have a recipe for a cream, just a salve, but it keeps really well for months in the fridge, with no preservatives:

12 ounces calendula petals
1/2 cup extra virgin, organic olive oil
beeswax (amount varies, but it's not very much that you need), grated or crumbled

Warm the oil to just over blood temperature

Add the petals and allow to steep in the warm oil for about an hour (or more - the colour of the oil will go very deep yellow/orange

Re-warm the oil slightly, to just blood temp.

Stir in small amounts of the beeswax and stir constantly. This cools and thickens the mixture. It should be the consistency of thick toothpaste when it's done.

Stored in the fridge will keep it for a long time, but the olive oil goes a little grainy after time. Doesn't affect the efficacy of the salve.

I also make one from wild-gathered chickweed, which is good for all kinds of rashes.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Wombat]

Good one Andrea!

I gotta try that!

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Please tell me what Calendula cream is used for.

I noticed it in the pharmacy next to the Arnica I was buying for a big bruise on my bum when I fell off a horse....

[farmerdrea]

Burns and cuts are what we usually use it for, but I think it's also good like the chickweed salve, for pretty much any kind of skin rash. My son uses it on eczema, and my husband, who is prone to zinc deficiency, uses it on the rashes he gets from it. I think it's one of the main ingredients of the nappy rash cream we've seen on the healthy foods shop.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Clara]

Even simpler.....

Fill a jar with the flower heads and cover with sunflower oil, leave in sun for 3 weeks and strain - calendula infused oil, use in the same way as cream. For everything mentioned above, also sunburn and baby massage.

You can infuse most herbs like this, but most commonly used are calendula, arnica or st john´s wort (which goes a blood red! - do not apply before sun exposure though).

I guess you could then mix the infused oil with melted beeswax to give you an ointment/cream.

[Silver Ether]

You can use plantaim too .. another good healer... I have added a little Manuka honey too ...another brill healer. I make most of my ointments using the oil and beeswax recipe ... and I keep them in the celler and they last ages and ages and ages ...

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks for the info. I get plenty of rashes and skin problems!

[charlie]

Fantastic! I'll certainly give those a go.
It should be useful for my husband who suffers a little from eczema .
The oil sounds nice and easy, that will be my first go.