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When the bitter cold of a Wisconsin winter settles in and frost covers my window panes, I am always grateful for my homemade Calendula salve. It feels like a little burst of sunshine, a soothing reminder of summer's vibrant warmth and the magic of a well-tended garden. This salve is the perfect thing to lift my spirits when I'm craving the Summer days that feel so far away still. As I rub some salve into my dry, winter-battered hands, I know it won't be long before it's time to sow the next season's seeds and start the process all over again.
I grow Calendula every year - it’s one of my favorite herbs. I love that it attracts pollinators to my garden and the way the bright blossoms add color and joy to my herb bed, but most of all I enjoy creating soothing salve with its flowers. I use this salve all winter long to soothe my dry hands during the cold weather. Not only does it nourish my skin, it helps me tap into the joy and warmth of summer days, even in the depths of winter. This salve is so much more than just a remedy for dry hands, it's a symbol of my connection to nature’s cycles and to my own creativity.
How to make Calendula salve step by step:
*This recipe was adapted from a tutorial published on Homestead and Chill.
Supplies needed:
- Dried Calendula flowers (or fresh, plus an herb drying rack – The key ingredient for the salve’s healing properties.
- High-quality olive oil or other body-safe oil – For infusing the Calendula, providing a nourishing base for the salve.
- A small, one-cup glass container – To hold the dried flowers and oil for infusion.
- Cheesecloth – For straining the flowers from the oil after infusion.
- Beeswax pastilles – To bring the salve together into a stable mixture.
- Cocoa butter solids – For nourishing dry skin and to act as a carrier for the infused oil.
- A double boiler – To safely melt beeswax and cocoa butter.
- A pair of kitchen tongs – To safely handle your sterilized salve containers.
- A clean kitchen towel – To dry your containers and create a workspace for preparing the salves.
- Six to eight aluminum, screw-top containers (two ounce size) – For storing the finished salve.
- Some self-adhesive labels or a permanent marker – To label the finished salve with important details.
I'd love to tell you that the process of creating your own salve starts with the joy of harvesting the bright, beautiful blossoms, but the truth is, it takes quite a bit of thoughtful planning, organization, and time. From choosing which varieties to grow (I always opt for a mix of tested favorites and a few new ones to try out), carefully tending to my seedlings, and patiently harvesting only the mature blossoms, to precisely crafting the finished product, creating this salve requires time and care, far more than can be accomplished in a single afternoon.
Why Calendula?
Calendula, known for its vibrant orange and yellow blooms, is more than just a pretty flower. It’s a healing herb that's ideal for soothing dry skin and promoting skin health. Every year, I plant it in my garden, knowing its gifts will be put to good use come winter when I need it most.
Harvesting the flowers:
When the growing season is in full swing, I harvest the Calendula flowers in small batches as they bloom. This ensures I have a steady supply throughout the season. Calendula has a very long bloom period so you can continue harvesting new blossoms as they open. A good rule to follow is to leave more than you take at any given time, ensuring there are plenty of flowers for the pollinators. This also ensures you'll still be able to enjoy a brilliant display of blossoms in the garden. Leave about four to six inches of stem on each flower when harvesting to make the drying process easier. If you don’t have fresh Calendula flowers, you can purchase whole dried Calendula flowers to use instead.
Drying the flowers:
With the flowers harvested, it’s time to prepare them for drying. I steep the leaves from the flower stems and then hang the flowers upside down from their stems in small bunches, with about 5 to seven flowers per bunch. I use a compact herb drying rack with clips, allowing me to dry multiple bunches simultaneously without taking up much pantry space. The drying process usually takes around two full weeks for the flowers to dry completely depending on the temperature and humidity in your space. You'll know the flowers are done drying when they feel light and crisp and there is no moisture left in the stems.
You’ll need around 30 to 50 blossoms total to make this salve, but if you don’t have that many ready at once, you can harvest and dry them in stages until you have the correct amount. You can store these dried blossoms in an airtight jar while you’re waiting for more to dry. To store your Calendula blossoms in a jar, snip off the stems just below the calyx, the little green leafy part on the back of the flower blossom, so that the flowers stay intact with all their petals connected. The calyx of Calendula flower is where much of the herb’s natural resins are located, so you’ll definitely want to utilize the calyx to create an effective salve.
Infusing the oil:
Next, you’ll need to make some Calendula infused oil to use in your salve preparation. I like using a high-quality, extra virgin olive oil for this, but you can use any body-safe oil of your choice. Tightly pack your dried blossoms into a small glass container. Then, pour your chosen oil over the blossoms until the container is about half full. The blossoms will compress a bit under the weight of the oil, so this is a good opportunity to pack in a few more blossoms, ensuring the container is really packed full of the dried Calendula flowers.
Top off the container with more oil until it's full to the top and covering all of the flowers. Press any exposed blossoms into the oil using clean fingers or a utensil. Cover the container with a tight-fitting lid and let your Calendula oil infuse in indirect sunlight for one to three weeks. I’ve found a windowsill works best for infusing the oil because it can still get plenty of indirect sunlight, and being indoors keeps the temperature of the oil a bit cooler, which keeps the oil from going rancid. Shake the jar periodically and check to ensure the flowers remain submerged.
Straining the infused oil:
Once the oil has been properly infused, you’ll need to separate the blossoms from the oil. To do this, line a clean glass container with a large piece of cheesecloth. Pour the infused oil into the cheesecloth so that the new container catches the oil and the cheesecloth contains all of the spent blossoms. Gather the ends of the cloth into a bunch so that all of the Calendula blossoms are inside of it like a little pouch. Then squeeze the cloth out into the glass container to extract all of the remaining oil from the blossoms. Wring the cloth and squeeze it as tightly as you can to collect as much oil as possible. Reserve the remaining blossoms inside of the cloth to use later when filling your salve containers.
Preparing the salve mixture:
Now that you've collected your infused oil, it’s time to start preparing your salve. Set up a double boiler over medium heat. Once the water is simmering in the bottom pan, add about four tablespoons of beeswax pastilles and about two tablespoons of shaved or chopped cocoa butter to the top pan. Carefully stir the contents until the beeswax and cocoa butter have blended. As the beeswax and cocoa butter melt together, I take a moment to breathe deeply, savoring the sweet scent and feeling the satisfaction of making something from scratch, something that will nourish my skin and soul.
Preparing the salve containers:
Turn off the heat on the double boiler and remove the top pan of the double boiler, setting it aside. Prepare your salve containers by opening them up and carefully use kitchen tongs to dip each piece into the hot water in the bottom pan of your double boiler to sterilize them. Place the sterilized containers on a clean kitchen towel.
Finishing the salve and filling the salve containers:
Now that your containers have been properly prepared, you're ready to fill them with the salve. By this time, your beeswax and cocoa butter mixture should have cooled just slightly, but it should still be liquid. Carefully stir in about one cup of your Calendula-infused oil until the mixture is well blended. Then slowly spoon or pour the liquid salve into your first container, leaving about one quarter inch to one half inch of headspace at the top of the container. The golden oil will begin to solidify as it cools, filling your heart with anticipation. Continue filling all of the remaining salve containers in the same way.
Decorating the salve:
If you'd like to add a decorative touch, you can place a Calendula blossom in each container for a beautiful topper. Carefully separate out one of the Calendula blossoms from those reserved in the cheesecloth. Fan out the petals until it has regained its shape, and press the flower gently into the salve so it rests delicately on top. This is purely aesthetic, so if you don’t want the flower in the salve, you can skip this step, but I think it’s nice to have some of the herb present in the container.
Cooling and setting the salve:
The liquid will begin to solidify as it cools. After about 60 to 90 minutes, when the containers are cool enough to safely handle, you may gently wiggle one or two to check whether or not the salve has set properly. If there is any movement within the container, you should leave all of the containers to continue cooling for another hour and then check again. When there is no movement of the contents, and the color has changed slightly, the salve has set properly. As an additional test, you may gently press the top of the salve to be sure it has set through.
Labeling the salve:
Once the salve seems sufficiently set, you can affix the lids onto each of the containers. Label each salve with the name, date, and ingredients of what is in the tin using the self-adhesive labels or a permanent marker, and store them in a cool, dark place. You may use the salve on dry hands (after you test on a small area to be sure you won’t have any reaction to the ingredients) and then use as needed to soothe dry skin.
Bringing the garden’s gifts full circle:
Creating something useful from herbs I've grown is a fulfilling part of my life and has fostered a deeper appreciation for the important natural resources that surround me. Creating this salve isn't just about its usefulness and function, it's about cultivating mindfulness, connecting with nature, and embracing sustainable practices.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new to working with herbs, I hope this process inspires you to create something meaningful that nourishes both your body and soul. I encourage you to give it a try and experience the magic that comes from using herbs grown with love and intention. May creating this salve bring you closer to the land and remind you of the magic that happens when we take time to connect with the rhythms of the seasons.
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