Calendula Recipes Made Simple: 4 DIY Remedies for Home Use

Last Updated on September 27, 2023

4 easy calendula recipes for home use – calendula tincture, calendula oil, calendula salve, calendula tea. Learn how to make and how to use them.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products I have recommended, I may receive a commission at no cost to you.

Why choose calendula remedies for home healing

I have a dedicated article about calendula’s healing properties, but let’s quickly recap why you would want to have calendula remedies at home.

That’s because calendula is a top remedy that:

• Reduces inflammation
• Decreases swelling
• Promotes wound healing
• Can improve almost any skin condition.

How to use calendula flowers

The easiest way to harness the healing properties of calendula is by preparing natural remedies from calendula flowers at home and applying them when needed.

The best part is that it’s quite simple to do. All you need are fresh or dried calendula flower heads and a few basic ingredients.

* Beware that calendula belongs to daisy family, and if you are allergic to daisies, chrysanthemums, or ragweed – then better stay away from calendula

** I am not a licensed medical professional, so “consult your doctor before use of any natural remedy.” (Read full Disclaimer).

Calendula Tincture

I experienced the healing properties of calendula tincture firsthand when I was 19. Like many teenagers, I struggled with acne, and it was quite embarrassing for me. Despite frequent visits to the cosmetologist, I didn’t find much relief.

One day, just before leaving for summer vacation, a university friend casually mentioned a very simple calendula tincture recipe that she claimed had cured her acne.

Without hesitation, I made calendula tincture as soon as I arrived home and applied it frequently throughout the day (at least 3 times per day) directly to the pimples using a cotton swab.

To my surprise, the results exceeded my expectations. The pimples dried up, and after the summer break, I returned to my studies with significantly clearer skin. From then on, at the first sign of a pimple emerging, a touch of calendula tincture prevented it from further development.

Calendula tincture ingredients:

• Fresh calendula flowers grown from seeds in your organic garden (Note: It’s essential to collect fresh flower heads of calendula early in the summer, right after the flowers have just opened. This will assure their peak healing properties).
• Alternatively, you can use Dried calendula flowers if fresh are not available
• Vodka

You will also need:

• Amber glass jar with a lid (you might already have one at home; if not, you can get it here). Ensure that the jar is clean and dry.
• Strainer and cheesecloth
• Funnel
• Amber glass bottles with droppers

How to make calendula tincture (step-by-step)

• Place 100 g (4 oz or 8 tablespoons) of fresh calendula flower heads (they can be whole or chopped) into 8 oz  glass jar and fill it to the top with approximately 1 glass of vodka. Fill it completely, so the air is excluded. If you are using dry flowers – take 2 oz of flowers.
• Close the jar with a lid and keep in a dark place for 7 days (if the flowers were chopped) or 10 days (if the flower heads were whole).  Agitate container every day.
• Strain the finished tincture of calendula  first time through fine mesh sieve  and the second time through the meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth
• Pour tincture into a dark glass container,  or amber bottles with or without  the dropper and store in a cool place

The calendula tincture should be dark brown color. Keep it in a dark cool place, but not in the refrigerator. Calendula tincture can last for few years, but I prefer to make  a fresh tincture every year.

How to use calendula tincture and what for?

• apply topically with cotton swab or cotton ball to prevent swelling, disinfect, and soothe wounds and cuts in the skin
• calendula is one of the top  natural home remedies for acne. Apply undiluted tincture with cotton swab directly to the pimples several times per day. Simply rubbing the whole face with tincture is not recommended, because tincture might cause the scaling of the skin in the areas that are not oily. If you want to apply tincture to whole face – then it is better to dilute it with water in equal parts
• apply topically to reduce swelling from bug bites
• this tincture can be applied  using cotton swab to any ulcers or cuts inside the mouth;
• according to recent medical study, to reduce dental plaque and gingivitis “dilute 2 ml of tincture of calendula with 6 ml of distilled water and rinse the mouth once in the morning and once in the evening for six month”
• mix few drops of tincture with small amount of water and use as refreshing mouthwash
• mix few drops of tincture with warmed water and use as a gargle for sore throat

Homemade Calendula Oil

Calendula oil infusion is a  handy things to have at home. Since it does not cause irritation, calendula oil is very useful for treating sensitive skin areas. And because infused oil (unlike tincture) doesn’t contain alcohol – it can be applied to large areas of the body.

Calendula oil infusion ingredients

• Dry calendula flowers (dry flowers are preferable because they do not contain water which will reduce the chance for infusion to develop mold and go bad. You can dry your own calendula flowers or you can buy organically grown calendula flowers from Amazon)
• Oil – you can choose any plant oil you want (sunflower, coconut, almond, avocado, olive oil, etc), but  jojoba oil is preferable because it does not feel greasy on the skin compared to the other oils, doesn’t have distinct smell, and offers long shelf life. Also, it is better to use oil that is organic, cold press, virgin, and unrefined.

You will also need:

• Amber glass jar with lid (you might have it at home, if not – get it here). Make sure that the jar is clean and dry
• Strainer and cheesecloth
• Funnel
• Amber glass bottles with dropper

How to make it?

• Pour 200 ml (3/4 cups) of  plant oil over 100 g of dried flowers (or 1 cup of oil over 4 oz (8 tablespoons) of dried calendula flowers). Oil should cover flowers completely.
• Let it stand for 4-6 weeks in a warm place.  (It can stand on a sunny windowsill or in the dark cabinet. If you do it on the sunny windowsill – choose oil with long shelf life). No stirring required.
• Strain and pour into a dark glass bottle. Store it in a dark cool place. The shelf life of your infused oil is the same as expiration date of your carrier oil.

Homemade calendula oil uses

Calendula infused oil can be used:

• for various skin diseases, including eczema, and psoriasis. Apply liberally to the affected skin
• to heal burns, including sunburn
• apply to deep cuts, and wounds. First I would use calendula tincture in order to disinfect the wound (because tincture contains alcohol). And then continue to use calendula oil for speedy healing
• apply to baby’s skin to get rid of diaper rash, or baby cradle cap
• as eye make-up remover
• rub on the legs to treat varicose veins
• apply to scalp to improve scalp condition, remove dandruff, heal dry thin hair, and encourage hair growth
• use as a massage oil
• to moisturize and heal dry skin on the hands in winter time.

Calendula Salve

If you have calendula infused oil, then calendula salve is very easy to make. 

Ingredients:

• 4 oz of calendula infused oil
• 2 tbsp ( 0.5 oz) of organic cosmetic grade beeswax

Step by step instruction

• Heat beeswax in double boiler on a low heat until it melts
• Add calendula infused oil and gently stir so oil and beeswax are well mixed
• Pour mixture into little tins for convenient use (or in the other dry and clean jar), and let it harden.
• Cover, and store in a cool place.

Note: you can make your salve softer by adding more oil, or harder by adding more wax. Anyway, if you make a salve and do not like hardness of it – reheat it in double boiler and adjust by adding oil or wax according to your preferences.

What is calendula salve used for?

• to heal chapped lips
• to heal painful cracks in the skin
• use to heal cuts, wounds and rashes on the skin
• for varicose veins.

Calendula Tea

How to make calendula tea

• Place 1 tablespoon of dried calendula flowers (or 2 heaping tablespoons of fresh flowers) in the cup or tea steeper
• Pour  8 oz ( 1 cup) of boiling water over the calendula flowers
• Give it a stir with the spoon
• Cover and let it steep for 10-15 minutes.
• Strain.

The tea is ready. You can sweeten it with honey if you  wish.

What is calendula tea used for?

• wash your face with calendula tea for acne prevention, or to soothe and heal acne scars
• gargle for sore throat
• use as a mouthwash
• after washing your hair, rinse it with calendula tea for stronger growth and shine
• add it to your bath
• to soothe sunburned  or scraped skin
• use for a foot bath followed by rubbing feet with infused calendula oil
• use as eye wash to soothe strained eyes or for conjunctivitis

 Is calendula tea safe to drink?

Calendula petals are safe to eat and often are used in salads. This means that calendula tea made from calendula petals are safe to drink for sure.

It’s considered that calendula teas made of flower heads are safe for drinking too and is used for gastric ulcers,  for reducing fever, and for menstruation regulation. This study shows that ”colitis treated with herbal tea included calendula showed improvement symptoms in 96% of patients within two weeks.”

To be honest, I personally don’t consume calendula tea made from whole flowers because, for the ailments where calendula tea is recommended, I find better alternatives for internal use

Ready-made calendula natural remedies

If you don’t have the time or desire to make your own calendula healing products, you can easily purchase them from reputable online retailers such as:

• Amazon
• Vitacost
• Swanson Health Products
• Walgreens
• Lucky Vitamin
• Target
• Walmart

I personally recommend keeping Boiron Calendula ointment in stock at all times. I’ve tried various brands of calendula ointment, but I find that Boiron works the best for me.

Read related:

Learn more about homemade natural remedies

• How to grow calendula
• Calendula healing properties
• Top natural remedies for hair growth
• 3 Must Have Medicinal plants: how to grow and use
• 40 culinary and medicinal herbs for your garden

Final Thoughts on Calendula Homemade Remedies

In conclusion, harnessing the remarkable healing properties of calendula is as simple as using natural remedies craftedmade from calendula flowers.

These homemade calendula products should be a staple in every home, serving as the top choice for healing cuts, scrapes, insect bites, bruises, and skin or mouth wounds. Calendula remedies are invaluable for reducing inflammation and alleviating swelling.

By creating your own calendula remedies using the recipes provided in this article, you not only ensure the quality of the product but also save money in the process.