• Dried Calendula flowers
• Olive oil / Sweet almond oil

• Glass jar
• Chop stick or other wooden stirring implement
• Scales
• Glass jug
• Non metal sieve
• Muslin
• Funnel
• Brown aerosol bottle
• Label

1. First task is to obtain the dried Calendula flowers, they can either be bought, or picked. Ideally they would be from a garden where no pesticides / pollution were affecting them or wild crafted from a similar pollution free location. The flowers would need to be collected in the morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the sun is too hot. These would need to be dried. When drying Calendula, this is done by placing the flower heads upside down on brown paper trays and allowing them to dry in a warm shady place, out of direct sunlight, where warm air can circulate. A quicker method is by either using a dehydrator, drying slowly on the lowest setting. Another method is by placing the herb on a baking tray, putting this on the bottom shelf of the oven and put the over on its lowest setting, leaving the door ajar, thus allowing the herbs to dry.

2. If wishing to make an infused oil quicker then a dried herb can be purchased. Also the infusion can be gently heated to allow the therapeutic properties to infuse into the oil. This however is a cold infusion.

3. Get the glass jar, weigh this then fill the jar with the Calendula, noting its weight for reference.

4. Get the oils that the Calendula is going to be infused into. In this case, Sweet Almond Oil and Olive Oil, due to their skin nurturing properties.

5. Fill the glass with the oils, ensuring all the Calendula is covered in oil and submerged beneath the surface (to prevent spoilage).

6. Cap the glass jar.

7. Place the glass jar containing the Calendula and oils in a dark cupboard away from sunlight – this allows the infusion to take place and lessens the possibility of the Calendula and oils becoming rancid i.e. mouldy.

8. Check the glass jar each day, ensuring the Calendula is submerged under the oils, stir the contents of the jar. This is again checking for possible spoilage. The stirring assists the infusion to be moved evenly throughout the oils, assisting in the process.

9. Leave the Calendula to infuse for 6 weeks, checking each day as described above.

10. After 6 weeks the Calendula has infused into the oil, there will be a distinct change in the colour, smell and

11. Using a non-metal sieve, glass jar and muslin, separate the oil from the Calendula.

12. Ideally the remaining herbs are pressed through a herb / tincture press in order to gain the most oil with the highest therapeutic actions.

13. The Calendula infused oil can be placed into an appropriate bottle, i.e. brown bottle (the brown colour assists in preventing denaturing of the oil), in this case with an aerosol dispenser. Store in a dark place away from sunlight.

14. The remaining oil can be kept in a jar and stored for later usage, either for the same reason or to be used as an ingredient in different products. Store in a dark place away from sunlight.


(Painter and Robertson, 2009, p.57)

© Vitae Essentia 2026