How to Make Homemade Calendula Salve for Healthy Skin
Last Updated on September 2, 2023
Here we are again: exploring the utility, beauty, and healing powers of calendula! It is no secret that this medicinal herb is one of my favorite companion flowers to grow in the garden. With its strong anti-inflammatory properties and ability to soothe dozens of skin ailments, calendula is also a choice ingredient for personal wellness and natural beauty recipes. From salads and teas to oils or salves, we love to use calendula in any way we can!
Read along to learn how to make homemade calendula salve. If you’ve never made salve before, don’t worry! It is incredibly easy to do, and requires very few ingredients, steps, and supplies. The final result is beautiful, creamy, golden yellow calendula salve that will nourish, moisturize, and heal your skin. You can use calendula salve to treat dry skin, burns, rashes, eczema and more. Homemade calendula salve also makes for a very sweet DIY gift for holidays, special occasions, or just because!
New to calendula? Check out this article to explore how to grow, harvest, and dry calendula at home. It is a very low-fuss plant that can even be grown in containers and in a wide range of climates.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What is Calendula Salve?
Calendula salve is a nourishing topical balm made from dried calendula flowers, oil, and wax that is used to heal skin conditions or provide general moisture moisture. Calendula salve recipes can be customized with a variety of different oils, natural waxes, butters, essential oils, vitamin E oil, and more. Lavender essential oil and chamomile essential oil are two of our favorite EO additions.
In general, a salve is simply the term for a healing solution that you put on your skin, in the same family as creams, ointments, or balms. Of those, salves contain the most wax and therefore are the most thick and firm, but still softer than a lotion bar. Salves are shelf-stable, semi-solid at room temperature, and long-lasting on your skin.
Beeswax is a popular natural wax to use in calendula salve recipes because it is readily available, easy to work with (especially when purchased in pastilles), and creates perfectly smooth results. Not keen on beeswax? See the ingredient list below for recommended vegan substitutions, along with carrier oil options.
Healing Properties of Calendula
Calendula officinalis has been used by herbalists, homesteaders, and natural healers for centuries. It can be used both internally or externally to support the immune system, heal skin and infections. Calendula works its magic by promoting cell repair and growth, coupled with its natural antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Above all, it is gentle in its work. Unlike some natural remedies, you don’t need to worry about “overdoing it” with calendula.
What part of calendula is the most medicinal?
The potent medicinal oils within calendula blooms are most concentrated on the sticky green base of the flower head – botanically known as the sepal and receptacle. Resin is also present (but lesser so) on the petals themselves, which is why we choose to use whole dried flowers rather than plucked petals alone when making calendula-infused oil.
What can calendula salve be used for?
If you pay attention to labels, you’ll probably notice calendula as a key ingredient in many natural skin care products, and for a good reason! Topically, calendula salve can ease, heal, or otherwise treat a huge array of skin conditions. According to the Chestnut School of Herbs, this includes: rashes, sunburn, swelling, eczema, acne, stings, wounds, burns, scrapes, chicken pox, cold sores, and even genital herpes sores.
In her book “Medicinal Herbs, A Beginner’s Guide”, Rosemary Gladstar suggests using calendula salve or oil on babies to safely soothe cradle cap, diaper rash, or other skin irritations. (Be sure to check the safety of your chosen base oil for babies too!)
I personally love to use homemade calendula salve on my dry cracked cuticles after a day of digging in the dirt, or on scars, scrapes, chapped lips, and dry feet. It is a favorite daily hand moisturizer. I also find calendula salve or oil to be very soothing after shaving, to prevent or treat razor burn. Last but not least, calendula salve can also lessen the appearance of varicose veins and soften scars.
Calendula Oil
This homemade calendula salve recipe requires ready-to-use calendula oil. You can either make your own calendula-infused oil, or buy organic calendula oil here. Once you have calendula oil, it is very simple to turn it into calendula salve.
If you’re interested in making homemade calendula oil check out this tutorial – and then come back when you’re ready. It is really easy and affordable to do! All you do is steep 100% dry calendula blooms (either homegrown or purchased dried flowers) in a chosen carrier oil to extract the medicinal resins, and then strain it. We prefer to use a long, slow infusion method (3 to 4 weeks) rather than heating calendula flowers in oil for a quick extraction. Preserving the beneficial properties of the blooms by reducing exposure to heat makes it well worth the wait, in my humble opinion!
What is the best carrier oil for calendula?
Jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are all popular carrier oil options to make calendula infused oil and salve – though there are many other options out there! Our calendula oil article explores the pros and cons of a dozen different carrier oils. After all, various oils have unique textures (e.g. some are more or less “greasy”), different comedogenic ratings, and healing properties of their own. For this particular batch of calendula salve, we used organic jojoba oil as a carrier oil. Jojoba oil is very similar to natural skin sebum and therefore soaks in quite nicely.
Supplies & Ingredients Needed to Make Calendula Salve
- 1 cup of calendula oil, or 8 ounces
- 3 to 4 tablespoons* of beeswax pastilles, or about 1 ounce if you’re using shaved, block, or other forms of beeswax. *If you opt to also add shea butter, use only 3 level tbsp of beeswax pastilles. However if you skip the shea butter, use 4 tbsp beeswax. (Vegan options: replace with soy wax or candelilla wax. I recommend organic soy wax, since conventional soy is notoriously pesticide-intensive.)
- Optional: 2 tbsp of shea butter. I personally like to add shea, but it isn’t required! Shea butter is highly moisturizing and rich in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.
- Optional: essential oils of choice. Calendula has a mild earthy smell, but it is not extremely aromatic or floral on its own. Therefore, I like to add a few drops of certified organic lavender essential oil to my calendula salve for added soothing aromatherapy. Tea tree, chamomile, peppermint, rosemary, or eucalyptus essential oils are also great choices for calendula salve! You only need a few drops of essential oils, as a little goes a long way.
- A double-boiler, or make-shift double boiler – such as a pot within a pot, or a glass pyrex bowl or stainless steel bowl perched on top of a saucepan with water below. The use of a double-boiler is important, to avoid overheating the calendula oil and thus reduce much of its healing potency!
- Small glass jars or salve tins, for storage. We used these 2-ounce amber glass jars for this particular batch, though we sometimes used larger 4-ounce jars too.
Makes: Just over 1 cup of finished salve (about 10 ounces).
Feel free to scale up or down as needed, depending on how much calendula oil you have. The general rule of thumb for salve is to use about 1 part of beeswax and butter to approximately 4-7 parts oil. A higher beeswax-to-oil ratio will result in a more firm salve, while going lighter on the beeswax will create a softer salve or balm.
Homemade Calendula Salve Instructions
Are you ready? Because this is ridiculously easy.
- Have your salve tins, glass jars, or other calendula salve storage containers of choice ready and waiting.
- In the top portion of a double-boiler (or makeshift double-boiler), add 1 cup of calendula oil and 3 to 4 level tablespoons of beeswax (sliding scale notes above). Also add the optional 2 tablespoons shea butter and a few drops of essential oils now, if you choose to use them.
- In the bottom portion of your double-boiler, add enough water so that the top bowl or pot is in contact and resting in the water below.
- Heat the double-boiler over a medium-low heat on the stovetop. Remember, we want to avoid excessively heating the calendula oil more than what is necessary to melt the beeswax!
- Monitor and routinely stir the mixture until the beeswax (and shea butter) completely melts. Stir to ensure everything is thoroughly combined, and then remove from the heat immediately thereafter.
- While it is still hot, carefully pour the now-liquid calendula salve into your chosen containers. If it starts to solidify while you’re still filling containers, simply put it back on medium-low heat until it liquifies again.
- Set the full calendula salve containers aside (lids off) and allow them to fully cool.
- Enjoy healthy, moisturized skin! Use either clean fingers or a salve spoon to collect a small amount of salve, and apply to your skin as needed. A little goes a long way!
Storage & Shelf Life of Calendula Salve
Store your salve containers in a cool, dark place. I always keep one out and about for regular use, then stash the rest away in a cabinet. Homemade calendula salve can “stay good” for several years! However, its medicinal potency may decrease with extended time and age.
And that is how you make homemade calendula salve!
What a simple and beautiful process, right? I hope you found this tutorial to be interesting, useful, and inspiring – to go make your own healing calendula salve! Feel free to ask questions in the comments below and spread the love by sharing this article. Please stop by for a review once you whip up a batch of your own!
You may also love:
- How to Make Rosehip Infused Oil, and 12 Ways to Use It
- How to Make Homemade Lavender Salve
- Homemade Lip Balm Recipe
- Soothing Homemade Chickweed Salve Recipe for Itching, Burns or Rashes
- How to Make Homemade Cannabis Salve
- 10 Best Vegetarian and Vegan Supplements for Improved Health
How to Make Homemade Calendula Salve
Equipment
- A double-boiler, or make-shift double boiler (such as a glass pyrex bowl or stainless steel bowl perched on top of a saucepan with water below)
- Glass storage jars or salve tins
Ingredients
- 1 cup Calendula oil
- 3-4* tbsp Beeswax pastilles, or approximately 1 once if you're using shaved, block, or other forms of beeswax. *If you opt to also add shea butter, use only 3 level tbsp of beeswax pastilles. However if you skip the shea butter, use 4 tbsp beeswax. (vegan option: replace with the same amount of organic soy wax or candelilla wax)
- 2 tbsp Shea butter (optional)
- 4-5 drops Essential oils of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Have your chosen salve tins or small glass storage jars ready and waiting.
- Add water to the bottom pan of your double-boiler. Now add 1 cup calendula oil, 3-4 tbsp of beeswax (see sliding scale notes above), optional shea butter and essential oils to the top section of the double-boiler.
- Heat the mixture on the stovetop over medium-love heat – only until the beeswax melts, and stirring frequently.
- As soon as everything melts and is thoroughly combined, remove from heat.
- While it is still hot, carefully pour the liquid salve into your chosen containers. (If it starts to solidify while you’re still filling containers, simply put it back on medium-low heat until it liquifies again.)
- Set the full calendula salve containers aside (lids off) and allow them to fully cool.
- The calendula salve will harden as it cools, and then it is ready to use. Use either clean fingers or a salve spoon to collect a small amount of salve, and apply to your skin as needed. A little goes a long way!
- Store your salve containers in a cool, dark location. Homemade calendula salve can “stay good” for several years. However, its medicinal potency may decrease with extended time and age.
Deanna Talerico
Deanna Talerico (aka DeannaCat) is a garden educator and writer with over 15 years experience in organic gardening. She is a retired Senior Environmental Health Specialist, and holds a M.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Sustainability and Natural Resources.
95 Comments
Stephanie
Recipe looks great! My only question is whether the flowers absolutely need to be dried first, or if fresh flowers would also work?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Stephanie, it is recommended to use dried flowers as fresh calendula flowers contain moisture so there is a greater risk of bacterial growth and/or for the oil to become rancid during the infusion process. You are better off hang drying or even laying your flowers out on a screen for a number of days to a week(s) depending on the heat and humidity of your house if you do not have a dehydrator. Hope that helps and good luck!
Hollie Meikle
I am wondering if you would share your label template? Thank you for the wonderful recipe. We grow our own calendula flowers!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Hollie, it’s great to hear you are growing your own calendula, we use Avery labels (22808) for our salve products.
Rhonda
Hi. I am growing my own calendula flowers this year. They smell rather stinky. Is that usual? And, will the smell dissipate in the process of making oil and salve? Thank you for your time and help. Rhonda
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Rhonda, congrats on growing your own calendula flowers! While I wouldn’t say calendula flowers stink per se, they definitely have a certain smell to them. The smell reminds us of artichokes at times, once you fully dry the flowers however, they don’t smell like much. Hope that helps and good luck on making your oil and turning it into salve.
Kate
I have a question about heat and the healing properties of the calendula oil. I like my salve but I’d like it more if it were a bit softer. Would it be unwise to remelt the salve on low heat so I could add more oil?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Kate, you can reheat the salve in a double boiler without taking away from the healing properties of the calendula. Good luck!
Judy Corazza
HI Aaron! Thank you to you and Deanna I grew and dried alot of Calendula flowers and made your salve. Flowers were beautiful and salve was perfect! This was summer of 2022. Last summer (2023) I didnt have as many flowers and was hit with persistant powdery mildew early (weird weather last year).
My question is I still have lots of perfectly dried flowers from 2022. Can I use these to make more salve now? Or are they losing their healing potency and I should just wait I grow some this until this summer? The flowers were dried in a dehydrater and seem to be perserved well, still very dry, in tight capped mason jars. Thanks.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Judy, so glad you had success growing calendula and made some amazing salve with your harvests! I wouldn’t hesitate to use your flowers from 2022 to make more salve as it sounds like they should still be fairly well preserved and still contain their medicinal value. Good luck and have fun growing!
Allison M
Is it possible to substitute rendered tallow for the shea butter? I love how tallow treats my skin and already have some on hand. Either way I’m going to collect flowers from my garden tomorrow and start the drying process. I may have enough to do at Leah’s a half batch.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Allison, you should be able to substitute tallow for shea butter but we aren’t used to working with tallow. Good luck!
Susan Wright
Hi! I was inspired to make this after using your calendula salve for over a year. 🙂 What I made turned out to be much softer and greasier than yours that I enjoy so much. Do you add more beeswax than in this recipe? Thanks!
Love your blog and inspiration! xoxo
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Susan, we are so glad to hear you enjoy the calendula salve so much! The salve recipe as listed is pretty much the ratios we use for the salve we sell in our shop, we just make it in much larger batches. We use 4 parts oil, 1 part beeswax, and .25 part shea butter. What type of oil did you use for your infusion (we use half virgin sweet almond oil and half virgin sunflower oil)? Some oils absorb more readily into the skin while others can be more greasy. Hope that helps and reach out if you have any other questions.
Susan Wright
Hi Aaron!
I used only organic sweet almond oil. Maybe I should try a mix.
I also used shea butter and followed your instructions to use only 3T or beeswax instead of 4T, when using shea. Since you’re 4 to 1 on the oil/beeswax, do you think I should use the full 4T beeswax?
Thank you! I absolutely love everything that you guys do!
Susan
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Susan, sweet almond oil is a nice oil to use for salve and it typically applies really well and absorbs into the skin. Our calendula salve we sell in our shop uses a 50/50 mix of organic virgin sweet almond oil and organic virgin sunflower oil but I wouldn’t think that would make it too much different than what you are working with there. For your ratio, if you are using 1 liquid cup calendula infused oil, use 4 tablespoons or 1/4 dry cup of beeswax pastilles, and 1 tablespoon of shea butter. If you are using beeswax that isn’t in the pastille form, I can weigh out the specific amount so you can do it by weight instead. Thanks for your support and good luck on making your salve!
Susan Wright
Thank you so much! You guys are the best!
Susan Wright
Hey Aaron,
Sorry to keep on with the questions haha. Would you mind looking at this Sunflower Oil and seeing if you feel it would be a good option? It’s SO much less expensive than other ones I find online and it’s Organic and says it’s good for skin, etc. I’m just wondering if there is a specific trait you guys look for when buying your oils that this one doesn’t have…
Azure Market Organics Sunflower Oil, Expeller Pressed, Organic
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!! I love the videos of those adorable donkeys you’re posting on IG!
Susan
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Susan, no matter the type of oil we are using in our products, we always choose organic, virgin, cold pressed oils as they are more pure, nutrient dense, and don’t contain contaminants which can occur from expeller pressed or solvent extracted oils. For sunflower oil specifically, we get organic, virgin, cold pressed, high oleic oil, it may be more expensive but the end product is worth the upfront cost for us. Hope that’s helpful and good luck on making another batch of salve, thanks for following along on IG as well!
Danielle
Hi there! I usually infuse my herbs in olive oil and am about to start my first salve recipe. I have jojoba oil on hand as well so is it okay if I wanted to add in jojoba along with the olive oil? So if 1 cup of calendula oil is needed, can I use maybe 3/4cup olive oil and 1/4 cup jojoba? Or do the entire cup of infused oil because that’s the herbal benefit part, then add in extra jojoba on its own? I’m basically asking if different oils would work well together and if the recipe would need to be adjusted.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Danielle, yes you can combine two different types of oils for your infusions or you can add some non infused oil with your infused oil to make the salve as well. Hope that helps and good luck!
Ari
When making the oil, what is the ratio of oil to flower? I’m trying to figure out how much I need to buy of both.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Ari, just fill up whatever jar you want to use with however much calendula flowers you have, then pour enough oil to completely cover all of the flowers. If you want to use a basic mason pint jar, 16 ounces of oil is likely more than enough to completely cover your flowers and I imagine 4 ounces of calendula flowers would fill a pint jar with maybe some leftover as well. Hope that helps and good luck!
April
Great thank you 🥰
Shannon
Mine turned out great! Giving them out as coworker gifts and stocking stuffers this year
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Shannon, so great to hear your salve turned out so well!
Nicole M Dodds
I have cocoa butter on hand, could I substitute it for the shea butter?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Nicole, yes you can substitute cocoa butter for shea butter, it is just a small amount for the recipe so the firmness of the salve should be more or less similar to the original. However, if you add too much cocoa butter, your salve will be much firmer. Hope that helps and good luck making your salve!
Siena
May I sub chamomile oil for calendula?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Siena, yes, you can use any herbal infused oil that you choose, we make salve with oil infused from lavender, calendula, chickweed, chamomile, rosehips as well as a combination of a couple of them as well. Hope that helps and good luck!
Casey
How many servings does this make?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Casey, this recipe makes close to 10 ounces of finished salve.