Sticky Flowers, Full Hearts

Calendula. My first love in the garden, my oldest flower friend. Her sticky resin coats my hands when I harvest, and her sweet, peppery scent lingers with me for the rest of the day. That resin is where her power lives. It soothes, softens, and comforts. The stickier the better, because that is where the magic is. The resin is rich in plant compounds like flavonoids and triterpenes that have been studied for their ability to calm and support the skin.

She is simple to grow yet full of strength, blooming in almost any soil but truly thriving in beds prepared with loose, compost-rich earth. And when the fussy flowers fade at the end of the season, calendula begins to shine, blooming bigger and more plentiful as the cooler days set in.

She is a lovely herb to work with, especially if you are new to making oils and balms at home. Mountain Rose Herbs has beautiful dried organic calendula if you don't grow your own. Fill a mason jar about two-thirds of the way with the dried petals and top with your oil of choice. For years I used olive oil simply because it was what I had, these days, jojoba is my go-to. Place the jar on a windowsill for a few weeks, giving it a gentle shake each day. Strain it when you remember, or don’t. Some seasons I skip straining altogether, and the oils and balms turn out just as lovely.

The result is golden oil that feels as comforting as the flower itself, bringing a sense of ease into everyday skincare. Here's a simple recipe for a soft and lovely Calendula Balm. We make this together in our botanical skincare workshops at the farm, and it always finds its way back into my own home remedy collection.

Ingredients

• Oil infused with Calendula — 8 tbsp + 1 tsp

• MCT Oil — 2 tbsp + 2 tsp

• Mango Butter — 4 tbsp + ½ tsp

• Beeswax — 2 tbsp + 1 tsp

• Vitamin E Oil — ½ tsp

Instructions

1. Combine the infused oil, MCT oil, mango butter, and beeswax in a heat-safe bowl or double boiler.

2. Gently warm until the butter and beeswax are fully melted, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. Stir in vitamin E oil.

5. Pour into clean jars or tins and let set at room temperature.

Yield: ~12 oz balm

Enjoy!