How to Make Calendula Infused Oil at Home
If you're interested in building a home apothecary, calendula-infused oil is one of the easiest herbal preparations to learn.
Made by infusing the golden flowers of calendula (Calendula officinalis) into a carrier oil, calendula oil can become the starting point for homemade salves, balms, body oils, soaps, and other botanical skincare products.
Best of all, you don't need complicated equipment to make it.
Here's how to make calendula-infused oil at home, including two different infusion methods and one very important tip about moisture.
What Is Calendula-Infused Oil?
Calendula-infused oil isn't the same thing as calendula essential oil.
Instead, it's made by placing calendula flowers into a carrier oil and allowing oil-soluble plant constituents to infuse into that oil.
Once the infusion is finished, the flowers are strained away.
The resulting oil can then be used by itself or as an ingredient in other herbal preparations.
Think of it as creating your own botanical ingredient.
What Part of Calendula Should You Use?
The flowers of Calendula officinalis are used.
Depending on what you purchase or harvest, you may have:
- Whole dried flower heads
- Loose dried petals
- A combination of petals and flower material
Whole flower heads are commonly used by home herbalists.
If you're purchasing calendula rather than growing your own, check the botanical name.
You want:
Calendula officinalis
Calendula is sometimes called pot marigold, but it isn't the same plant as the common ornamental marigolds belonging to the Tagetes genus.
Fresh vs. Dried Calendula for Infused Oil
This is one of the most important things to understand when you're new to making herbal oils.
For a simple home infusion intended to be stored, thoroughly dried calendula is the easier and safer choice.
Fresh flowers contain water.
Introducing water into an oil infusion can increase the risk of spoilage and microbial growth.
Drying the flowers thoroughly before making your infusion greatly reduces the amount of moisture introduced into the oil.
If you're just beginning, start with dried calendula.
What Is the Best Oil for Calendula Infusion?
You have plenty of options.
The best carrier oil depends partly on how you plan to use the finished product.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is inexpensive, easy to find, and popular in traditional herbal preparations.
It works particularly well if you plan to turn your calendula oil into salves or balms.
The downside is that olive oil has a noticeable scent and heavier skin feel.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is lighter than olive oil and works beautifully in many body-care products.
Choose a good-quality oil and pay attention to its expected shelf life.
Jojoba Oil
Technically a liquid wax rather than a triglyceride oil, jojoba is popular in facial and skincare products because of its skin feel and oxidative stability.
It tends to be more expensive, so you may want to reserve it for smaller batches.
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is another popular skincare carrier oil.
People with allergy concerns should carefully evaluate ingredients before using nut-derived oils.
Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil is light and popular in facial and body-care formulations.
There's no single "correct" carrier oil.
Choose one based on your budget, intended product, skin feel, and shelf-life needs.
Supplies You'll Need
To make a basic calendula-infused oil, gather:
- Completely dried calendula flowers
- Carrier oil of your choice
- Clean, completely dry glass jar
- Lid
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth or filtering material
- Clean storage bottle or jar
- Label
That's it.
Method #1: Slow Calendula Oil Infusion
This is the traditional, hands-off method.
Step 1: Fill Your Jar With Calendula
Loosely fill a clean, completely dry jar with dried calendula flowers.
Don't pack the flowers tightly.
Leave enough room for the oil to move throughout the plant material.
Step 2: Add Your Carrier Oil
Pour your chosen carrier oil over the flowers.
Make sure the plant material is thoroughly saturated.
Use a clean, dry utensil to gently stir and release trapped air bubbles.
Add additional oil if necessary.
The flowers should remain covered with oil.
Step 3: Close and Label the Jar
Add the lid and label your jar.
Include:
Calendula Infused Oil
Carrier Oil Used
Date Started
Labeling the carrier oil is especially useful if you regularly make herbal infusions.
A few months later, it's surprisingly easy to forget what you used.
Step 4: Allow It to Infuse
Place the jar in a location away from excessive heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
Allow the calendula to infuse for approximately 4–6 weeks.
Check the jar periodically.
Gently turn or swirl it to redistribute the plant material.
Make sure the flowers remain coated with oil.
Step 5: Strain
Once your infusion is complete, strain the oil through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth or another appropriate filtering material.
Press or squeeze the flowers to recover as much oil as practical.
For a cleaner finished product, you can strain the oil again through a finer filter.
Step 6: Bottle and Label
Transfer your finished oil into a clean, completely dry container.
Label it with:
Calendula Infused Oil
Carrier Oil
Date Finished
Store it in a cool, dark location.
Method #2: Quick Warm-Infusion Method
Don't want to wait several weeks?
You can gently warm the oil to speed up the infusion.
The key word is gently.
You don't want to fry the flowers or overheat your carrier oil.
Using a Double Boiler
Place dried calendula and your carrier oil into a heat-safe container.
Set it over a very gentle double boiler.
Warm the mixture on low heat for several hours, keeping the temperature controlled and avoiding high heat.
Stir occasionally.
Then allow the oil to cool before straining.
Using a Slow Cooker
You can also use a slow cooker as a gentle water bath.
Place the calendula and oil in a heat-safe jar.
Set the jar into the slow cooker with warm water surrounding it, keeping water out of the jar.
Use the lowest practical heat setting and monitor the temperature.
After several hours of gentle warming, allow the oil to cool and strain it.
Should Calendula Oil Sit in a Sunny Window?
You'll sometimes see old-fashioned herbal recipes recommending that infused oils sit in a sunny windowsill for weeks.
It's romantic.
It looks beautiful.
But prolonged exposure to light and heat can accelerate oxidation of oils.
For that reason, I prefer keeping long infusions away from strong direct sunlight.
You can still make your beautiful jar of golden calendula oil—you just don't need to bake it in the window for a month.
How Long Does Homemade Calendula Oil Last?
There isn't one universal expiration date because the shelf life depends heavily on the carrier oil, storage conditions, handling, and quality of the plant material.
Your finished infusion generally won't have a longer shelf life than the oil you started with.
For example, if your carrier oil is already old or beginning to oxidize, turning it into an herbal infusion won't reset the clock.
Start with fresh, good-quality oil.
Store your finished calendula oil:
- Away from sunlight
- Away from heat
- In a tightly closed container
- Away from moisture
Discard the oil if it develops an unusual odor, appearance, or other signs of deterioration.
Does Vitamin E Preserve Calendula Oil?
This is an important herbal-making distinction.
Vitamin E is not a broad-spectrum preservative.
Vitamin E is commonly used as an antioxidant in oil-based products, where it can help slow oxidation.
That's useful—but oxidation and microbial contamination aren't the same thing.
Adding vitamin E doesn't make a contaminated or water-containing product microbiologically safe.
For an anhydrous herbal oil made with properly dried plant material, controlling moisture and oxidation are both important.
And if you turn your calendula oil into a product containing water—such as a lotion or cream—you'll need to formulate it with an appropriate broad-spectrum preservative.
What Can You Make With Calendula Oil?
Now comes the fun part.
Once you've made your infused oil, you can use it in all kinds of herbal and skincare projects.
Calendula Salve
Combine calendula-infused oil with beeswax to make a simple herbal balm.
Calendula Body Oil
Use your finished infusion as a body oil on its own or blend it with other cosmetic oils.
Calendula Lip Balm
Combine calendula oil with ingredients such as beeswax and shea butter to make a simple lip balm.
Calendula Body Balm
Add richer ingredients such as:
- Shea butter
- Cocoa butter
- Mango butter
- Beeswax
to create a heavier balm for dry skin.
Handmade Soap
Calendula-infused oil can also be incorporated into an appropriately formulated handmade soap recipe.
Lotion & Cream
You can incorporate calendula-infused oil into the oil phase of properly formulated emulsions.
Remember that adding water changes the preservation requirements dramatically.
A Simple Calendula Salve Starting Point
Once you've successfully made your first infusion, a salve is a natural next project.
A simple starting formula is approximately:
1 cup calendula-infused oil
1 ounce beeswax
Gently melt the beeswax into the oil using a double boiler.
Pour a small spoonful onto a cool plate and let it harden.
If it's too soft, add a little more beeswax.
If it's too firm, add a little more oil.
Once you're happy with the texture, pour the warm mixture into clean, dry tins or jars and allow it to cool completely.
You've just turned your herbal infusion into a simple calendula balm.
Can You Combine Calendula With Other Herbs?
Absolutely.
Calendula is frequently combined with other traditional skin herbs.
Depending on the type of product you're making, you might explore:
- Plantain
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Rose
- Yarrow
- Comfrey
Just remember that every additional herb has its own properties, safety considerations, and appropriate uses.
More herbs don't automatically make a better product.
Make a Small Batch First
If you're experimenting with calendula oil for the first time, don't start with a gallon.
Make a small jar.
Learn how the flowers behave.
Try different carrier oils.
See how you like the finished oil on your skin.
Then decide whether you want to scale up.
Small-batch experimentation is one of the easiest ways to learn herbal product making without wasting expensive ingredients.
From Flower to Finished Herbal Oil
There's something especially satisfying about turning a simple flower into an ingredient you can use throughout your home apothecary.
You can grow calendula.
Harvest the flowers.
Dry them.
Infuse them into oil.
Then transform that oil into salves, balms, soaps, body oils, and other botanical skincare products.
It's a simple process—but it's also one of the foundational skills that opens the door to all kinds of herbal making.
Continue Learning About Calendula
This article is part of our Calendula Herb Guide Series.
Continue with:
- Calendula Benefits & Uses: A Beginner's Guide to This Skin-Loving Herb
- Calendula for Skin: Why Herbalists Love This Golden Flower
- How to Grow, Harvest & Dry Calendula
- Calendula vs. Marigold: Are They the Same Thing?
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This information is provided for educational purposes only. Homemade herbal preparations should not be used as substitutes for appropriate medical care. Use clean, dry equipment and appropriate formulation and preservation practices when creating skincare products.