Calendula Summer Cream

Soothing • Hydrating • Brightening

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YieldAbout 2 cups

Time6 weeks to infuse the oil, then about 45 minutes

Skin TypeDry, sensitive, irritated or reddened skin

ToolsGlass jar, coffee filter or cheesecloth, double boiler, immersion blender, thermometer, pH strips, sterilized jars

TextureSilky and smooth; thickens over a few hours

StorageWith the preservative: cool, dark place for 3–6 months. Without it: refrigerate and use within 1 week, or make fresh.

About This Recipe

Calendula is my favorite: it's anti-inflammatory, full of antioxidants, and helps keep skin hydrated and happy. This cream is soothing and hydrating for dry skin, calms irritated skin and works well for sensitive types, and calendula's brightening nature makes it a perfect cream for the summer months.

Calendula oil, shea butter and rose hydrosol — Calendula, Shea & Rose

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Ingredients

Oils: ⅔ cup calendula oil (see Notes)
⅓ cup shea butter
0.5 oz beeswax (just under 2 tbsp)
1 tbsp rosehip seed oil
Waters: ⅔ cup rose hydrosol
⅓ cup aloe vera gel
Cool down: ½ tsp vitamin E
½ tsp glycerin
About 0.25 oz (288 drops) Leucidal SF Complete (a natural preservative)
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops frankincense essential oil

Calendula cream with calendula flowers — Silky & Bright

Directions

Oil phase: combine the calendula oil, shea butter and beeswax and melt gently in a double boiler. Once melted and slightly cooled, add the glycerin and rosehip seed oil.
Water phase: in a separate container, combine the rose hydrosol and aloe vera gel and warm until both phases are roughly the same temperature, around 120°F.
Blend: start mixing the oils with an immersion blender, then very slowly pour in the warm waters as you keep mixing. If the cream stops accepting water, stop there. Keep blending until silky and smooth.
Cool down: once blended and cooled a bit, stir in the vitamin E, essential oils and Leucidal.
Check that the pH is between 3 and 5 so the preservative works properly.
Pour into clean, sterilized jars while still semi-liquid. It will set and thicken as it cools.

To Use

Scoop with clean hands or a spatula.
Smooth a small amount over clean skin.

Notes

Make the calendula oil first: fill a clean glass jar halfway with dried calendula flowers, cover with apricot or almond oil to the top, put on a tight lid and label. Infuse in a warm, dark cabinet for 6 weeks, then strain through a funnel lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth into a clean, labeled jar.
Essential oil swap: geranium works in place of lavender; it's lovely and soothing too.
Because this cream contains water, a preservative is recommended to keep it safe from bacteria and mold. Leucidal SF Complete is natural, made from fermented radish and Ecocert approved.
It won't be fluffy like a whipped butter; it thickens up over the next few hours.

Read the blog post →More tips, swaps and the story behind this recipe

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