Calendula Cream Recipe
Instructions for making homemade calendula skin cream with calendula-infused oil. The texture is thick and creamy but feels light and absorbs quickly. It's ideal for hands and body, especially for those with dry and irritated skin. This recipe makes 100 ml (3.4 oz) of product, but you can scale it up for larger batches. This recipe is intended for DIY and home use, not for professional manufacture.
Servings 100 ml
Cost $5
Equipment
- digital jewelers scale if measuring the ingredients by weight
- heat-proof glass jars (2x) Mason jars work well
- kitchen spoon
- pH testing strips optional
Ingredients
Water Phase
- 55 g rose hydrosol
- 5 g vegetable glycerine
- 0.5 g baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) basic pH adjuster
Oil Phase
- 10 g calendula-infused oil
- 4 g cocoa butter
- 4 g emulsifying wax NF (or BP)
- 1 g beeswax or 0.5 g candelilla wax
Cooling Phase
- 7 g rose hydrosol
- 10 drops rose geranium essential oil optional
- 1.5 g Geogard Ultra (Neodefend) Or another broad-spectrum preservative* such as Optiphen
Instructions
Make the Calendula Infused Oil
- Before making calendula lotion, you must first make calendula oil. There are several ways to make it, and you can use different oils. I use sweet almond oil for this recipe, but I also recommend apricot kernel oil. For a heavier, more conditioning lotion, you could use avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil. Here's how to make calendula oil.
Measure the Ingredients
- Measure the oil-phase ingredients into one heat-proof glass jar. Measure the water-phase ingredients into a second jar.
- Measure the cool-down phase ingredients into a small ramekin. Geogard Ultra is a broad-spectrum preservative* that comes as a powder. Mix it with the rose hydrosol until it's reasonably dispersed. You will still see small white flecks after stirring, though. Next, add the essential oil to the ramekin (if you're using it).
Heat the Water and Oil Phases
- Create a double boiler by placing a potholder or folded-up kitchen towel at the bottom of a saucepan. Set the jars containing the water phase and oil phase on top of it, then fill the pan with hot tap water to the level of the jars' contents.
- Bring the water in the pan to a simmer. Heat the jars until the oil-phase ingredients are completely melted. Stirring helps speed this along.
- Once the oil phase is melted, remove the jars from the pan and set them on the kitchen counter. Stir both phases.
- Carefully pour the water-phase ingredients into the oil-phase jar. The contents will turn an opaque, creamy color but still be liquid.
- Stir the ingredients together using a spoon or glass stirrer for a minute. Leave it to rest for a minute, then stir again. Repeat until the calendula cream begins thickening up—it can take up to twenty minutes when stirring by hand.
Cooling Phase
- When the lotion is 40°C (104°F) or cooler, add the cooling-phase ingredients and stir well.
- Every time I've made this recipe, the pH is fine and does not need adjusting. However, it's always best to test your batch by following the instructions in the notes field. Skin lotion pH must be 4.5 to 5.5, and many preservatives are only effective at particular pHs.
- Spoon the calendula cream into a clean and dry container. I use a silicone spatula to get every last drop. Allow it to cool to room temperature before sealing it with a lid.
- If you've used the Geogard Ultra preservative, the finished calendula cream recipe has a shelf life of up to eighteen months. Once opened, use it within six months.
Video
Notes
* Broad-spectrum preservatives come in powder and liquid form, and you can choose another type if you wish. Always adhere to the manufacturer's recommended usage rates and instructions.