Calendula Infused Oil

I’ve been wanting to infuse some herbs for our soaps and body products. Our Calendula did not do well in the garden this year, so I ended up purchasing some dried organic Calendula flowers from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Thanks to Katie, a soapmaker on one of the soaping groups, for these instructions. Fill the sterilized jar with the dried herb. You can measure if you want to, but I just filled the jar. For an oil infusion, it’s important that the herbs are dried to prevent bacteria growth.

After filling with the flower or herb, pour in your favorite oil. Since I was planning to use this infusion with a new special soap, I used olive oil. Had I used a clear oil, I might have seen a change in the color of the oil.

Now it’s time to heat this mixture up. I use a candle warmer. Leave the jar on the candle warmer for eight hours.

After eight hours, remove from the candle warmer. Now to strain the infused oil.

I used a new knee high hose to act as the strainer. The mixture is poured through the hosery. What remains is the infused oil.

Now I have my infused oil for my soap. If you aren’t going to use this oil right away, be sure to label it and store in a cool, dark place.  The oily flowers can be used in soap or put on the compost pile.

There are other ways to infuse oil, but this one is so simple that I’ll be doing more in the future. You can infuse about any herb or flower as long as it is dry.

Stay tuned for my next post on how I’m going to use this oil. Can’t wait to share!