Calendula Infused Oil, in 3 days, shelf stable 

Ohh, moving is always stressful but exciting too! New beginnings. Thanks for taking time out to watch my videos.

Thank you. That’s a wonderful sentiment. This is just a small thing but every bit helps. Thanks for watching and I hope this salve helps you too.

Thanks Bonnie. I’m so glad you enjoy my content. Have a great evening.

I love this new method of infusing. It really cuts down on time and you can make it more easily when you need it. I just made 40 of these for my niece’s wedding guest favours. They turned out really nice. Thanks for watching

That’s wonderful. This really does help heal to topical rashes etc. very useful to have it on hand. Thanks for watching, I appreciate the support.

You’ll love this. It works great, very healing. Thanks for watching.

Yes ,you’re right. I see commercial products using calendula for diaper rash too. I read to use penny size amount on inside of elbow as a skin test. Thanks for sharing and watching.

Hello Spain. This method of using alcohol as an intermediary does help extract more of the herbs benefits and it keeps longer. I love this method because it’s so fast to make. It’s really nice to have these homemade salves on hand.

So glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.

I’ve done the long version too and both work. Thanks for watching and sharing.

@@suzyrebelo I will use tea bags for the powder those coffee filters take too long lol. What do you do with the powder after infusion?

Hi there. I’ve tried using it in a facial scrub …,honestly, it’s a mess in the sink and your pipes. You could save it to use as a poultice, wrap in cloth and apply it to rash or injured area. If you’re a soap maker I’m sure you could add some to that too.

The carrier oil can be different oils depending on your preference. I like using sunflower oil as it has some vitamin e. Also, it’s edible , so no harm in licking it , if used on a pet. I use 8 oz oil and 1oz dried calendula flowers. Thanks for sharing and watching.

Yes you’re right. I just looked it up and dandelion oil is good at reducing aches and pains and relieving stress. They use it as a massage oil. Yes you can use same method. Make sure flowers are super dry before infusing. I’m not 100% on quantities, flowers to oil ratio. I’m going to guess the same as calendula but I need to investigate more. This is another great use for dandelions, I love using the root as a coffee substitute. Thanks for sharing and watching

@@suzyrebelo Thank you so much for your quick reply.

I love this method. It really saves on time and works great. Calendula salve is always on hand and heal scraps ,cuts etc quickly. Thanks for watching

Hi there. I bought my thermometer so long ago I can’t even find the brand. Look up instant read thermometers. I’m sure they have even better ones out now I bought the best one I could afford and I use it for everything. It’s a very helpful tool in the kitchen. Hope this helps, thanks for watching.

Nice. That will be great , healing and moisturizing. Thanks for watching.

Hello Virginia. Yes you can use this as your oil in a lotion or butter. It would be so healing as well as moisturizing. Wonderful idea. Thanks for watching.

Well it doesn’t get better than that. You’ll be able to make a lot of this. Thanks for sharing and watching.

Hi there. The amount is so minimal that It’s not enough alcohol to dry your skin. It does however help extract more of those healing properties found in the calendula flower. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.

The alcohol is key for this quick method of extraction and infusion. If you prefer not to use alcohol, just add oil to the calendula flowers and place in a dark cupboard for 6 - 8 weeks. I’ve used this method too and it works just as well. There is also the hot bath method, keep temp below 120 degree F and infuse for 4 hours or longer. You will see the colour of the oil deepen as the flowers release their properties. Hope this helps and thanks for watching.

Yes, you’re correct. 40%. Just the regular vodka purchased at the liquor store. Thanks for watching and I hope this salve helps.

The infused oil is dependent on the shelf life of the oil you’re using. Ie sunflower oil has shelf life of 2 years. The alcohol helps the extraction of the plant properties plus helps extend the shelf life. So does sterilizing jars and tools you’re using. My infused oil keeps for a year or more. However, if it smells off at any time , I discard it. I use vodka because it’s edible , safe if your pet happens to lick it. It’s still effective. Hope this helps.

Hello. I add hot water and a drop of dish soap and I blend on low then increase speed to clean my blender. I do final wash and rinse by hand. I’ve never had an issue but take extra care if you have specific allergies. Hope this helps and thank for watching

Hi there. That’s perfect drying technique. Nothing better than pure sunshine. As long as they are completely dry, they perfect to go ahead and make the salve.

The alcohol helps the calendula give up its beneficial properties so the oil can more easily absorb them. It also makes it possible to infuse the oil in a shorter period of time. The alcohol also helps preserve the infused oil for longer. Hope this helps.

I’ve read rosemary is good for your hair. I believe you can infuse it into water by heating and then steeping fresh rosemary for 5 min. Use as a rinse or leave in. Another method is to infuse it into apple cider ginger for a few week. I’ll have to research it more to find out how well it works. It’s always nice to have homemade alternatives. Good luck.

I find it easier on my blender to make one batch at a time. However, I did make 60 gifts sizes salves for my nieces wedding and in that case I doubled it . I worked out but I had to let the blender cool down in between. Hope this helps and thanks for watching

THANK YOU !@@suzyrebelo

Infused oil and salve are basically the same. It just depends on how you want to apply it. The oil you can put in a spray bottle or in a bottle with a dropper. This is how I apply it on my dog, because of his hair. The salve is nice for a topical skin application . I’ve used the spray oil on a burn because it was too tender to touch. These are just a few ways to use it. All are for topical applications. To make the salve use a ratio of 1 oz beeswax to 6 oz of oil. Melt wax in a double boiler on low heat , remove from heat and add oil and stir to melt and combine both. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching

@@suzyrebelo thanks. I'll try that. I appreciate the quick reply!!!

No problem. I know when I’m inspired to make something, I want to make it right away. Glad to help. Let me know how it works for you. Have a good day 😊

Hello. So it’s 8 oz oil to 1 oz of calendula flowers to 1/2 oz of alcohol. I’ve only ever doubled the batch. Making about 16 oz of infused oil at a time. I made 60 (1oz) containers for my nieces wedding guests. However, I only infused or blended 16 oz at a time. Once all my oil was infused , I then made the salve in double batches until filling all my containers. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.

Hi there. I bought mine on Amazon. They are organic whole flowers from Egypt. I got a 16 oz bag which was tons, more than I expected so you won’t need as much. You’re only using 1 oz of flowers per 8 oz of oil. Thanks for watching.

Hi there. Thanks so much for watching. I understand your question but I’m uncertain of the answer. My guess is the alcohol content as not to destroy any essential herb properties. Also, it’s not harmful if ingested like you said. I’ll have to research that more. I believe the alcohol is what makes the herb more readily give up its beneficial properties. I’ve made this without the alcohol and it worked too. Thanks for watching

Hi there. I have never heard of this oil being used in hair or if it has any benefits. I can see it helping an inflamed scalp but not on hair. I’ll have to look into oil or rinses that are good for hair. Maybe rosemary or argon? Hopes this helps. Thanks for watching.

That’s great news. If your oil darkened then the flowers have infused including their colour. My oil becomes golden coloured once infused. Keep it in a cool dark cupboard preferably dark glass Let me know how it works for you.

I should mention I started with sunflower oil which is very light yellow in colour.

Also, I just used the calendula oil on my dogs rash that was all over his tummy . The rash started clearing in the first day and by day 3 the dog was no longer scratching. The rash was almost gone in 5 days. His skin is back to normal, calendula heals really nicely.

Hi Suzy and thanks for your quick reply! I used grapeseed oil which was light as well. The color is now a murky, greenish yellow that is barely settling out tiny fragments at the bottom. Can't see through it. I was mostly concerned about spoiling sooner if there are still flower fragments in there? It's about 10 oz of finished product; I used about 10 oz of lightly packed and dried flowers then followed your recipe.

@@juliehorney995 Hi there i used 8 - 10 oz of oil for every 1 oz of dried flowers = about 10 oz final product. If you used 10 oz of dried flowers then logic would indicate your concentration of calendula is going to be stronger. I cant tell you how much stronger though, it does account for the cloudy dark colour. If this is the case, test out the oils healing power , as is, on small area of your skin. Alternatively, dilute your calendula oil infusion by adding just oil to it. for example, take 1 oz of finished infused oil and add 1 oz plain oil, test it and so on. I still think it will have equivalent healing powers but just wouldn't look as clear and yellow . ps if the cloudiness really bothers you, filter the oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter, allow to drip overnight...it takes a long time. hope this helps.

You can infuse in dark warm cupboard for about 3 weeks It works that way too. The warm oil helps absorb all those beneficial properties of the plant. I’ve done it both ways and it works. Thanks for watching.

@@suzyrebelo thank you for your reply. One more question please... If I were to use a crock pot, how long should the oil simmer, and should I put the lid on the jar without tightening it all the way (to allow pressure to escape), or does the lid need to be tight? I'm asking because I don't want pressure to build up in the jar, risking breakage.

Funny you should ask. I’m working on another salve that needs to be warmed in a water bath for 4 hrs in order to infuse. The water bath should be around 120 degrees F. I’ve made it in a pot before but you have to constantly heat the water then turn it off to maintain the temp. Your oil and herb should be in a jar with the lid on it. I’m going to test this method using a crock pot. The lid should be off. The low setting on my crock pot I believe is 170 degree F with lid on. I need to see if I can maintain 120 degree with the lid off. I’ll let you know. You don’t want to overheat the oil because it will destroy the herbs healing properties. Thanks for watching. I’ll get back to you on this.

Sorry I forgot. The lid should be loose and the oil should only be warm. 120degrees isn’t very hot. I use the lid to ensure no water gets in the oil. You could also warm the oil in a large measuring cup taking care not to drip water in the oil. And it should infuse for 4 hours. Hope this makes sense.

@@suzyrebelo YES! Everything you said makes sense. Thank you so very much!!!

I’ve never used gin but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work the same way as vodka. After all, it’s the alcohol content that makes the herbs more receptive to infusion. I don’t want to steer you wrong because I’ve never tried it but I think it would work. Thanks for watching.

@@suzyrebelo I'll try it 👍 thank you getting back to me.