You’ll want to add calendula soap to your soap-making recipe collection! It makes a beautiful, beneficial soap for the whole family.
Calendula is an powerhouse flower that can be used for so many applications.
In fact, it’s a very versatile, as well as enjoyable flower to have in the garden every year.
From medicinal to culinary purposes, you’ll want to take advantage of growing calendula and making not only this soap recipe, but so many other things.
Calendula properties and benefits
Calendula is widely known for:
- Healing wounds
- Antiseptic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory qualities
- Treatment for bruises, burns, sores, skin infections, skin ulcers and rashes
- Clearing “cradle cap” in babies
- Remedy for thrush
- Alleviating stomach issues
- Detox and lymphatic drainage aid
(Source: Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide.)
And those are really just the highlights! People also enjoy using the edible calendula blooms in salads.
As we look at just the topical uses, it’s easy to see why calendula makes a wonderfully beneficial ingredient to incorporate into soap.
Personally- after fighting skin issues, including acne and dry skin for years – I stopped using all store bought soaps and body washes.
I either make my own soap bars, or use castile soap diluted with water and essential oils, if I need a liquid version.
You really don’t need antibacterial soaps loaded with chemicals- which also kill beneficial bacteria and lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Use calendula soap instead for those same benefits, in a natural form.
How to make calendula soap bars
Making this soap is SO simple, you’ll hardly believe you haven’t made it sooner.
You’ll want to choose a soap mold, first. If you don’t have one already, this is the one used in the recipe below. I like that it makes pretty soaps that I can also gift to friends.
Next, sourcing the calendula powder. If you have your own calendula growing in the garden, you’ll need to wash and dry them in a warm place indoors for a few weeks until they’re completely dry.
Otherwise, you can purchase calendula powder form a reputable source such as Starwest Botanicals.
The great thing is, a little powder goes a long way. You should be able to make this recipe several times with one four-ounce bag of calendula powder.
Lastly, you’ll need a glycerin melt-and-pour soap base. It’s usually cheapest to buy it in a 5-lb block (especially organic), although you might be able to find a quality version in smaller quantities at your local natural health/food stores.
It’s really a simple process of melting the soap base, stirring and incorporating the ingredients, and then letting the mixture set up in a the molds for a few hours.
See the full recipe below for detailed instructions on how to make this DIY calendula soap!
How to make Calendula Soap: Recipe
Beautiful calendula soap bars are so beneficial for the skin, and also make wonderful gifts for friends.
Ingredients
- 1 lb glycerin melt and pour soap base
- 1/4 cup calendula powder
- 20-25 drops of essential oil* (optional)
Instructions
1. Cut up the melt and pour soap base into small squares.
2. Melt in the microwave on low heat for 30 seconds at a time. Stir in between until it is completely melted.
3. Add in your essential oils (if using them--see notes). Stir to mix.
4. Next, add in the calendula powder and stir thoroughly. Wait for it to cool for a bit so the calendula powder is mixed throughout the entire soap.
5. Then, pour into your mold. Wait a few hours or overnight until it is hard. Take out of your mold and enjoy!
Notes
*Do your research and carefully choose quality essential oils that are skin-friendly .
You might also like:
Could I use calendula infused oil instead of powder?
I think you could get the same effect with the infused oil. Let us know if you try it!