Calendula Oil

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azimuth

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I have a bottle of Calendula oil. I would love to use it, but see no entry on SoapCalc in which to enter it into my recipe. How would I use it? many thanks -
 
You need to know what the carrier oil is as it is probably olive/almond/sunflower infused with calendula petals. The manufacturer/supplier should be able to provide that information.
 
Hi Azimuth! In order to make soap you will have to have it chemically or molecularity analyzed to determine what carrier oil it is - if it is a single oil and not a mixture. You can not guess since each carrier oil has a different saponification value. You would be making soap "in the dark" and this would be dangerous. I would try to find another use for it - no idea comes to mind right now. Wish I had better news for you. :sad:
 
Unless you paid a gazillion dollars for it, its not pure calendula oil but an infused carrier oil. Do you have the link to the seller on ebay?
 
yes that is my thoughts. I will only be making a balm or a body butter out of it, apparently. I have written to the seller. Hopefully she will be honest enough to tell me what carrier she used :)
 
NaOH saponification values in my notes for olive, sunflower, soybean, and high oleic safflower are 0.135-0.136. Almond is 0.137. Regular safflower is 0.138. These are all close enough as to make never-no-mind.

If you think the base oil for the infusion is one of these, I'd pick 0.135 for the sap value of your mystery infusion (the smallest number means you will end up with the smallest amount of lye), use a moderate superfat, and go for it.
 
I would use this "calendula oil" in a proportion of 5%. With 5% super fat everything should be ok.
 
I make my own calendula infused olive oil and use it in soap, lotions, lip balm, lotion bars and hand balm. Love the stuff.


Oh I should try it in my Lip Balm!!! I haven't tried that yet.

Well, I don't make lotion, but that's because I don't use preservatives.
 
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