infused Calendula

[Marilyn Norgart]

I hope this is the right spot for this. I have been researching infusing calendula and I found a lot of info but would like to ask you guys if you do do it what is your process?

 

[steffamarie]

Last week I did a hot infusion for soaping where I took all my liquid oils and put them in a jar with my calendula and then let it sit in a pan of hot water (not even simmering, just staying hot) for several hours. If I had like 6 weeks I would just throw some oil (olive or rice bran or something) into a container that seals like a mason jar or hermetic glass container and leave it in a dark, cool place for as long as humanly possible.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Last week I did a hot infusion for soaping where I took all my liquid oils and put them in a jar with my calendula and then let it sit in a pan of hot water (not even simmering, just staying hot) for several hours. If I had like 6 weeks I would just throw some oil (olive or rice bran or something) into a container that seals like a mason jar or hermetic glass container and leave it in a dark, cool place for as long as humanly possible.

thanks Steff--did you have a lid on it? I wonder what would happen if I sealed in a canning jar and put in my insta pot for awhile.....hmmmmmm

 

[amd]

A soap friend of mine gave me some annatto seed and alkanet for infusing. Her instructions were to put it in the microwave for 1 minute to infuse. I haven't done it yet, but the soaps she has made are gorgeous. I have done calendula infusions in the jar and leave it alone for a few weeks (or months, as I tend to forget about things).

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I plan on growing some calendula this year--I grow nasturtiums every year and have been wondering about infusing them (they are spicy, but don't know if that would come through or not) I think the colors would be nice

 

[Obsidian]

I just tossed the petals in a jar and covered with oil for a few weeks.
I strain most out when I weight the oils for a recipe but I'll add some of the soggy petals back to the oils and blend really well.
They get chopped up and make pretty speckles in the soap.

 

[KiwiSoap]

This is timely information for me! My jar of dried petals is packed so I'll prepare another jar to start infusing this weekend.

 

[Dawni]

I have a jar of calendula infusing in olive oil that's been sitting for more than a month. Was planning to make a balm with it.

I've read mixed info on it. Some people say leave it near a sunny window, some say leave it away from sun. The one infusing now is in the kitchen, definitely not cool n dark there so when I do make the balm I'll be constantly checking if things go rancid quickly or it was ok what I did.

I infused some lavender in sweet almond oil, part I mixed with mango butter. It's what Dustin gets in his before bedtime massages. The oil I use on my hair. That one I let sit in my slow cooker, on top of a towel, for about 6hrs on low. It's still fine, no rancid smell yet at about 3mos. I imagine calendula should be the same?

 

[dixiedragon]

I've only done it once. I used liquid coconut oil because I was making a basic salve for dogs - nothing but calendula-infused coconut and some Vitamin E. I put it in the sunny window in a mason jar. I think it made the coconut go a touch off - it definitely had a different smell. Next time I'll try it on the stove vs a few weeks in the sun.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Mountain Rose Herbs has good information on herbal infusions in oil the way the pros do it, including a heat-infusion for those of us who don't have enough patience for the sun to do its job.

Personally, I make infused oils on the range top. I use a stainless steel 9" fry pan; spread the dry herb on the bottom; cover with oil to an inch above the dried herb; simmer as low as the burner will go for 3-4 hours, or enough for the oil to have some depth of color. My favorite oils for infusion are olive oil or HO sunflower oil because of the long shelf life. I add ROE and vitamin E antioxidants to extend shelf life as well.

Unless you're planning on make gallons, don't make the mistake I first made of buying a pound of dried calendula! It came in a HUGE bag that took forever to use up. I've since learned to buy the 4-ounce size from Monterey Bay Spice Co

While you're at it, to make it more economical, you might as well pick up a few other herbs, using ideas from the Mountain Rose site for herbal balms & salves. Good stuff to have around.

 

[user 29721]

The easiest I found is the same as the "quick" method from Mountain Rose Herbs, also it was featured in Making Soap magazine (HSCG publication). Mix 1 oz of dry herb and 15 oz of oil in a mason jar, cover with the lid and put in slow cooker filled with enough water up to the oil level. Put on Low for at least 6 hours. Turn off and let naturally cool down. Strain and use.

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

I use calendula petals mainly for colour. It gives my soap a nice pale yellow shade which seems to last well. I just put the petals in the hot lye mixture and then add the lot to the oils and blitz. No waiting required apart from letting the lye cool a bit before adding to the oils. The petals get chopped up so fine you can't really see them in the yellow soap (but I also have poppy seeds which might hide the calendula a bit.) I have also added the petals straight to the soap batter before pouring for a nice white soap with yellow speckles.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I use calendula petals mainly for colour. It gives my soap a nice pale yellow shade which seems to last well. ... I have also added the petals straight to the soap batter before pouring for a nice white soap with yellow speckles.

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

Ha! The only pic I have of this soap is when I posted asking for helping with ashing. The Lemongrass and poppy seed soap with the calendula as a colourant is in the middle, you can see the yellow colour in the centre of the soap, the rest has ashed. It is a nice, pale, cool lemon colour under the ash!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Thanks for sharing, Julia. You might want to try giving your bars a water bath to rinse off the ash... if you haven't already tried that. Spritzing with isopropyl alcohol usually does the trick also.

I don't know why, but poppy seeds in soap always makes me hungry!

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

Thanks Zany, but this ash goes right into the soap. I have tried soaping at higher temperatures and CPOPing with some success. But there are many other threads about ash so I won't hijack this one any further.