Calendula is probably one of the most useful of all herbs. It has valuable medicinal properties, yields a yellow dye, and can be used as a culinary herb and for cosmetic purposes. The botanical name comes from the latin calendulae meaning ‘throughout the months’, which was intended to emphasise the very long flowering period. It doesn’t often grow wild, and is easy to cultivate.

Marigold is the best oil for skin diseases in general. Use it for any dry skin problems, and as drops for sore, dry noses. You would use it as the base for a cream.

How to make marigold oil

Part used: flower

2-3 oz dried herb
1 cup olive oil
(The basic here is enough oil to barely cover your quantity of herbs--fresh or dry)

Put the dried herb into a pyrex, ceramic or stainless steel double boiler (do not use reactive metals such as iron or aluminum) and cover with olive oil. Very gently, heat the oil and herbs for 1 to 2 hours, keeping temperature well below boiling, about 100--150 degrees. Stir often. Heat until herbs feel "crispy" and done (a somewhat intuitive measure, I admit--just use the clock if this is not your style). Strain the oil through a clean cloth into an appropriate container.

I prefer using oils to creams and at this point funnel the oil into a bottle with a pour spout for easy use. Always lable your products with a complete list of igredients and date.

Note on using fresh herbs: Fresh herbs contain water which can shorten the shelf life of your oil (usually 1-3 years) to a few weeks. If your fresh herb oil will not be used up quickly, the water can be removed by allowing the oil to stand for two weeks without agitation. The oil will then have separated from the water and can be siphoned or poured off into a new, clean container for storage--preferably in a cool, dark place.