How to Infuse Calendula in Olive Oil for Soapmaking | Grandma’s Journal

🌼 Grandma’s Journal

Infusing Calendula in Olive Oil

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There was nearly always a jar of calendula oil sitting somewhere in Grandma’s soap shed.

You’d find it tucked along a shelf, filled with golden petals and olive oil, looking for all the world like a little jar of captured sunshine.

Grandma never hurried an herb infusion.

“Some things need time to give up their goodness,” she’d say.

She began with fully dried calendula petals. That part mattered. Fresh flowers still held moisture, and moisture had no business hiding in a jar of oil meant to sit awhile.

She filled a clean, dry jar about halfway with the dried petals, then poured olive oil over them until every last petal was covered. A little extra oil went on top, making sure the herbs stayed beneath the surface.

Then came the waiting.

The jar was closed and set in a warm, quiet place away from harsh sunlight. Every day or two, Grandma gave it a gentle turn or shake and watched those golden petals drift through the oil.

There it rested for four to six weeks.

Slowly, the olive oil took on the lovely character of the calendula. When Grandma decided it was ready, she strained the oil carefully through a fine cheese cloth, squeezing out what she could before composting the spent petals.

The finished calendula-infused olive oil went into a clean, dry bottle and was kept somewhere cool and dark until soapmaking day.

And Grandma always wrote the date on the jar.

Because she knew better than to trust her memory when there were three soap batches curing, herbs hanging from the rafters, and a kettle needing attention.

🌼 A Note from Grandma’s Soap Shed

For oil infusions, use fully dried calendula and clean, completely dry jars and tools. Water introduced into an herbal oil can encourage spoilage.

Calendula-infused olive oil may be used as part or all of the olive oil called for in a soap recipe. Always run the complete soap formula through a trusted lye calculator before making changes to the oils or amounts.

“A jar of golden petals, a little patience, and time. That’s how sunshine found its way into Grandma’s soap pot.” 🌼

-Soapmaking Hobby 🤍

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🌼 Calendula-Infused Olive Oil

What You’ll Need

• Fully dried calendula petals

• Olive oil

• Clean, completely dry glass jar

• Fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth

• Clean bottle or jar for storing

Grandma’s Slow Method

1. Fill the jar about halfway with dried calendula petals.

2. Pour olive oil over the petals until they are completely covered.

3. Make sure all of the petals remain beneath the oil.

4. Close the jar and place it in a warm spot away from direct sunlight.

5. Gently turn or shake the jar every day or two.

6. Allow to infuse for 4–6 weeks.

7. Strain well and pour the finished oil into a clean, dry container.

8. Label with the name and date and store in a cool, dark place.

Grandma’s Note 🌼
Use only fully dried calendula and keep water out of the jar. For soapmaking, calendula-infused olive oil can replace some or all of the regular olive oil in a recipe. It is best to use within 3-6 months after straining. You can add a drop of Vitamin E oil to help preserve your infusion.

“A handful of golden flowers, a jar of olive oil, and a little time.” 💛

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