SARAH BUSCHO

Commonly known as “pot marigold,” calendula’s bright orange flowering tops bloom almost year round in our California garden.

Edible and medicinal calendula petals can be sprinkled into salads for a little color, while simultaneously offering anti-viral and pain reduction benefits. In fact, they are so vibrant that there is a history of using them as a dye for food, fabric and cosmetics.

Calendula flowers stand out thanks to their fantastic benefits for the skin, as well. They are practically magic when used topically to help sooth acne and inflammation. They speed tissue healing, but are gentle enough for even babies’ skin.

We dry the flowering tops of the calendula we grow and use the petals in our Exfoliant Mask (along with rose petals and lavender buds). Grinding and blending the flower petals is such a rich and aromatic experience. Calendula can also be infused into oil to put into creams, salves and ointments.

It is one of nature's superheroes for the skin.