Benefits of Calendula

Have you ever noticed Calendula as an active ingredient in some of your favorite personal care products? I first noticed it in baby wash/shampoo, diaper cream, face cleanser, and even mineral sunscreen. That made me curious enough to do a little research, and then eventually, grow the flower in my garden. Turns out, there are lots of benefits of Calendula.

What is Calendula?

Calendula (the kind I’m discussing here has the official name Calendula Officinalis) is a type of annual flowering plant often referred to as Pot Marigold, though it looks more like a cheery yellow daisy. Butterflies love it, bees love it, and you’ll love it too once you learn about some of its benefits and experience it for yourself.

This is a flower you’ll want to add to your next garden, or grow in a pot near a window. Calendula is incredibly easy to grow and is low maintenance…. just make sure it gets enough sunlight.

While many people ingest calendula by tea or tincture for its internal benefits, I’ve personally only used it [so far] externally for its wound healing and skin benefits. So, here are some of those external benefits of calendula…

1. It has tremendous healing capabilities.

In the middle ages, Calendula flowers were used in treatment for snake bites! Today, it’s commonly used to help heal things ranging from bug bites to bee stings, burns, cuts, and rashes, to varicosis, hemorrhoids, and foot/leg ulcers.

In one study, Calendula ointment was even found to help speed up wound healing after c-section!

It may also be used to prevent radiation therapy dermatitis. I made a batch of Calendula oil for my mom to put on her skin when she was undergoing radiation for breast cancer earlier this year, and thankfully, she did not develop any dermatitis of the skin.

2. It may soothe and help heal diaper rash.

Calendula has demonstrated powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects, and it works well to soothe the skin. This is why you’ll often find the ingredient in diaper rash creams and ointments.

3. It can help fight acne.

With its antibacterial and anti-microbial properties, Calendula has cleansing and detoxifying effects on the skin.

4. It moisturizes skin.

The natural oils in the calendula plant are rich in fatty acids, which helps to nourish and moisturize the skin.

5. May help reduce the appearance of scars.

Calendula has been shown to have skin regenerative properties by assisting with cell rejuvenation.

6. It may provide Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

One small study found the Calendula officinalis flower to have a natural SPF. Findings of this study suggested that “Calendula oil cream can be used to protect the skin from UV radiations in form of sunscreen cream and to maintain the natural pigmentation of the skin.” (source)

While this may be true, more information is needed, so it’s recommended to continue using your trusted and tested SPF when needed.

Important to note:

While it does have many benefits, Calendula shouldn’t be used by those who are allergic to the Asteraceae family of plants (such as ragweed, chamomile, and Echinacea). Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid Calendula, as it may potentially cause miscarriage by inducing menstruation. Calendula may also negatively interact with sedatives, diabetic and blood pressure medications, so talk to your doctor before using calendula if you’re on these types of medications.

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