By Angela Clifton, Founder of Edenwild
quick answer: Calendula is a golden flower that herbalists have used on skin for centuries. It's still one of the most loved botanicals in skincare because it is so gentle. Research on its flavonoids, triterpenoids and carotenoids helps explain its long reputation for soothing dry, irritated skin. It helps skin hold onto moisture and brings antioxidant support. Calendula is gentle enough for little ones and sensitive skin at any age. The one caution is a known allergy to the daisy family.
what is calendula?
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is often called pot marigold. It's a bright orange herb with deep roots in European folk herbalism. For generations families kept a jar of calendula oil or salve on the kitchen shelf for whatever their skin needed that week.
You'll usually find calendula in skincare in one of two forms:
- calendula-infused oil: dried flowers steeped slowly in a carrier oil like jojoba so the oil takes on the flower's compounds. This is the form we use.
- calendula extract: a more concentrated form made with water or alcohol. It's common in lighter water-based formulas.
Both bring calendula's benefits to skin. Infused oil is especially at home in balms and oil serums because it blends right in with the other oils.
what calendula does for skin
soothes the look of redness
Calendula is rich in flavonoids like quercetin and triterpenoids like faradiol. Research on these compounds helps explain why calendula has such a long history of soothing irritated skin. Skin that feels red, tight or uncomfortable tends to look and feel more at ease with regular use.
helps skin hold onto moisture
Calendula-infused oils support a comfortable moisture barrier. That matters most for skin that runs dry or gets irritated easily, where moisture slips away faster than it should.
brings antioxidant support
Carotenoids give calendula its golden color. Along with its flavonoids they act as antioxidants that help skin stand up to everyday stressors like dry air, wind and cold. That's why calendula belongs in skincare for mature skin as much as baby care.
stays gentle on sensitive skin
Calendula is one of the gentlest botanicals there is. Most people with reactive skin tolerate it well, and it has been part of baby care for generations.
how to use calendula for skin
dry, itchy patches
Smooth a calendula-infused balm onto dry or irritated areas once or twice a day. Using it consistently matters more than using a lot.
your little one's skin
A calendula balm is a gentle choice for the diaper area, wind-chapped cheeks and anywhere your little one's skin looks pink or rough. A thin layer at each change is plenty.
hands, lips and heels
Calendula balm is lovely on the places that take the most wear. Work a small amount into dry hands before bed, over chapped lips or onto rough heels.
after a day outside
Wind, cold and long days in the sun can leave skin feeling tight. A calendula oil or balm helps it feel comfortable again.
your face
Calendula is a beautiful everyday ingredient for sensitive or reactive faces. Use a calendula balm as your night moisturizer or a calendula serum in your morning routine.
is calendula safe for babies?
Calendula has been part of baby care for generations, and it's one of the botanicals I trust most for little ones. It's gentle enough for the diaper area, dry patches and everyday care. Choose organic calendula when you can.
If your family has a history of ragweed or daisy-family allergies, check with your pediatrician before using calendula regularly. Reactions are rare but possible.
calendula vs. chamomile
Calendula and chamomile are both gentle daisy-family flowers, and they're often used together. Each one brings something a little different.
| calendula | chamomile | |
|---|---|---|
| best known for | comforting dry, irritated skin | calming sensitive, stressed skin |
| key compounds | flavonoids, triterpenoids, carotenoids | bisabolol, chamazulene, apigenin |
| skin types | all, especially dry or irritated | all, especially sensitive or reactive |
| used together? | yes | yes |
We pair them because they complement each other. Calendula brings comfort and antioxidants. Chamomile brings calm.
who should be careful with calendula
Calendula is very well tolerated. The one real exception is a known allergy to the daisy family (Asteraceae), which includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, daisies and marigolds. Chamomile is in the same family. If that's you, try any new calendula product on a small area of skin before using it everywhere.
where you'll find calendula at Edenwild
Calendula is one of three botanicals we slow-infuse into jojoba oil, alongside chamomile and marshmallow root. That infusion goes into every one of our tallow balms, where it's blended with grass-fed and finished tallow from suet. You'll also find it in our Alpenglow serum and our Creamsicle lip balm.
- Happy Baby Balm: calendula, chamomile, marshmallow root and colloidal oatmeal for sensitive skin at any age, babies included.
- Golden Root Antioxidant Balm: calendula with frankincense resin and sea buckthorn, formulated for aging, mature and sun-stressed skin.
- Morning Dew Balm: calendula with camellia, argan and black cumin seed oils for an everyday glow on any skin.
- Nectar Serum: calendula with vitamin c, bakuchiol for aging, mature skin.
- Alpenglow Serum: calendula, yarrow and sea buckthorn in a serum with no essential oils.
- Creamsicle Tallow Lip Balm: calendula-infused jojoba with tallow and beeswax for soft, comfortable lips.
Want to see everything that goes into Edenwild and what never will? Start with our ingredient glossary and our never list.
a note from our founder
Edenwild started with my oldest daughter's sensitive skin. I wanted ingredients I could trust completely, and calendula was one of the easiest choices I made. It isn't trendy. It's simply what families have reached for for generations when skin needed comfort.
That's why it's in almost everything I make. Every balm on our shelf starts with the same slow calendula infusion. Happy Baby Balm is what I use on both of my girls today, and the same flower is working in Golden Root for skin that's lived a few more years.
If you're new to calendula, start simple. Pick one balm and use it every day for a couple of weeks. Then pay attention to how your skin feels.
skincare rooted in transparency
Ancestral Formulas, Made for Modern Families
Every Edenwild formula starts with a question: would we put this on our daughters' skin? If the answer is no, it doesn't make the cut. Formulated near Yellowstone.
If our philosophy resonates with you, you'll want to join the Collective, where we dive deep into ingredients and offer exclusive surprises and discounts.
read next
- wyoming approach to wellness: simple, rooted, intentional
- how to build a non-toxic, ancestral skincare routine
- antioxidants for skin: why the delivery systems matters as much as the ingredient
- an ancestral skincare routine for sensitive skin
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