Calendula: A Natural Summer Skin Soother

For many of us, another season of summer fun and sun can be pretty hard on the skin: heat rash, bug bites, sunburns, and various scrapes and bruises. One trip to the drug store promises relief in 1000+ varieties of creams and ointments with an ingredient list so long and complex a pocket dictionary is necessary just for translation. Well, if you’re looking for some topical relief without all of the synthetic chemical strings attached, look no further than a fabulous little flower called calendula.

This vibrant yellow flower is in the daisy family and looks a lot like your average marigold. In fact, its common name is “pot marigold”, but distinct botanical properties set calendula apart from true marigolds. It is native to the Mediterranean, but it is a versatile and hardy plant that is easy to grow with a little love and care in your backyard garden. Calendula has been used to treat to treat topical skin irritations for hundreds of years; these conditions include the following:

• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Bruises and abrasions
• Burns
• Poison oak and ivy
• Conjunctivitis

When used to treat skin irritations, calendula is applied to the affected area in the form of salves, creams, lotions, tinctures, and poultices. Lab studies have shown that calendula has antimicrobial properties, so it’s no surprise that it is a common ingredient in natural acne treatments and cosmetics. A very small portion of the population may have adverse reactions to calendula—a small rash or reddening of the skin—but those instances are very rare. To play it safe, always conduct a skin test on a small part of your forearm before you apply calendula to the irritated area—you don’t want to add another level of discomfort to your sunburned cheeks!