Calendula Baby Lotion

One of my daughter's favorite baby products is the calendula baby lotion I made in preparation for the new arrival.  This lotion is made with olive oil infused with calendula blossoms, cocoa butter, coconut oil, aloe vera gel and beeswax. Simple ingredients that are perfect for a baby's sensitive skin.

Sweet dreams, baby Mercy!

Making lotion can be simple once you master the basic process and this lotion makes skin feel so soft that you will want to share it with the whole family. Expectant moms love the way it moisturizes their precious "baby bump".

Click Read More (below) to see the complete post.

Calendula Baby Lotion

Don't be afraid to give this recipe a try.  I think you will love it as much as I do!

Assemble your Supplies

2 cup glass measuring cup 
1 cup glass measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Pan for heating water

Wooden stir stick (chop sticks and wooden skewers work great)

Immersion blender
Container for blending using the immersion blender
Scale that measures ounces

Small jars to store the lotion

Calendula infusing in olive oil and beeswax pastiles.

Gather the Ingredients

1 C organic olive oil

1/2 C dried calendula flowers

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

2 Tablespoons cocoa butter

3/4 ounce beeswax (I like the pastiles.)

1//4 C bottled aloe vera juice

3/4 C filtered or distilled water (I use water from my Big Berkey water filter.)

The Process

• To create calendula infused olive oil, place 1/2 cup dried calendula blossoms in a 2 cup glass measuring cup and pour in 1 cup of olive oil.

 (Calendula is one of the most common herbs used for baby body care and has many medicinal uses.  Check out my Calendula Officinalis blog post to learn how to grow and use this herb.)

• Make sure the oil completely covers the plant material.  Give it a stir as you want the dried flowers completely covered in oil.

• Place the cup in a pan of water and heat over a very low flame for 4 - 8 hours. The longer you heat the oil the more medicinal the oil will be. 

 (I love to infuse calendula in olive oil during the summer months when the flowers are in bloom in my garden.  Want to learn how?  Check out my Herbal Oil Infusions post.)

• Allow the oil to cool and then strain using a nylon jelly bag.  Squeeze until all the oil is out of the plant material.  You will need 3/4 C for this recipe. Save an left over oil in the fridge for another project, like diaper rash salve.

The olive oil extracts the color and medicinal properties from the herb.

• Measure 2 Tablespoons each of the coconut oil and cocoa butter.

• Weigh the beeswax.  You will need 3/4 ounce.

Cocoa butter and coconut oil are solids at room temperature.

• Place calendula infused oil, cocoa butter, and coconut oil in a 2 cup glass measuring cup along with the beeswax.

Olive oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil and beeswax are melted together.

• Place the cup holding the oil, butter, and beeswax mixture into a pan of water. 

Heat slowly, the water should not boil.

• Simmer slowly stirring occasionally until the wax has melted.  Remove from heat.

Remove from heat when the beeswax has melted completely.

• Pour the melted oil mixture into a container with a bottom just large enough that the head of the immersion blender fits snugly.  The container pictured below came with my immersion blender.

A container with a narrow bottom is essential for successful blending.

• Allow the oil mixture to cool to room temperature.  I left mine cool for 3 hours.

Cooled oils are opaque and solid.

• Give the solid mixture a stir to loosen it from the sides of the container for better blending.

Stir it up to make blending easier.

• Pour 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel in a 1 cup glass measuring cup.

(I freeze the left over gel in ice cube trays to preserve it.  Two large ice cubes equal about 1/4 C.)

• Add 3/4 filtered or distilled water to the aloe vera to create a total of 1 cup. (Note that water and oil mixtures both need to be at room temperature for successful emulsifying.)

One cup total for the aloe/water mixture.

• Pour the water, all at once, into the blending container right on top of the oil mixture.

Water on top of oil mixture in blending container.

• Place the head of the immersion blender on the bottom of the blending container and pulse.

An immersion blender is essential for emulsification.

• Keep pulsing while slowing lifting the blender up to incorporate more oils and water.

As the oils and water blends, white lotion appears on the bottom.

• As the oils and water mix, the lotion will turn white.  Keep blending until all the oils and water are blended into creamy white lotion.

The emulsifying is complete when the mixture is all white.

• Scoop finished lotion into jars.  Place those you will not immediately use into the fridge to extend their shelf life.

When cleaning the blender and blending container, test out the lotion by spreading it on your arms and legs.  You won't want to waste a drop!  To facilitate easy cleaning wipe the last bit of lotion out of the container and off the blender with a paper towel before washing.

Want more lotion making tips?  Check out my blog post Homemade Lotion for even more information.

Sourcing Ingredients

Check your local co-op or a Trader Joe's store to find organic olive oil, aloe vera gel, and coconut oil.

Mountain Rose Herbs has dried calendula flowers, organic oils of all kinds, beeswax pastiles, and aloe vera gel.  You can even purchase oil that has already been infused with calendula.