Calendula - the soothing flower for your skin.

Today I was playing with Calendula flowers. I was simply making tea for myself but when I poured hot water over dry Calendula flowers, magic happened. My cup of Marigold tea has turned into a 'poetic thing', kind of sort of... :) I took some pictures... hope you like them.

I use Calendula officinalis (Marigold) on a daily basis. This flower is very well suited for sensitive skin and skin inflammation due to infection or physical irritation. It can also be used on wounds, bleeding, bruises... Herbalists often use it as the key ingredient in healing skin ointments.
I prepare a Calendula infusion every morning and use it as a soothing hydrating mist or as an addition to the raw sensitive skin masks I create throughout the day. 
I also use Calendula infused oil for facial massage in face masks and in face oil blends.
Powdered Calendula flowers can be added to ground up oatmeal, to form a lovely home made face scrub.
Calendula tea makes a good remedy for indigestion,  gall-bladder and liver problems, gastric and duodenal ulcers as well as for menopausal problems and menstrual pains. Some herbalists say it also supports healthy lymphatic function.

Herbal tea:

(daily dose)
2-4 tsp of dry organic Calendula flowers 
or 4-8 tsp of fresh flowers
500ml of (purified) water just off the boil 
steep for 10-15min 
strain
drink 3 times a day hot or cool 
*use your tea as a wash for sensitive skin 
place it in a spray bottle and mist onto your skin

Infused oil:

(yes, you can make it yourself)

pack a jar tightly with calendula flowers (fresh is better but dry will do)
completely cover with oil (organic cold pressed virgin olive oil or sunflower oil) 
put the lid on 
leave on the sunny window sill for two weeks
strain 
repeat the steps using once infused oil and a new batch of fresh herbs
leave on the sunny window sill for two more weeks
strain
store in the amber bottle away from light and heat

I must say, I am mesmerized by the flowers which became the essence of my tea. How beautiful... I am drinking it thinking some of their beauty will surely rub off on me:)

  

Beautified by tea...

chamomile and lavender

Besides my periodic addiction to good Earl Grey tea from Nectar Fine Teas in West Village, I generally stick with organic locally grown herbs from Judy at www.earthmedicine.ca which I steep into a tea. I find the loose dried herbs produce much better results both in their taste profile and as healing agents. Usually, the tea coming in a bag contains the lowest grade, poor quality dust from the bottom of the bin; not useful for true health enhancement. The same goes for black teas.

Herbal teas are an excellent choice as a hot drink, but they are also very tasty iced on a hot summer day.

Using herbal tea as a hydrating mist for your skin may not be so obvious but is worth a try as it often proves much more beneficial than many commercial toners.

Lavender;who does not love the smell of lavender? This lovely flower tastes the best mixed with other herbs like chamomile and rose.

lavender

On its own, the taste does not quite give its smell justice. As a face mist lavender is absolutely wonderful. Excellent for dry and aging skin, it will support skin cell regeneration and keep your skin nicely hydrated and your busy mind relaxed.
General directions for making a light herbal face mist: 

1 tsp. of lavender (or any other herb you are using)

1 cup of hot water

let it steep for 15min

strain

cool it down

transport into a spray bottle

place in the fridge

mist your face as needed

It will not keep for longer than a day or two (if stored in the fridge) so you have a couple of options: make enough for one day or make more and freeze it (ice cube trays do the trick) and take out as much as you need on a given day.

Chamomile is another great herb for beautifying skin. This one is particularly great for ladies with sensitive skin.

It is calming and soothing taken both internally and applied externally as a mist. In the summer you may want to drink it iced  with a slice of lemon; it is delish!

Burdock root is a serious skin helper. It is excellent for detoxification purposes so drink it if you are troubled by acne and blackheads. It will purify your blood and keep your skin nice and clean:))

burdock root

Burdock root can be taken as a tea 1/2 cup before your meals. Your skin will benefit greatly if washed with burdock tea 2x a day.

These are just simple suggestions on how you can use herbal teas, of course you can use them in many other ways. Add them to home made face masks or to your bath... They are beautiful, healing and definitely much needed in your daily life. Start playing!