05/28/2026
Yesterday we worked in the garden harvesting calendula petals to replenish one of my favorite products ever. Our hands were so sticky afterward pulling off the petals— and that’s a good thing! When harvesting calendula, your fingers should always come away with that sticky resin because it’s a healthy sign that the flowers are potent and full of life…The more resinous the bloom, the more medicine the plant is offering.
Calendula creates this resin as part of its own defense and preservation system: shielding itself from sun, insects, dehydration, and environmental stress. That same protective intelligence is what makes calendula such a beloved skin ally. Here’s how….
🌼 Volatile oils that help soothe and protect the skin + their compounds studied for their soothing and restorative properties
🌼 Flavonoids acting as powerful antioxidants that help calm redness and environmental stress
🌼 Carotenoids, the deep golden-orange pigments that support skin repair and give calendula its radiant color
🌼 Polysaccharides that help bind moisture and support the skin barrier
It comes in handy too. If you plant calendula in your vegetable garden, it will help keeps pests down acting as a resinous trap. 🙃
All that’s left now is to gently sun-dry the petals so they still remain vibrant, and then turn them into an extract for Honeybeam alongside fresh propolis from our local beekeeper and cold-pressed castor oil. My dream product for scar therapy, castor oil belly packs, and mending a compromised barrier.
🧡 Cort & family
