Flower power: Calendula is the ingredient your skin didn't know it needed

You surely love having flowers in your yard, placing them in a pretty vase, or using them as a hair accessory—but did you know that some flowers may be beneficial to your skin too? These lovely flowers have a plethora of beneficial properties that may soothe, nourish, tighten, and protect your skin. Our current favourite? Calendula. So, how can this vibrantly coloured flower help your skin? Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about Calendula.

Calendula, popularly known as pot marigold, is a Mediterranean flowering plant. Calendula is a popular decorative plant in home gardens because to its bright, sunny blooms and delightfully herbaceous aroma. It's also used in culinary, most notably as a colouring ingredient in place of the similarly coloured (but much more expensive) saffron.

Calendula extract is also often used in cosmetics and is well-known for its multiple advantages in treating skin issues such as acne and inflammation. It is widely regarded as safe for usage and is recognised by the World Health Organization for its properties. As a result, it's frequently used in skincare products designed for sensitive skin.

The flower's oil is often used in creams, ointments, and other skin care products. It is extracted from the plant's petals, stems, and seeds by steam distillation and has several skin advantages.

Calendula extract is well-known for its ability to help relieve inflammation, especially in people who have sensitive skin. Calendula's skin-soothing qualities are most likely due to its anti-inflammatory capabilities and ability to decrease trans-epidermal water loss, which enhances the skin's defences against possible irritants. It has been shown to reduce the visible signs as well as the sensation of skin irritation and discomfort.

You’ve probably heard about the health advantages of eating foods high in essential fatty acids. Those same important fatty acids, such as linoleic acid found in calendula oil or extract, can nourish your skin. They enable your skin cells to absorb nutrients and retain water for extended periods of time, which is wonderful news for those who suffer from chronic dry skin. In other words, calendula-infused products can result in smoother, suppler, and more nourished skin.

Calendula is a great treatment for acne, pimples, and boils on the face. Creams and gels infused with calendula oil heal sensitive skin tissues while also reducing sebum production and clearing clogged pores of impurities such as dust, dirt, pollutants, grime, and excess sebum secretions. Furthermore, calendula reduces dark spots, blemishes, and acne scars while also restoring skin suppleness, smooth and soft texture, and imparting an even complexion.

The same flavonoids that give calendula its soothing properties also make it a fantastic skin protector. Flavonoids are strong antioxidants that help protect your skin from free radical damage. Antioxidants, such as the flavonoids found in calendula extract, work with free radicals to neutralise them before they cause damage that contributes to premature ageing (such as increased fine lines and wrinkles), hyperpigmentation, and dullness.

In the short term, calendula's nourishing properties assist to plump the surface of your skin, giving you firmer, more supple skin. Both the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics help to safeguard your skin's collagen and elastin supply in the long run.

Calendula, according to experts, is frequently used in skincare as an extracted oil that may be applied as an oil, serum, cream, lotions, and more. So it's entirely up to you to decide how to include it into your skincare routine. It is safe to use up to twice a day, so you may use it during the day and at night.

If you enjoy DIY projects, you may make your own body butter, oil, or even lip balm. To avoid irritation, calendula should not be applied to the skin without a carrier oil or butter. Calendula, according to experts, can be used with beeswax, petrolatum, shea butter, or jojoba oil.

Calendula is an excellent option for all skin types, but like with any treatment, if you’re concerned about potential breakouts or negative side effects, perform a patch test beforehand.

If you are sensitive to ragweed, daisies, or chrysanthemums, you may get allergic contact dermatitis to calendula, according to experts. If you are allergic to these plants (or any other plant in the Asteraceae family), you should conduct a patch test to ensure that calendula is safe for you. Experts also advise those who are pregnant, attempting to conceive, or are presently breastfeeding to avoid using this ingredient.

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Anushka likes to write about fashion, beauty, and other nice things. When not bound to her keyboard, she likes to make her Pinterest boards come to life.

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