Calendula Oil: Soothe, Protect, and Support Skin Recovery

Calendula officinalis, commonly known as marigold, has been used in traditional medicine since at least the 12th century, and remains one of the most recognisable soothing botanicals in skincare today.

Calendula oil is produced by infusing the flowers of the plant into a carrier oil and extracting its actives. The plant is rich in terpenoids, flavonoids, triterpene esters, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, saponins, sterols and tocopherols, a broad phytochemical profile that underpins its long history of topical use for skin irritation, minor wounds and general skin comfort.

Calendula's flavonoids, including quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, contribute antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and mild tyrosinase-inhibitory effects, supporting calmer, more even-looking skin (Shavez et al., 2025).

Mucopolysaccharides in calendula help enhance moisture retention. A clinical study of a 3% calendula extract cream, applied over eight weeks, found a significant increase in skin moisture and a significant reduction in skin melanin and erythema, with transepidermal water loss also decreasing, though this change did not reach statistical significance (Akhtar et al., 2011).

Coumarins and phenolic compounds found in calendula flowers help protect skin cells against oxidative damage from everyday environmental exposure.

Clinical evidence for calendula's skin-barrier benefits comes from a formulation using a 3% plant extract over eight weeks, so concentration and consistent use both appear to matter for visible results.

Research support is clearest for topical application. Some conditions have supporting clinical data, while others rely more on traditional and anecdotal use than controlled trials.

Calendula belongs to the Asteraceae/Compositae family, so formulations should account for the uncommon but real possibility of cross-reactivity in people with known plant allergies in this family.

Calendula's phytochemical profile, including flavonoids, coumarins, carotenoids and volatile oil constituents identified by GC-MS analysis, has been characterised in phytochemical and formulation research, supporting its traditional role in skin-soothing and antioxidant applications (Moore et al., 2020; Mishra et al., 2012).

Separately, a systematic review of 14 animal and clinical wound-healing studies found moderate evidence for calendula's role in resolving the inflammatory phase of healing and increasing granulation tissue formation, most consistently in animal models and acute wounds. Results for chronic wounds, burns and radiation dermatitis were more mixed, with some trials showing no benefit over control (Givol et al., 2019).