Ingredient Spotlight: Calendula Officinalis

Posted by Brittany Hay on October 17, 2019

 

Calendula officinalis

Calendula is our own personal wonder flower! We love Calendula and use it in almost all of our products. Although Calendula is native to the East we have a large portion of our family acreage dedicated to growing them. Every summer we carefully harvest the flowers by hand at the peak of ripeness to retain all the potent nutrients. The entirety of the flower blossom contains the active ingredients, which we incorporate into our products using several proprietary methods, such as incubated hydrous and anhydrous infusions, micropowders, and supercritical CO2 extractions. These flowers are incredibly versatile and pack a big punch in terms of benefits for our skin.

Calendula blooms contain a group of natural antioxidant compounds, called phenols, which are thought to prevent and reduce oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress, caused by free radicals, is a known factor in many chronic and degenerative diseases such as heart disease, premature signs of aging, diabetes mellitus, cancer, immune suppression, neurodegeneration, and others[1]. In addition to this, they make wonderful hydrators for dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin as Calendula is a rich source of flavonoids[2], polysaccharides², and saponins [3] – types of molecules touted for their skin soothing and moisturizing abilities!

 

Revitalize

Calendula helps to promote the ongoing healthy function of our skin’s natural moisture barrier, preventing water loss and increasing moisture retention[4]. This, in turn, increases our skin’s hydration levels and increases firmness⁴. More moisture means more of that dewy glow we all love 😉

In addition to that dewy glow and smoother skin, Calendula has proven itself in a number of studies as a powerful antioxidant due to the high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols in the petals[5]. Calendula helps to reduce stress caused by UVB rays that would otherwise contribute to premature aging of the skin⁶ . The antioxidant properties in the petals and buds of the flower help to heal sunburns, and the damage to skin as a result[6], making it a great post-sun product! These same properties are thought to help stimulate our collagen production process and retain skin elasticity⁶. Collagen has been a pretty hot topic in the past few years but remains important for the maintenance of skin elasticity (read: fewer wrinkles and smoother skin).

Revitalize Products with Calendula:

Revitalize Age Grace Serum

Revitalize Cleansing Crème

Revitalize Botanical Face Mist

Clarify

When our skin is fighting the free radicals we meet in our day-to-day, it is no longer functioning at peak performance. This can let bacteria into our pores easier, and cause breakouts. As mentioned above, Calendula’s ability to reduce free radicals in the skin can also help to improve the appearance of breakouts and irritated skin⁶.

Calendula’s anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties[7] were prized in ancient medicine traditions for healing. Nowadays it makes the perfect addition to any clarifying skincare routine. So many anti-breakout products on the market can be harsh on our skin, trying to zap away all of our excess oil. Calendula soothes and heals while it tackles some of those pesky breakouts through its bacteria fighting compounds[8]. Being an anti-inflammatory, our favourite super flower reduces redness and sometimes even the size of a breakout[9].

Clarify Products with Calendula:

Clarify Cleansing Powder

Clarify Exfoliate Fruit Extract Face Toner

Clarify Blemish Control Face Lotion

Clarify Blemish Control Face Serum

Nourish

Our Nourish line is packed with Calendula and Calendula infused ingredients! For dry, irritated, or inflamed skin – Calendula is a star.

The tops of the Calendula plant have been used for their healing and soothing properties since as early as the 12th century and is still regarded as an effective treatment. A number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Calendula oil in topical wound healing[10] and The European Medicines Agency cites Calendula oil as a remedy for cysts, ulcers, skin lesions, and inflamed lymphatic nodes[11]. The exact mechanism with which Calendula aids the healing process is still unknown but it is “believed that the herb increases the flow of blood to the wound site, thereby providing the oxygen and nutrients essential to tissue regeneration.”[12]

Perhaps the most beneficial property of Calendula in our Nourish line is it’s ability to act as an anti-inflammatory. Calendula’s soothing blooms help to calm inflammation both inside the body and out; when applied topically it helps to soothe the irritation caused by inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea. Chamazulene and bisabolol are two compounds found in abundance in the Calendula plant, and help to soothe and aid in healing[13]. Calendula is able to act as an astringent, helping to decrease capillary inflammation and size, reducing redness and sensitivity.

One study found Calendula to be highly effective in the prevention of acute dermatitis in patients undergoing radiation treatment[14] while another demonstrated improvement in Seborrheic dermatitis[15].

Nourish Products with Calendula:

Nourish Cleansing Gelée + Moisture Mask

Nourish Skin Nutrition Balm

Nourish Moisture-Calm Serum (coming soon!)

 

 

References:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11253127

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3841996/

[3] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11101-005-4053-9

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21928714

[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814605000105

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20026397

[7]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj5kKiL_p7lAhWEmFwKHebGDO8QFjADegQIBRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fzegoka.ga%2F785-index.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0UdwsHGTvnUDpFgVBJdK2Z

[8]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43655821_Antibacterial_activity_of_antipsoriatic_herbs_Cassia_tora_Momordica_charantia_and_Calendula_officinalis

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19374166

[10] http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v69n2/en_0034-7167-reben-69-02-0250.pdf

[11] https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-calendula-officinalis-l-flos-revision-1_en.pdf

[12] https://advancedtissue.com/2014/11/calendula-wound-healing-herb/

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25666499

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15084618

[15] https://openscholar.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/289