The Benefits of Ginger & Calendula for Your Scalp
Along with its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, ginger also contains a “proteolytic enzyme” which makes it a good choice to reducing an inflamed scalp (Gladstar).
Calendula is a golden flower that has healing and skin-repairing properties that help ease common skin irritations like rashes and skin infections.
Both ginger and calendula are ideal herbs for reducing inflammation and irritation in the scalp and for preventing infection.
You can make your own Ginger and Calendula spray by following the recipe below. The addition of aloe vera juice to this spray aids in preventing scalp tissue scarring which can occur when the scalp suffers from prolonged inflammation. Aloe vera juice also adds a refreshing, cooling affect to this spray.
Ginger & Calendula Spray Recipe
Recipe © Love Natural Sunshine, LLC. 2015
1 cup of distilled or purified water (bottled water works just fine!)
1/3 cup of ginger, chopped & peeled
2 1/2 tsp of calendula flower petals (dried)
Directions:
Boil all ingredients together on medium-low until water is yellow. Let cool and strain. Add 1/4 cup of aloe vera juice and 1 cup of distilled or purified water.
Pour mixture into a spray bottle and shake. Spray directly on the inflamed or irritated part of your scalp. Keep refrigerated
.
Shelf life: 2 weeks (keep refrigerated)
I hope this helps! How do you ease your irritated scalp?
All recipes are copyright. Please do not redistribute without permission.Source: Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide. North Adams, MA: Storey Pub., 2012. Print.
Can you use any other herb expect from Calendula? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Charuj! Yes, you can try using any other soothing herbs like Chamomile or even Rosemary. Let me know how it works!
DeleteFor the calendula powder, can I dry the petals then crash them to get the powder?
ReplyDeleteHello Mwamba! Yes, you can crush the petals using what's called a mortar and pestle. Or you can buy the flowers already crushed and in powder form. Just make sure the flowers are very dry (you can dry them out by laying them in a dry, dark place) before crushing. Let me know if you would like a blog post about it to help you!
DeleteAny suggestions for making this in smaller quantities since the shelf life is so short? It would be hard for me to use it all up in just two weeks.
ReplyDeleteHi Nia! Yes, you can either reduce the measurements so 1/2 cup of distilled water, 1/4 cup ginger, 1 tsp calendula. However, I think my original measurements are best, so I would maybe freeze what you cannot use right away. Good question.
DeleteHi there! Thanks for this post! Do you have to wash it off every time you use it? Or just leave it on
ReplyDeleteHi Luv! Yes you can leave it on and wash off biweekly or at your regular washing day. Keep it refrigerated and do not use after instructed because it can go rancid. Aloe vera juice can be drying to SOME people's haor if used in excess, so keep that in mind and spray directly on the scalp.
Delete