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Ditch the Dyes Cheat Sheets

Calendula Cream Cheat Sheet For Dry Skin

By Kristie Turck •  Published 01/24/12 •  8 min read

Last updated on August 20th, 2022 at 12:05 am

Since the onset of the California Baby reformulation situation, moms have been asking about other products to ease the discomfort of eczema and dry skin on themselves and their babies without irritation and extra synthetic ingredients.  This is a hard job because no product is going to be the exact same thing.  Based on the feedback I received on Facebook, I’ll provide a list of products that are comparable and vary in availability and price.  Please be aware that I have not tried all of these products so you’ll have to do some experimenting to find something that works for you. Also, if you were using CA Baby products due to sensitive skin or allergies you’ll have to be careful about what you select and test things out to determine if a reaction will occur.  Also, not all of these contain calendula.  I tried to find ones that did but I wanted to provide other solutions that may work as well.

Safe Calendula Creams

Babo Botanicals Miracle Moisture Cream – It’s so gentle and soothing, that I stole it for myself too.  It just *feels* nice on your skin. Collodial Oatmeal relieves eczema, very dry patches, irritated or chafed skin and Organic Calendula Oil & Shea Butter soothe, moisturize & soften.  It’s light and has a whipped texture so it’s not heavy on the skin. Ingredients: Purified Water , Aloe Leaf Juice*, Virgin Coconut  Oil*, Shea Butter, Hydrogenated Cocoglycerides, Cocoa Seed Butter, Vegetable Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oat  Kernel Flour, Calendula & Nutrisoothe ® Herbal Extract Blend Calendula Flower Extract*, Chamomile Flower Extract*, Meadowsweet Flower Extract, Wild crafted Watercress Leaf Extract, Kudzu Root Extract*, Cupuacu Seed Butter, Natural Beeswax, Glyceryl Oleate, Lauryl Laurate, Ethylhexyl Olivate,Octyldodecyl Ooleate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Orange  Peel Wax, , Allantoin, Carrageenan (Chondrus Crispus) Extract, Sodium Behenoyl Lactylate, Octyldodecanol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cedarwood Oil, Tonka Bean Extract, Bergamot (Citrus Aurantium Bergamia) Fruit Extract, Vanilla (Vanilla Planifolia Flower) Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate. *Certified organic ingredient

Bubble & Bee Organic Body Butta Unscented – Bubble & Bee is a favorite around here.  Stephanie really knows her stuff and there is never anything icky or synthetic in her products.  Her Body Butta is safe for babies and while it doesn’t contain calendula, she utilizes oils and butters that are known to soften skin and protect.  This would be one to try out.

Safe Calendula Balms

LuSa Organics Booty Balm – LuSa Organics is one of my favorite companies for skin care items.  I’m hoplessly addicted to many of her soaps, lip balms and sugar scrubs.  But I’m here to suggest the Booty Balm for dry skin and eczema.  She also has a great calendula bar soap that’s perfect for babies too. Ingredients: *Olive oil, *jojoba oil, local beeswax, *avocado oil; flowers of *calendula, *lavender, and *chamomile; essential oil blend (lavender, patchouli, peru balsam, and chamomile); and grapefruit seed extract, citric acid, and silver citrate (natural preservatives).

Price: Full Size (1.75-oz. tin) – $7.75

Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm – No list about skincare for babies is complete without Earth Mama Angel Baby. One of my all time favorites and the brand that pops into my head when people ask what’s safe.  EMAB carries a Baby Bottom Balm that features organic ingredients including organic Calendula. Ingredients: Olea europaea (organic olive) oil, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract, Hypericum perforatum (organic St. John’s wort) extract, Stellaria media (organic chickweed) extract, Plantago major (organic plantain extract), Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Euphorbia antisyphilitica (candelilla), Simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) oil, proprietary blend of Lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) oil, Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and Commiphora myrrha (myrrh) oil

Price: $9.95 (1 oz. jar)

Dimpleskins Sweet Cheeks Body Balm – I’ve tried their Bum Bum Balm and loved it (it’s perfect for cloth diapering, no zinc.  They have this balm for dry chapped skin and patches.  It’s smooth and buttery but goes on like other balms do. Ingredients: Coconut Oil, pure Beeswax, organic Jojoba Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Cocoabutter, Vitamin e Oil, pure Lavender and Vanilla essential oils.

Price: $12 for a generous tin (30g)

MotherLove Green Salve – This is a relatively new discovery for me which I found on a fellow greenie blog Retrohousewife Goes Green. The ingredients are pretty simple which is why I like it.  Less is more they say.  Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil*, beeswax*, plantain herb*,comfrey herb*, marshmallow root*, calendula flower*  *Certified Organic Ingredients

Price: $8.95

 

Safe Calendula Lotions

Poofy Supernaturals Ciao Eczema Lotion – I discovered Poofy Organics last summer from a green blogger friend (Hi Lori) and I love their commitment to being as natural as possible.  This is  lotion that does utilize Calendula.  Ingredients: Distilled water, Organic Wheat Germ Oil, Organic Calendula Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax, Vitamin A & D, Organic Vitamin E, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rosemary Extract.  Poofy notes that they started adding benzoin gum to extend the shelf life to 5 months but they are made to order and arrive fresh with an expiration date.

Price: $17.00 for an 8.5 oz bottle

Babo Botanicals Oatmilk Calendula Lotion – I love Babo Botanicals products and their organic ingredients.  This silky lotion might do the trick on winter dry skin. It’s fragrant in a powdery baby sort of way. Ingredients: Purified Water (Agua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil*, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax NF, Glyceryl Stearate SE (Vegetable) , Glycerine (Vegetable), Colloidal Oatmeal, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Glucono Delta Lactone (Sugar), Organic Calendula Officinalis*, D-Alph Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glyceryl Caprylate (Vegetable & Fruit), Carrageenan (Red Seeweed), Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, Beeswax, Vegetable Cetyl Alcohol (Coconut), Organic Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract*, Wildcrafted Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress) Extract*, Organic Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Root Extract*, Potassium Sorbate (Food Grade Preservative), Natural Essential Oil Blend of Vanilla and Cedarwood *Certified Organic Ingredients

Price: $16.50 for 8oz bottle

 

Calendula Brands Available in Stores

Many of you have asked me to provide some suggestions on product lines that are readily available at local stores.  If you are looking to switch brands, I have a Safer Baby Skin Care Cheat Sheet full of options varying from boutique to mainstream brands.  Be aware that chain store brands, while more accessible, may contain a synthetic chemical or two so read your labels to determine if they are acceptable to you.

I haven’t come across too many store-brand creams that feature calendula oils in their formulas.  So I’ll list some brands that are accessible, but again, you’ll have to experiment and see what fits.

Badger Baby Balm – I really don’t need to tell you how great Badger products are when it comes to safety.  They made a Badger Baby Balm that does feature calendula and is a simple few ingredients.  It’s a balm, not a cream, so there is that but whatever works.  I use their balms on my feet and hands all the time. Love the Vanilla Coconut… but I digress. USDA Certified: Ingredients: *Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), Essential Oil of *Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile), and CO2 Extract of *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula). * = Certified Organic

Price: $10 for 2 oz. tin (you can probably bargain shop for this one)

Aveeno Baby Organic Harvest Lotion  – This is a new line from Aveeno that I discovered.  The price point is about what you would expect but the ingredients list is very impressive.  Not to mention tear free, and allergy tested.  Here is the ingredients list from the lotion – Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Water, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Glycerin*, Tapioca Starch*, Acacia Senegal Gum*, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Beeswax*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract*, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, *Certified Organic.  The foaming wash and shampoo as well as the diaper cream both have excellent ingredients lists.  FINALLY, someone has been listening. The lotion is also USDA Certified and available right now at Target and other stores.

Price: Each product retails for about $12 for 8oz.

Weleda Calendula Baby Cream – This is a thicker cream made by Weleda that does feature Calendula in the formula.  Some people have issues with the ingredients in this product so you’ll have to take a look and see if it meets your requirements.  Weleda is more readily available than other brands.  Benzyl Benzoate and Benzyl Salicylate a little suspect to me… found in nature but ruined during processing is a possibility.  Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Lanolin, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Kaolin, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Glyceryl Linoleate, Silica (Silica), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Benzyl Salicylate*, Geraniol*. * from natural essential oils

Price: $12 for a 2.6 oz tube (you can bargain shop for this one too)

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This is not a list of every product out there that is suitable for dry skin and eczema… just a list of the ones I inspected and deem a safe alternative.  If you know a brand of calendula or comparable cream/lotion that may belong here, please email me and let me know so I can check it out!

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