A Medical Aesthetician Declares This Restorative Cream Her Desert-Island Pick

Her ride-or-die product? Calendula cream. Traboscia has made countless videos explaining why she loves it and how she uses it, which makes us even bigger fans of the skin-soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredient. So let's dive in: 

Calendula oil, as you can probably guess, is the oil extracted from the petals, stems, and seeds of the blossoms—that's the ingredient you can find in skin care formulas, like Traboscia's trusty $10 dollar Boiron Calendula Cream or Naturopathica's Calendula Essential Hydrating Cream.

She also recommends it to her clients who struggle with acne, as she said it has antibacterial and antifungal properties that can help combat breakouts. Derms agree: "Its antimicrobial benefits make it useful in addressing issues like dandruff, diaper rash, and even acne," board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., tells mbg about the ingredient:

Apart from hydration, Traboscia uses calendula cream as a spot treatment for perioral dermatitis flare-ups, which she notes she has dealt with for many years. In one TikTok video, she captures real results from using a calendula spot treatment—in the video, her skin appears less and less irritated after applying the cream. 

Listen, it happens—as much as we implore you to remove your makeup before curling into bed, even skin care pros themselves can slip up from time to time. So in addition to a spot treatment, Traboscia includes calendula cream in her morning skin care routine if she forgets to wash off her makeup the night before. For her, the cream helps restore moisture in the skin and ease any irritation from lingering makeup formulas—yes, even the creamiest, most comfortable concealers can dry out the pores overnight. 

While slugging, aka layering an occlusive moisturizer in order to prevent transepidermal water loss, this pro uses calendula cream before her last hydrating layer. Remember: You don't have to use a petroleum-derived balm to reap the benefits of slugging. You can simply use whatever occlusive barrier cream you've got (Traboscia reaches for SkinCeuticals' Epidermal Repair lotion) to lock in moisture and soothe a compromised skin barrier. 

Calendula is one hydrating, soothing botanical fit for an array of skin care concerns. Of course, as with any herb or botanical, there is a risk of an allergic reaction—especially if you already know you are allergic to marigolds. And as always, patch-test any new product: This is important for everyone but particularly true if you have sensitive and easily irritated skin.