25 Days of Essential Oils – Day 7
Day 7, German chamomile essential oil is another great oil for the skin!
This essential oil is another great oil for the skin, especially irritated skin. You may hear some people call this oil, blue chamomile. This is because of the color after the distillation process. It’s a great essential oil with a lot of benefits. This is a great oil for calming effects, mentally, or calming sore muscles. This oil does have some safety concerns to be aware of. There are two known types of chamomiles, Roman and German, but I am going to showcase German chamomile.
Essential Oil Common Name: German chamomile
Latin Name: Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita
Family: Asteraceae
Part of Plant Used: Flowers
Extraction Method: Steam Distilled
Notes (Scent and Staying Power): Middle-Base
Safe for Ages: Safe for all ages, but there are some general guidelines when it comes to children and essential oils. This essential oil is great for skincare, but still, use caution when using it topically for children under the age of 2. Sensitivities can still occur. Read here on how to do skin patch testing. If you create a blend for yourself, use a quarter of the amount of essential oil for children as a safe guideline.
Safe for Pregnancy: Yes
Safe for Breastfeeding: Yes
Topical Max: There is no topical max for this essential oil, but always dilute before applying it to the skin. This essential oil can be skin irritating if oxidized.
Shelf Life: 8 Years
Key Therapeutic Properties/Actions: Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidepressant, Antifungal, Antihistaminic, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antiviral, Antispasmodic, Calming, Skin regenerative
Contraindications: This essential oil has safety concerns with drug interactions. According to the book Essential Oil Safety (Tisserand & Young), use caution in all applications of this essential oil with drugs metabolized by the CYP2D6 enzyme. Consult with your doctor if any medications you are taking fall under this caution. Avoid using this essential oil orally, because other metabolizing enzymes are affected. I will add, Roman chamomile (which is not blue in color, and has a different Latin name) is very similar to German chamomile without the contraindications.
Where to purchase: German chamomile here, Roman chamomile here
Thank you for reading!
Love and Nature,
Nicole
Remember: The contents of this blog post are intended for educational and informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. Click here to read more about my medical/FDA disclaimers.
References:
Tisserand, R., & Young, R. (2014). Essential Oil Safety. (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
Aromahead Institute. (n.d.). Aromatherapy Certification Program. [Courses]. Aromahead Institute. https://courses.aromahead.com/aromatherapy-certification-program