Everything you need to know about Chamomile Essential Oil

The History of Chamomile

Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) is a flowering plant of the daisy family (Asteraceae) and is famous for its beautiful white and yellow flowers. Most of us associate the fragrant apple-scented flowers with a calming tea, but it has many more uses.

It was originally found in Europe and Western Asia but is now widely available. Europeans have been using chamomile for centuries before the early settlers brought it to the Americas. Before them, the Egyptians were making the most of this plant's many uses. It may have even been in use for many thousands of years with archaeologists finding evidence in Israel dating back hundreds of thousands of years. So, there must be something to it, right?

The Benefits of Chamomile

Chamomile is Greek for ‘Earth apple’ and it definitely sounds lovely and healthy, but are there any health benefits of Chamomile? It is thought that chamomile has healing properties and historically it has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments. 

Its most notable uses include:

• Lowering blood cholesterol
• Relieving anxiety, stress and depression
• Relaxing muscles and reducing muscle spasms
• Relieving insomnia

There is also some evidence to suggest it can also be used to aid:

• Teething
• Colic
• Women’s health issues
• Digestive issues
• Fevers and colds
• Allergies 
• General aches and pains

Chamomile is best known as a relaxant and mood lifter, which is why it’s very commonly found in teas and relaxing massage oils. This makes it an obvious ingredient choice for products designed to aid relaxation and stress relief. Chamomile tea can be an excellent stress relief and can be the perfect addition to a healthy morning routine.

Chamomile also has a high level of antioxidants and it has also proved an excellent aid to digestive health. It really does seem to have many perfect properties to help us deal with the stresses and strains of modern living.

Another significant benefit of using chamomile is that it is widely tolerated even when used for a long period of time, hence its popularity worldwide. It is a safe and effective herb which children can also use for massage and other relaxing and soothing activities.

How can Chamomile be used?

The flowering tips of the chamomile are versatile and can be taken in many forms. The most common way to take chamomile is as a tea or via massage with essential oils but it is also used as an infused oil or a tincture. It can be found in everything from bath salts to cough drops, lotions to perfume and can even be used as a food flavoring.

Our favorite Chamomile products

Chamomile Essential Oils - Oils and creams, like this calming massage oil, have relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties that can help with muscle aches and pains and aid sleep and stress relief. They can be used for self-massage and offer a variety of benefits for both the body and mind.

Aromatherapy - Chamomile lends itself to relaxation and calmness, making it perfect for aromatherapy. Chamomile aromatherapy oils and pillow mist can work wonders in helping you unwind and drift into a relaxed sleep.

Chamomile Tea - Chamomile tea is widely available and is the perfect hot drink to relax our bodies and minds before bedtime. As part of a regular habit or routine, relaxing actions can offer many health and well-being benefits.

Looking for more relaxing products to help you unwind and de-stress? We have a variety of self-massage and relaxation products to help you leave those day-to-day stresses and aches behind.

Shop the entire massage collection.