Blue Tansy Oil Benefits for Skin & Beyond (Plus, How to Use)

Few essential oils wield as much therapeutic power as Tanacetum annuum, otherwise known as Moroccan chamomile or blue tansy. Its benefits go deeper than skincare, with the flower possessing almost mythical qualities due to its transcendental nature.

All about the blue tansy plant

The Tanacetum annuum (blue tansy) plant, from the chamomile family, is native to temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It grows prolifically in Morocco.

Based on its natural habitat, and the therapeutic and medicinal use of chamomile through history, it's believed that blue tansy was first used by the Ancient Greeks, then in Ancient Egypt, and other parts of the Mediterranean, as a natural remedy.

Due to its limonene content, it is beneficial for easing stress and anxieties. Blends well with most oils and is useful when diffused in a diffuser either alone or in a blend with facial oils. I personally like diffusing it for short periods of time when I need a pick-me-up.

Why is blue tansy essential oil such a vibrant blue colour?

Chamazulene, a key component of blue tansy, provides the characteristic colour of blue tansy. This is an organic compound with antioxidant benefits derived during the steam distillation process of Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, and Yarrow. It produces an intense deep blue-indigo colour.

When formulating skincare with 'blue oils' such as blue tansy, the final product can vary in colour from blue-grey to a deep ocean blue. The intensity of colour also partly depends on the harvest.

What does blue tansy smell like?

Blue tansy smells like the crisp sweetness of apple and fresh chamomile. A layered and complex smell, it takes a sweet, slightly floral herbaceous scent and has camphorous undertones.

How to use blue tansy oil

In a diffuser

A few drops of blue tansy in a diffuser can help create a stimulating or calming environment, depending what the essential oil is combined with. On its own, blue tansy has a crisp, fresh scent.

Combined with essential oils such as peppermint or pine, this uplifts the camphor undertones in the blue tansy flower to produce a 'pick-me-up' effect.

Combined with more intense floral botanicals, such as Roman chamomile or rose, the scent can be muted to produce a more tranquil effect.

In a carrier oil, face cream or balm

Blue tansy can also be delivered through a carrier oil. To harness the full benefits of pure blue tansy, it's preferred to use a carrier oil with a lower amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) relative to saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, including coconut oil and jojoba oil. This helps safeguards the formula against oxidation, preserving the integrity of the ingredients.

As skincare, blue tansy is particularly powerful when delivered in a cream or balm. Face balms are ultra-hydrating solidified oils that melt into liquid when they come into contact with the warmth of skin.

Unlike moisturisers, balms are anhydrous, meaning that they contain no water. This helps to provide a more protective barrier on the skin, sealing in other skincare, while shielding from external environmental stressors. Balms are typically applied as the final step in a skincare routine.

What are the benefits of blue tansy oil for skin?

Blue tansy oil helps clear acne prone skin

Blue tansy can help breakout prone skin. It contains compounds that have antimicrobial properties, including sabinene, to help inhibit the growth of bacteria on the skin. Bacteria, particularly Propionibacterium acnes, are a common factor in the development of acne.

β-Pinene is a particular terpene present in blue tansy essential oil. It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that could be beneficial for acne-prone skin.

The anti-inflammatory properties of blue tansy essential oil might also aid in reducing the formation of dark spots, healing from acne scarring and skin damage, and promote a more even skin tone.

Blue tansy oil may soothe sensitive skin

Blue tansy is a soothing oil that can help calm irritated skin. Applied topically, blue tansy essential oil can help with dermatitis, calm rashes and allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Blue tansy relieves heat on the body to reduce skin inflammation.

Blue tansy essential oil contains camphor in small amounts and myrcene, which both have soothing and calming properties.

Diving into myrcene, it has shown anti-inflammatory properties and might contribute to the oil's ability to reduce redness associated with skin inflammation such as rosacea. It can provide relief to sensitive skin that may react to external irritants, allergens, or environmental factors.

As such, blue tansy can help create a barrier for the skin, reducing sensations of itchiness, tightness, or burning that often accompany sensitive skin reactions.

Blue tansy oil has anti inflammatory properties

Blue tansy naturally contains an organic compound called a-bisabolol, which can help reduce inflammation. A-bisabolol is renowned for its anti-inflammatory, anti-histaminic, anti-viral, and anti-microbial healing properties. 

Blue tansy is used for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making it popular in blends for sore muscles, sprains and strains, arthritis, fibromyalgia, rheumatism, and nerve pain such as sciatica. Traditionally, blue tansy has also been used for reducing skin inflammations such as burned, inflamed, and damaged skin, sunburns, and bruises, especially when blended with Helichrysum italicum.

Camphor is also present in smaller amounts in blue tansy essential oil and has mild anti-inflammatory properties. It can contribute to the overall soothing effect on the skin and help alleviate irritation.

Blue tansy oil has antihistamine properties

Blue tansy is a natural source of theophylline, a bronchodilator, which is why it has traditionally been recommended in homeopathy for asthma and emphysema.

For respiratory support and to reduce nasal congestion, it is said to blend blue tansy with invigorating medicinal oils including ravensara or eucalyptus, add a few drops on a tissue and gently inhale.

Blue tansy oil has a calming effect

Beyond supporting skin health, blue tansy is called on to have calming effects that help combat depression, reduce anxiety, and assist with sleep disorders. This largely comes down to the therapeutic benefits of the scent and the invigorating compounds of the flower itself which can help spur a sense of optimism.

Safety when using blue tansy essential oil

Blue Tansy is generally non-irritating and non-toxic, but as with all essential oils, a skin patch test should always be done first. The preferred mode of use is external and a maximum concentration in a blend should not exceed 4%.

Is tansy good for you?

Blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum) is not to be confused with Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). The former is safe, while the latter is considered toxic.

While both are considered wildflowers, Tanacetum annuum is a small gangly annual, with slender leaves less than an inch long each. To distinguish Tanacetum annuum, its leaves are soft and hairy.

Comparatively, and more importantly, Tanacetum vulgare is high in thujone, a poison that can cause convulsions, vomiting, and uterine bleeding and has no use in aromatherapy.

At conservative dilutions, blue tansy should not pose a risk for pregnant/nursing women. The ratio plays a factor in essential oil use. However, it is important to communicate with your medical professional to make decision based on individual circumstances.

Looking for blue skincare products?

Go beyond colour and choose blue skincare that packs in the benefits of its ingredients. TUTTOFARE Roman Blue Tallow Balm is a multipurpose soothing cream where blue tansy shines through. It combining the benefits of a deeply nourishing balm with the finish of a silky moisturiser. 

Healing ingredients blue tansy and Roman chamomile soothe the skin with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties. A unique waterless formula, tallow and jojoba oil mimic the nutrients found in healthy skin to illuminate and enhance the skin’s natural function. 

Naturally abundant in fatty acids and antioxidant-rich vitamins, Roman Blue Tallow Balm is an antioxidant-rich daily cream helping to support skin barrier function, prevent free-radical damage and soften the skin. Blue tansy benefits all skin types, including acne-prone, very oily skin, sensitive and sensitised skin.

At TUTTOFARE, we keep the concentration of blue tansy at its lowest effective dose for the highest compatibility for all, including those skin sensitivity and navigating the different seasons of life, including preconception, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum.

Wrap your skin in a blue cocoon

To unlock the full potential of blue tansy for skincare, the essential oil is best ferried through ingredients with emollient or occlusive properties, such as grass fed tallow.

TUTTOFARE Roman Blue Tallow Balm contains tallow, jojoba and blue tansy, in a buttery soft blend that melts on contact with the skin. It spreads like a solid, silky oil and absorbs easily, upon application conjuring up feelings of wrapping yourself in a cosy blue cocoon. With a fresh, slightly floral, herbal scent, it has been described as a 'heaven-scent'. Try TUTTOFARE Roman Blue today.