Yarrow Essential Oil

Yarrow essential oil is a gorgeous, deep blue oil with some amazing health care and beauty benefits which we'll see below.

Quick Glance at Yarrow Essential Oil

Pros: Yarrow essential oil is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and repellent.

Cons: You should avoid using high concentrations of yarrow oil too frequently since it can cause headaches and irritate your skin.

Precautions: Do not use this oil if you are pregnant or nursing. And always check with your doctor before using this essential oil.

Yarrow Essential Oil Properties

When buying and using essential oils, you should know about its smell, color and more. So here are some yarrow essential oil properties for you to consider.

Name

The botanical name for yarrow is Achillea millefolium. You should make sure this name is on the bottle when buying the oil.

Color & Scent

Yarrow essential oil has an unmistakable deep blue color. And it has a somewhat herbal scent.

Compounds

There is tremendous variation in the composition of yarrow oil. Thus far though, about 102 compounds (yes, that's over 100 compounds) have been found in the oil. They include chamazulene (which gives it the characteristic blue color), sabinene, alpha-thujone, beta-thujone, beta-pinene, eucalyptol, artemisia ketone, linalool, camphor, borneol, fenchyl acetate, bornyl acetate, (E)-beta-caryophyllene, germacrene D, caryophyllene oxide, beta-bisabolol, and delta-cadinol.

This is a long and extensive list of compounds that have some great skin and beauty benefits.

Yarrow Essential Oil Benefits

So you've seen the properties of this oil, now its time to check out the many yarrow essential oil benefits. Let's see what it truly is good for.

1. It is antioxidant

There are many studies that show yarrow essential oil is a great antioxidant including this 2003 one and this more recent study. Both studies used multiple tests to prove yarrow's antioxidant benefits.

Now, antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize free radicals. And free radicals are harmful molecules that can damage the DNA of your skin cells. They can also affect collagen production which is necessary to keep your skin tight and firm. So, essentially, free radicals can cause skin damage, wrinkles, aging and even cancer!

So it's really important to protect your skin from free radicals and yarrow essential oil (like many other antioxidant essential oils) is great way to combat those pesky molecules.

2. Yarrow oil is anti-inflammatory

The recent study mentioned above (done in 2013) also proved yarrow has anti-inflammatory benefits. That means you can use the oil to reduce any irritation or redness on your skin. You can also use yarrow oil to ease tired muscles and aching joints.

3. It is antibacterial

Like many other essential oils, yarrow has antibacterial properties. That is according to the same 2003 study we looked at earlier (in the first yarrow essential oil benefit).

The study tested the oil on both Streptococcus pneumoniae (the bacteria responsible for pneumonia) and Clostridium perfringens (a bacteria that can cause food poisoning) and the results clearly proven yarrow's antibacterial and antimicrobial nature.

4. It is also anti-fungal

A 2011 study attempted to check the anti-fungal effects of yarrow essential oil on several fungi species. These included Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum (which causes nail infections, athlete's foot, and more), Cryptococcus neoformans (which can lead to fungal meningitis) and Aspergillus niger (the fungi that causes black spots on fruits and veges). And the study showed a very small concentration of yarrow oil was sufficient to inhibit and kill all the fungi species tested.

That makes yarrow oil a potent anti-fungal agent that can be used to deal with skin infections, nail fungus, athlete's foot, dermatitis, and other fungi-related skin problems.

5. It repels insects

Lastly, yarrow essential oil can repel insects.

A 2015 study used the odor or vapors of yarrow oil to check the behavioral response of a species of beetle. By simply passing the oil close to the insect caused it to run away. Therefore, yarrow has significant insect repellent effects. So use yarrow to keep ants, flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs away!

There it is, your list of yarrow essential oil benefits! Here's a quick summary of these benefits:

Yarrow Essential Oil Uses

So you've seen the yarrow oil. Now here's some yarrow essential oil uses for you to try out.

Inhaling

Add one or two drops of yarrow oil to your diffuser for a nice, simple herbal smell.

Yarrow also blends well with spicy, floral essential oils. So you can use it with bay, black pepper, cedarwood, cypress, lavender, neroli, vetiver and ylang ylang essential oils.

Massaging

Before using yarrow essential oil, always do a skin patch test. This is really important to make sure you aren't allergic or sensitive to the oil.

Once you react well to the oil (i.e. your skin doesn't get red or irritated with the oil) simply add 2-3 drops of yarrow essential oil to one teaspoon of a carrier oil of your choice like apricot kernel or coconut oil. Then massage it on and enjoy!

You can also scale this blend accordingly to make larger amounts and store it in the fridge (or in a cool spot).

More Precautions

Many aromatherapists strongly advise to use this oil in moderation since it can cause headaches and irritate your skin when used at high concentrations. Also, pregnant women showing avoid yarrow essential oil.

If you're thinking about using this oil, always check with your health care provider first. It's always better to be safe when using essential oils.

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Photo credit (flower): Bogdan Giuşcă
Photo credit (essential oil): Itineranttrader