{"id":2817,"date":"2017-04-28T21:57:08","date_gmt":"2017-04-28T21:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentialoilsanctuary.com\/?p=2817"},"modified":"2018-09-19T20:51:12","modified_gmt":"2018-09-19T20:51:12","slug":"18-helichrysum-essential-oil-benefits-uses-plus-10-recipes-tips-faq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentialoilsanctuary.com\/18-helichrysum-essential-oil-benefits-uses-plus-10-recipes-tips-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"18 Helichrysum Essential Oil Benefits & Uses (Plus 10 Recipes, Tips & FAQ)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019re ever in need of a warm, uplifting oil with excellent healing properties, helichrysum oil is a great one to look to<\/p>\n

. Extracted from golden-hued flowers, this oil is aptly described as having a sweet, warm, honey-like aroma. Though not very well known compared to other popular oils, it\u2019s many attributes for health and wellness make it one of the most useful essential oils – particularly for inflammation, scars, wounds and bruises.<\/p>\n

Helichrysum oil boasts of a variety of uses – from being great for the skin to preventing many disorders. In this article, let\u2019s talk about its origins, uses and how it can help improve your health.<\/p>\n

Origins and history of helichrysum oil<\/h1>\n

Helichrysums aren\u2019t very attractive flowers, but who would have thought that these plain strawflowers could yield a valuable oil for healing skin ailments and other conditions? Probably due to its unlikely source, helichrysum oil is a relative newcomer to the field of aromatherapy. Various mentions of the flower though, are found throughout several cultures. The name itself is derived from two Greek words: \u201chelios\u201d meaning sun, and \u201cchrysos\u201d meaning gold. These terms pertain to the flower\u2019s golden yellow color, and are aptly named too, since it is classified under the same family as sunflowers.<\/p>\n

Like many other aromatic herbs, helichrysum is native to the Mediterranean. Certain accounts have mentioned its use by the Greeks as an herbal medicine since the ancient times. The plant is also one of the herbs used in South African traditional medicine for healing wounds, aches and pains.<\/p>\n

Turkish folk medicine records the use of helichrysum as a remedy for bloating, apparently by promoting urination to eliminate excess body fluids. It was also used to relieve gas pains and other stomach problems.<\/p>\n

In Italy, helichrysum is added to certain sauces for obtaining a \u201ccurry-like\u201d quality, and has a flavor akin to rosemary but is more subtle. It has been used in various Mediterranean regions such as Spain, Turkey, Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout history for its healing properties.<\/p>\n

This plant is also known by other names such as \u201ceverlasting\u201d and \u201cimmortele,\u201d probably because its flowers preserve their original form and color even when dried, and can last for a long time. This is why they are commonly used in garlands and for decorative purposes.<\/p>\n

Source and composition of helichrysum oil<\/h1>\n

Helichrysum oil comes from the fresh flowering tops of Helichrysum italicum (also referred to as helichrysum angustifolium), family Asteraceae. Though there are over 600 species of helichrysum, this species is the most ideally used for obtaining helichrysum oil. At a certain time and climate, mainly in<\/p>\n

June and July, the flowers give off an herbaceous honey-like scent. This is when the flowering tops are harvested and subjected to steam distillation to obtain the essential oil.<\/p>\n

Helichrysum\u2019s plain yellowish flowers make it very unassuming, yet its essential oil is more costly than most other oils. This is mainly due to its very minimal yield of about 0.2-0.3 % by weight \u2014 meaning that one ton of the flowering parts will yield only about two to three kilos of the essential oil after steam distillation.<\/p>\n

Helichrysum oil has a distinctly fruity and honey-sweet scent, and its color ranges from pale yellowish to orange. The oil mainly consists of alpha-pinene, gamma-curcumene, neryl acetate and italidiones, which are the compounds responsible for its many benefits.<\/p>\n

What are some benefits of helichrysum oil?<\/h1>\n

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Helichrysum oil may not be the most popular essential oil, but you can be sure that it offers a wide range of benefits for health. Its sweet, nectar-tinged scent makes for a warm and uplifting property which can help emotional health and keep negativity at bay. Studies have shown that it has potent antioxidant properties, mainly due to the bioactive components found in the oil. Several of its compounds are also responsible for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial actions, making it great for a variety of ailments. It also boasts of excellent skin healing and rejuvenating properties and can be used to treat various skin disorders. Read on to find out about how this remarkable oil can help target certain ailments.<\/p>\n

Specific benefits of helichrysum oil<\/h1>\n