Yarrow

Yarrow, a flowering herb that grows in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, is used to create two very special skin care ingredients, Yarrow Essential Oil and Yarrow Hydrosol.  The flowers of the Yarrow Plant are steam distilled to create these special ingredients, which carry many of the beneficial properties that Yarrow is so well known for.   In addition to its use in skin care, Yarrow is also used in herbal medicine, and in food.  Young leaves of the Yarrow plant are sometimes prepared similarly to leafy vegetables such as spinach or chard.

Yarrow Essential Oil has a deep blue color due to a high content of azulene, which is also found in Chamomile Essential Oil, and provides both Oils with a strong anti-inflammatory effect.  Yarrow Essential Oil is also astringent, making it a great choice for the treatment of acne, and oily skin.  It is often used to soothe itchy, dry skin, or minor skin irritations such as insect bites or mild rashes.  Yarrow Essential Oil may also help to promote hair growth and the regeneration of skin cells.  You can add Yarrow Essential Oil to creams, balms, or serums, but it also makes a wonderful ingredient for fresh spa treatments such as scalp or facial masks.

While Yarrow Hydrosol is not as potent as its counterpart, Yarrow Essential Oil, it does carry many of the same properties.  Yarrow Hydrosol makes a wonderful toner for sensitive, combination, and oily skin types.  It can help to balance, and soothe the skin gently.  Yarrow Hydrosol is also an ideal wetting agent for fresh masks and facials.  This water soluble ingredient can also be used to create fresh creams and lotions, soaps, or hair rinses.  According to Suzanne Catty, author of Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, Yarrow Hydrosol may also help to relieve a number of maladies, including: aches and pains, hemorrhoids, menstrual cramps, rheumatic and joint pain, and insomnia.

* Photo by Kriss Szkurlatowski