Blue Tansy essential oil has become an integrate part of my skin care routine. It is in my “Glow” facial serum and also in my cleansing cream. I discovered this recipe from Lindsey Elmore and tweaked it to better suit the needs of my mature skin.
What is Blue Tansy?
Despite its deep rich blue color as an essential oil the actual plant is a cluster of tiny yellow flowers from the botanical family Asteraccae or Compositae (daisy). Cultivated in Morocco the flowering part of the plant is steam distilled producing an oil that has a sweet, herbal aroma which is due to its high camphor content. During the distillation process chamazulene is released and when it is heated it creates the deep blue color or hue.
It is a very popular ingredient in may high end anti-aging and acne creams and solutions.
It is also popular as an essential oil due to its calming effects aromatically and many aestheticians tout its healing properties for the skin. Due to its popularity it was almost cultivated and over harvested in the wild. Currently, the plant is being sustainably cultivated, but remains one of the more expensive essential oils at over $130 for 5ml of Blue Tansy from Young Living.
What are the benefits?
Healing for the skin: Camphor has been shown to help repair damaged skin. In one study it showed camphor to be a “potent wound healing and antiwrinkle agent” making it a wonderful addition to cosmetic and personal care products.
Anti-inflammatory: Lots of studies have been performed on the ability for Blue Tansy to reduce inflammation. The key constituents contributing to the anti-inflammatory properties are Camphor(10-17%), Sabinene(10-17%) and Chamazulene(3-6%).
Antihistamine: Blue Tansy has been used in Chinese medicine as an antihistamine in order to reduce nasal congestion. Also, aromatherapist will recommend adding a few drops of the essential oil to a bowl of hot water to create a steam infused with the oil for inhalation.
How to use Blue Tansy?
- Add to a cream or carrier oil like I do with this cleansing cream or my “Glow” serum in addition add to your moisturizer. Be aware that it will turn your skin blue, but it will fade in a short period of time.
- Add a few drops to a diffuser due to the sweet herbal aroma it allows one to take advantage of the calming properties of the oil.
How to know you are getting true Blue Tansy?
- In order to be sure you are purchasing real Blue Tansy essential oil the label should have Tanacetum annum on it, otherwise you could be purchasing common tansy that does not have the properties and constituents of Blue Tansy.
- Blue Tansy is a more costly essential oil, so be sure to read the label to know that you are getting pure essential oil and not blended with a carrier oil, which lowers the quality of the essential oil.
- It should be packaged in a dark colored bottle to protect the essential oil from light over time.
- Pay attention to the price if it is “cheap” than the contents in the bottle are cheap as well. A high quality Blue Tansy essential oil will cost you at least $100.
*Note: Essential oils are not regulated. So, a bottle of essential oil can say “100% pure essential oil” when really there could be as little as 5% of essential oil contained in the bottle and the rest is fillers, synthetics and possibly fragrance.
Recipe & Custom Label
Print Labels
Blue Tansy Cleansing Cream
Equipment
- double boiler (create a double boiler using a glass measuring cup or your mixing bowl)
- measuring utensils
- hand mixer
- 2 - four ounce glass jars
Materials
- 2 4 ounce glass jars
Carrier Oils and Wax
- 1 Tbsp. Emulsifying wax
- 3 tablespoon Ivory Shea Butter If yellow than finished cream will have a green color versed the pretty sea blue from the Blue Tansy Essential Oil
- 1 tablespoon Jojoba Oil
- 1 tablespoon Rosehip Seed Oil Can replace with additional tablespoon of Jojoba Oil or one of the following based on your skin type - primrose, sunflower seed, pomegranate seed, grapeseed oil or sweet almond.
- 2 tablespoon Castor Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
Essential Oils
- 20 drops Blue Tansy
- 10 drops Frankincense
Instructions
- Combine wax and shea butter in glass or metal bowl and place over pot of boiling water. Gently heat until melted and combined.*
- Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly and stir in castor oil, jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil.
- Allow to cool completely. You can speed up the process by placing mixture in freezer for 15 minute increments until the mixture is not "frozen" just slight hard with the center still liquid.
- Once cooled use a mixer to blend the cream for about 10 minutes or the mixture forms soft peaks.
- Add the Blue Tansy and Frankincense essential oils to the mixture and blend for an additional five minutes.
- Put cream in small jars. Can be stored at room temperature.*
Notes
- I like to put the extra cream in the fridge until current open jar is empty.
- When melting/combining the shea butter and wax I use my metal mixing bowl and go straight from stove top to freezer to the mixer.
- Makes 8 ounces of cream and I split it into two 4 ounce glass jars.
