What Is Chamomile & How Does It Benefit Skin..?
Updated: Dec 29, 2022
Photo by Nina Ramirez
My first introduction to Chamomile and its calming benefits was as a young child. My mother loved a good hot Chamomile tea before bedtime. Its soothing scent was a lovely lullaby that I fell asleep to often.
As an adult, I still enjoy its herbal aroma when steeping in a hot teacup. It was in one of these moments that got me wondering really what is Chamomile and does it have other benefits outside of its calming scent? This prompted research...
What is Chamomile?
Chamomile is an herb that comes from the daisy-like flowers of the Asteraceae plant family and is one of the most ancient herbs known to mankind. (1,2) Traditionally, Chamomile has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild astringent and healing medicine (3). There are two main types of Chamomile: German Chamomile and Roman Chamomile.
Okay so in a nutshell it’s an herb that looks like a daisy and has been used in herbal medicine since the beginning of time. Got it. So being in the business of soap, I wondered...
What benefits does Chamomile have for skin?
Lots apparently. Chamomile is known for having anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties that help in the treatment of inflammation and redness of skin, soothing sensitive skin, acne, has anti-aging properties to name a few.
With this in mind, I made the easy decision to incorporate this herbal powerhouse into our Myrtle Natural Soap Co. Chamomile & Lavender Bath Salts and Chamomile & Lavender Aloe Soap Bar. I have found that the combination of lavender and chamomile soothes the soul after a long day but don’t just take my word for it... try them out for yourself!
“The only difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary one is the extraordinary pleasures you find in ordinary things.”
― Veronique Vienne
If you are interested in learning more about Chamomile and its benefits as a tea and for the skin, check out the references shared below:
(1) Elliott, B. 5 Ways Chamomile Tea Benefits Your Health. 2017. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-benefits-of-chamomile-tea#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
(2) Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010 Nov 1;3(6):895-901. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2010.377. PMID: 21132119; PMCID: PMC2995283.
(3) Weiss RF. In: Herbal Medicine. Arcanum AB, editor. Beaconsfield, U.K: Beaconsfield publishers; 1988. pp. 22–28.