Each year I visit Croatia, a relatively new country technically founded around 20 years ago. It is a country made up of over 1200+ Islands and is based on the Adriatic Sea. Once part of the Former Yugoslavia, which has a history going back thousands of years, it is now an independent entity. 

My husband is partly Croatian, and for the last 10 years we have visited every summer. Specifically, we stay based in or around the historical city of Dubrovnik.

It is here that I first met Helichrysum, and fell in love, it is one of my all-time favorite essential oils. Not just because it evokes beautiful memories of summers gone by in an ancient space, it is also because its therapeutic properties are vast. This is one essential oil that you want in your aromatic tool kit. 

Approximately 600 different species belong to the genus Helichrysum, however for this article we will look at the one we sell on our website Helichrysum italicum, hailing all the way from Bosnia and Herizgovnia, which is next door to Croatia. 

It is a relatively new essential oil to the world of aromatherapy, being introduced sometime in the 80's. Because it does not yield much essential oil in the steam distillation process, it is quite pricey. So if you see a said pure helichrysum oil selling for a cheap price you can be assured it is not genuine. However, less is more with helichrysum meaning that you do not need much for it to be effective so it is well worth the investment, a small bottle will last a long time. Helichrysum is also one of only a handful of essential oils that a professional aromatherapist may suggest is suitable to use neat on the skin, and this relates to the molecular make-up of this oil - it is very skin-friendly holding G.R.A.S status (Generally Regarded As Safe). 

So, what can helichrysum essential oil help with?

The therapeutic actions include;

• an analgesic (pain reliever)
• an anti-inflammatory, external and internal inflammation can be treated this way
• an antiseptic, it can be applied directly to minor wounds and is effective in destroying airborne germs
• an anti spasmodic, think chronic coughing as one example
• an antiviral, by empowering the immune system it can act as a preventative measure by building a wall of security in the human body, so the effects of conditions like the measles or colds (for example) may face trouble breaking through
• a diuretic, so maybe you utilize this for water weight loss or to help reduce blood pressure 
• an anti-fungal, being able to protect against & treat all kinds of fungus - external and internal
• a mucolytic, being able to act as an expectorant by breaking up phlegm and mucus build up 
• a hepatic, being able to protect against liver infections 

If we look specifically at the skin we see it as an anti-hematoma literally being able to pull bruising out of the body at a faster rate than normal, cell regenerative (cicastrisant) and a vulnerary (wound healer). Helichrysum is truly a gift from nature for all concerns for the skin - reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fading sun spots, tightening skin and improving overall tone of skin etc.

Besides the physiological aspects of this oil, energetically helichrysum can help with mental unrest, irritability, emotional trauma, anxiety and anger having the said ability to break through the most profound or stagnant of negative emotions - as it heals physiological wounds it can also heal emotional wounds. I personally like to call on this beauty to aid me on raising my vibration, focusing & connecting to my psychic ability.

If you would like further information on the chemical break-down of the helichrysum we sell, we do have this information on our product page. 

So, how can you use helichrysum in your dailies?

Here are just a few ideas;

• In a D.I.Y chest salve to help with colds and coughs
• In a diffuser to help clean the air, and also uplift your mood
• Straight up in an aromatic first aid kit for bruising and minor cuts
• Before meditation to help open the crown chakra and connect with your deities
• In a D.I.Y nourishing facial serum
• In an after-sun carrier oil to help minimize UV damage 

Our helichrysum is very special, and has been on quite the journey to arrive here in the United States. The stars aligned while visiting Croatia recently, and with the help of a translator I was able to buy some from a family who steam distill the helichrysum on their farm. It literally was walked miles, and then traveled on a boat for me to receive on a tiny island in the Adriatic Sea. I was very worried that it was not going to make it back through USA customs in the beautiful glass bottles it came in, but it did - it was meant to be. Once back in the United States we sent a little away to a lab to have it tested for purity and we were not surprised with the results we received. This is genuinely a very special essential oil, and one of the reasons we offer it here, is because we were part of the process. We are so grateful to be able to offer this to you to incorporate into your dailies. 

Enjoy!

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by Libby Vlasic, certified aromatherapist, certified herbalist and Helichrysum lover!