If you’re a tea drinker you’re probably familiar with chamomile. It’s a pretty basic staple in the cabinet of any hot tea fan. The flower is dried and brewed as a tea, perfect for a calming, sleepy time drink. But did you know that the powers of chamomile go far beyond a tea for bedtime?

History of Chamomile Use

As a traditional medicine, chamomile has been used for basically everything: wound treatment, ulcers, skin conditions, burns, and pain (just to name a few). It can be used internally like in a tea or tincture. (We hot tea addicts already know this.) You can drink it for anxiety, digestive issues, and all kinds of sleep problems. However, chamomile can also be used externally like in a mask or salve. In fact, it’s been used for years and years to treat skin conditions of every sort, infections, poison ivy, and nerve pain.

The Powers of Chamomile

Chamomile has a long list of benefits when used on your skin.

First and foremost, it has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties to keep your skin clean and clear. It contains tons of antioxidants that increase its anti-inflammatory capabilities and can help reduce redness caused by inflammation. It has been proven to be helpful when treating eczema, which is also largely due to its anti-inflammatory nature. There’s even evidence that chamomile has anti-cancer properties. Chamomile can absorb into the deep layers of your skin to promote anti-aging and deep cleansing.

Add It To Your Skin Care Routine

You can use chamomile in essential oil form or dried and powdered to assimilate it into your skin care routine in a variety of ways.

Chamomile flowers or powder can make great additions to more solid products, whether you make it yourself or add it to a product you buy. I love adding the powder to homemade face masks. It leaves my skin feeling so good! If you make your own soaps or bath blends, the flowers make a perfect addition as well. Chamomile essential oil can be added to any product as well. It’s potent in this concentrated form, so a little goes a long way. Add it to a serum that you use on your face before bed to get the best of both worlds, treating your skin and giving a boost to your sleep quality.

Get creative with it, and enjoy the benefits!