Unusual Essential Oils - Moroccan Chamomile

Moroccan, German and Roman Chamomile

Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil is not to be confused with Chamomile Roman or Chamomile German, as all three plants deliver a different essential oil. All three come from the daisy family and look just like the daisies we have on our summer lawns - because that is exactly what they are! Daisies are such pretty flowers and bring back many childhood memories of making chains and having picnics, and the essential oils produced from these flowers are also quite ‘happy making’.

About Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil

Chamomile Moroccanhas the Latin name Ormenis multicaulis, or Cladanthus mixtus. It is not a true member of the daisy family, it is a weed, but we all do love it! It has many synonyms, such as O.mixta, anthemis mixta, Moroccan chamomile, but I prefer Ormenis mixta, because that implies to me that it is a mixed up menace! A weed, not a true plant!

Ormenis multicaulis is mostly found in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia), but this species has also been known to occur on the northern side of the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Albania). The species is sparingly naturalised in a few widely scattered locations in North America.

About Chamomile Moroccan The Plant

The Moroccan Chamomile grows best in moist and rich soil, but it also has the ability to grow in soils that are more salty around the Mediterranean Sea. Ormenis multicaulis does not need extreme amounts of water as it can retain water because of its thicker cuticle, allowing the species to hold water for longer durations. The plant can tolerate both warm/cool and hot environments. It is an annual plant and does not interact with other vegetation much.

Stems are about 4–10 cm long and the leaves of the plant are simple and ordinary in structure but are more like branching leaves. The petals are closely arranged together next to each other surrounding the flower. The flowers of Ormenis multicaulis bloom only during a rainy season that provides with plant with enough water and nutrients to bloom. The plant is fully mature once the flowers bloom. The flower then dies after a rainy season and awaits the next rainy season to bloom once again. This can make picking the flowers for distillation a bit hit and miss, so they are usually picked while it is raining! Glad it is not me doing that!

Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil is often used for perfumes and other skin products that calm and soothe the skin. The whole flower is crushed up for distillation to extract the oil.

A study confirms that Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil has different oil compositions depending on the area in which the plant is grown. In some areas the concentrations of the oils would be higher than that of the same species in different areas. In some cases, the same species was found to produce oils that would not be used in mixtures of skin ointments and other products. This means that we need, as aromatherapists, to know where the plant is grown, when and how it was distilled, and that the chemical components are typically what we would expect to find.

The Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil is pale yellow to brownish yellow mobile liquid with a fresh-herbaceous top note and a sweet rich-balsamic undertone.

Unlike the German and Roman Chamomiles, it does not contain azulene (the blue sesquiterpene that is so anti-inflammatory and made in distillation), so where some books will say it does not matter which chamomile oil you use, this is not true, it DOES!

Traditional Uses ofChamomileMoroccanEssential Oil

Traditional use information for Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil is not very forthcoming as it is relatively new on the market, and although I remember learning about it in the 80s, it does not go back much further than that for aromatherapy use.

Research into the properties of Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil show that it is antispasmodic, cholagogue, emmenagogue, hepatic, sedative. This means that the essential oil is very beneficial for sensitive skin, colic, colitis, headache, insomnia, irritability, migraine, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, menopause, liver and spleen congestion.

What DoesChamomileMoroccanEssential Oil Blend With?

Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil blends well with other essential oils such as Cypress, Lavender, Lavandin, Vetiver & Cedarwood essential oils. It is generally regarded as non-toxic and non-irritant, although more specific safety data is not available at present.

ChamomileMoroccan Essential Oil Main Chemical Constituents

The main chemical constituents comprise many different esters such as isobutyl isobutyrate and isobutyl angelate. Other esters are also present at along with α-pinene and β-bisabolene. However, the entire spectrum of chemicals present in Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil is not fully determined and it can vary from distillation to distillation, country to country and weather system to weather system – on the whole, not a totally reliable oil to use you may think, but generally speaking, the esters (many of them the same ones as in Roman Chamomile), can be depended on to help with sleep, digestion and stress.

ChamomileMoroccan Essential Oil for Stress and Anxiety

If you are anxious or stressed, Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil can really help you. Maybe it is the mysterious and variable blend of chemistry, maybe it is just that the members of the chamomile family are so good at helping you to relax.

Using 4-6 drops of Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil in a diffuser allows the scent of evaporated essential oils to spread through a room which will be inhaled and have direct access to your lungs, then blood stream. This gives almost instant relief to the type of stress where you forget which words to use!

If you needed a stronger approach, put 2-3 drops of Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil in the palm of your hand, rub your palms together, then cover your nose and mouth with your hands, and breathe deeply and slowly. You can repeat this several times a day if needed.

ChamomileMoroccan Essential Oil Oil for Sleep

Putting 2 drops of Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil on your pillow can really help. Just make sure that it is not too near your face. The oil will evaporate through the night to keep you calm and nightmare free. Another good tip is to use Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil in the bath before bedtime. I have done a recipe below for you to follow for this.

ChamomileMoroccan Essential Oil for Digestion

Because we cannot take essential oils internally, it makes life a bit more difficult when treating digestive conditions. However, because essential oils do penetrate the skin and tissues, we can use the oils externally – it just takes a little longer!

So a great remedy for indigestion is to use 4-5 drops of Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil in 10ml of grapeseed oil and massage into the stomach in a clockwise direction for several minutes. If you are helping nausea, then inhalation as described in the stress section will help you.

ChamomileMoroccanEssential Oil for Skin Conditions

There are many other uses of Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil in aromatic practice, as it can also help liver function, hormonal conditions such as menopause and period pain, and most importantly, skin conditions. For acne, eczema, dermatitis, heat rash, illness such as measles or chicken pox, Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil is extremely beneficial

Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that can heal acne, decrease eczema, soothe dermatitis, improve skin’s natural glow and even speed the healing of burns. It not only reduces inflammation, but also helps to cleanse and moisturise the skin while soothing irritation. These are invaluable qualities when dealing with damaged skin.

When added to other skincare products, Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil can increase the efficacy of those creams and lotions. While it’s beneficial for nearly any skin type, Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil is especially powerful for dry or acne-prone skin.

One of the components of Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil is alpha-bisabolol. Alpha-bisabolol is what gives the potent anti-inflammatory properties. It also aids in cell turnover, which speeds the healing process. The oil is also antiseptic and antimicrobial for acne, fungal infections and wounds. Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil has been used by me for helping ulcerations in the mouth, with great success.

Recipes

Night-time Calm Bath Foam

Using the following oils, fill a 100ml bottle with a pump top:

97.5ml Penny Price Aromatherapy Bath Foam Base
1ml Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil
1ml French Lavender Essential Oil
0.5ml Bergamot Essential Oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and using a funnel, fill a pump bottle with the blend. This takes time, so be patient. Use 3-6 pumps in your bath each evening for a relaxed state of mind and body.

Stress – Less Vaporiser Blend

Using the following oils, fill a 10ml bottle with dropper and cap.

3ml Chamomile MoroccanEssential Oil
3ml Geranium Essential Oil
3ml Ho Essential Oil
1ml Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Use 4-6 drops in a vaporiser during the day in whatever room you are in – kitchen, office, lounge etc.

Digestive Delight Lotion

Use this recipe to rub clockwise onto the tummy area before a big meal to prepare you, or afterward to help with the digestive process:

97ml Penny Price Aromatherapy White Lotion Base
1.5ml Chamomile Moroccan Essential Oil
1ml Sweet Orange Essential Oil
0.5ml Catnip Essential Oil

Blend everything together in a 100ml wide-neck pot until all is amalgamated and put the lid on! Use whenever needed.