As an affiliate for Bookshop, Amazon, and other programs, I may earn a small commission for products purchased through links. Privacy policy and disclosures.

Blue Tansy Essential Oil Benefits and Uses in Aromatherapy

Blue tansy essential oil benefits include helping relieve anxiety, calm agitation, and harmonize the heart and mind. This oil (Tanacetum annuum) has a strong blue color due to naturally occurring chamazulene produced during distillation of the yellow, daisy-like flowers.

Aromatherapy supplies and a blue tansy plant with the words Guide To Blue Tansy Essential Oil Benefits and Uses.

Buy Blue Tansy Essential Oil

Confusingly, blue tansy is sometimes called Moroccan tansy, Moroccan chamomile, or Moroccan blue chamomile. However, it's not the same oil as the Moroccan chamomile essential oil from the ormenis flower (Ormenis multicaulis or Ormenis mixta). Always check the Latin name.

Basic Blue Tansy Facts

Important: Do not confuse blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum) with tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). They are different plants that produce very different oils. Tanacetum vulgare is generally not recommended for home use.

Plant family: Asteraceae.

Production: Steam distilled from the flowering plant.

Aroma: Slightly sweet, herbaceous.

Perfume/Aromatic note: Middle.

System affinities: Skin and respiratory, according to The Ultimate Guide to Aromatherapy.

Is blue tansy safe to use during pregnancy? No, according to Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art and The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide.

Is blue tansy essential oil safe for children? Some sources recommend not using the oil with young children.

Cautions: The oil's strong blue color can stain clothes, porous material, and skin. Some sources indicate this oil is frequently adulterated. Make sure you buy from a reputable supplier.

There is a theoretical risk of adverse interaction between blue tansy and drugs metabolized by the CYP2D6, CYP1A2, or CYP3A4 enzyme, according to Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Ed. See the book's Appendix B for a list of drugs, which includes some antidepressants.

Main components:

chamazulene 17.0–38.3%
beta-myrcene 2.2–13.8%
camphor 3.1–12.4%
sabinene 4.1–8.6%
beta-eudesmol 3.5–6.7%

Blue Tansy Essential Oil Benefits

Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art: Use blue tansy for hay fever, asthma, hives, rashes, eczema, and dry skin.

The Essential Guide to Natural Skin Care: Blue tansy essential oil benefits for the skin include calming irritated skin, couperose skin, eczema, skin allergies, and insect bites.

The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide: Blue tansy relieves stress and nervous tension and calms nerves and the nervous system. Uses of the oil include muscle aches and pains, sprains and strains, arthritis, rheumatism, and sciatica. The oil also helps relieve the symptoms of asthma and allergies. It's useful for skin conditions, such as itching, rash, irritation, and dermatitis.

The book suggests using the oil in a blend to balance the fifth (throat) chakra:

5 drops blue tansy
4 drops blue yarrow essential oil
10 drops roman chamomile essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops frankincense essential oil
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) carrier oil

Add all the oils to a small dark bottle. Cap and shake well. Let set at least eight hours before using. To use: Apply a few drops to your throat chakra.

Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Volume I: Psychologically, blue tansy promotes emotional stability, flexibility, and renewal. The oil also calms the mind and promotes relaxation. Physically, this essential oil relaxes and cools hypertonic/tense and excessively vigorous/hot conditions.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the essential function of blue tansy is to activate the Qi, settle the heart, and calm the Shen. The oil is considered neutral to cool. Its five-element affinity is wood and fire.

Aromatica suggests blending the following essential oils with blue tansy:

For conditions involving pain, spasm, and inflammation: german chamomile
To help relieve the congestion of varicose veins: atlas cedarwood or patchouli
For stress-related conditions involving tension, anxiety, or insomnia: mandarin
To help relieve type-1 allergies, including rhinitis, otitis, asthma, dermatitis, and urticaria: helichrysum

Ayurveda and Aromatherapy: The rasa (taste) of blue tansy is sweet, bitter, pungent; the vipaka (aftertaste) is sweet, and the virya (energy) is cooling and drying. The oil reduces vata and pitta and increases kapha (in excess). Tissues most affected by the oil are the skin. Indications for this essential oil include acne, dermatitis, inflamed skin, and bruises.

Blue Tansy Essential Oil Uses and Recipes

Add blue tansy essential oil to a personal aromatherapy inhaler and use it to help encourage your spirit and boost confidence.

Itch Relief

To relieve the itching of skin rashes, dilute blue tansy essential oil in tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum), coconut oil, or jojoba oil.

Source: Lisa Mertz, LMT, PhD. "Tending the Fire Element of Summer." NAHA Aromatherapy Journal, Summer 2013.2, p. 40.

Allergy Symptom Relief

Combine the following essential oils in a small, dark glass dropper bottle.

50 drops blue tansy essential oil
30 drops helichrysum italicum essential oil
10 drops blue yarrow essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
1 to 3 drops eucalyptus radiata essential oil

Cap the bottle tightly and shake to blend oils thoroughly. Let the blend set to synergize for at least eight hours before using it. Refrigeration recommended to keep oils fresh.

To use: Place 1 to 3 drops onto a cotton ball and inhale. You could also make an aromatherapy inhaler. Use as needed to relieve allergy symptoms.

Adapted from KG Stiles. "Using Aromatherapy for Allergies." NAHA Aromatherapy Journal Spring 2017.1, p. 54.

Muscle and Joint Pain Relief

To one tablespoon carrier oil, add the following essential oils:

4 drops blue tansy
6 drops cypress
2 drops german chamomile
1 drop helichrysum italicum

Massage into painful areas several times a day.

Adapted from Plant Therapy

Carol Wiley is a retired massage therapist and freelance writer. She uses her deep interest in aromatherapy and essential oils to research their benefits and uses and bring you summaries and blends with links to more resources.

If you find this site useful, you can show your support by buying through my affiliate links. The site is a labor of love, and I appreciate any income that helps keep it up and running.

Buy essential oils at Aromatics International or Rocky Mountain Oils.
Buy massage supplies at Massage Naturals.
Buy anything at Amazon.