Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

Yarrow is the third of the blue oils, alongside German chamomile and blue tansy. The blue is chamazulene again, made during distillation from a colourless compound in the flower. How much you get varies a lot between plants, so yarrow oil ranges from deep blue to barely green. Camphor, borneol and sabinene sit underneath, giving it a sharper, more medicinal edge than chamomile. In lab tests it held back Candida taken from denture-sore patients,[1] and it is toxic to some crop pest insects.[2]
- Also Known As
- Common Yarrow, Milfoil, Soldier's Woundwort, Nosebleed Plant
- Family
- Herbal
- Perfumery Note
- Middle
- Intensity
- Medium
- Extraction
- Steam Distillation
- Plant Parts
- Flowers, Leaves, Stems
- Origins
- Germany, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary
- Effect
- Sleep & Relaxation, Grounding & Centering, Respiratory Support
- Aroma
- Herbal, Camphorous, Earthy, Sweet, Medicinal
- Applications
- Diffusing & Inhalation, Skincare, Massage & Body
- Price
- $$$$High chamazulene content requires slow, careful distillation from flowers harvested at peak bloom; the blue color is a quality marker that commands a premium over standard white yarrow oil
References
- [1]Comparative Antifungal Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts and Essential Oils Against Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans from Denture Stomatitis Patients - Fathi N, Hong JH, Lotfipour F et al. Plants, 2026
- [2]Chemical Composition and Toxicity of Achillea millefolium L. Essential Oil Against Acrobasis advenella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) Under Laboratory Conditions - Gorska-Drabik E, Golan K, Sempruch C et al. Molecules, 2025