A relative of common garden sage, clary sage or Salvia sclarea also has a distinct place in the kitchen. The oil's use in flavoring Muscatel wine has earned it the alternate name of Muscatel oil. Its sweet, herbaceous fragrance is well suited to perfumes and personal care products and has aromatherapeutic properties, too.
Easing Menstrual and Childbirth Pain
While clary sage may not have true estrogenic properties, it does appear to affect the female reproductive system. Of 10 essential oils, clary sage and chamomile were most effective in relieving childbirth pain, found one large study published in the February 2000 issue of Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. Aromatherapy with clary sage, lavender and rose oils also significantly reduced menstrual cramp pain, a 2006 study from Wonkwang Public Health College in Iksan, Korea discovered.
Relieving Anxiety
The scent of clary sage may help you relax and cope with stress. The aroma has a calming and even euphoric effect, notes Maryann Hammers in an article in the February 1995 issue of Vegetarian Times. A small group of nursing students found an aroma lamp that contained clary sage, lavender, rosemary and peppermint helped reduce their physical and psychological reactions to stress, reported researchers from a 2002 study from Nambu University in Gwangju city, Korea. To sooth your nerves, add a few drops of clary sage oil to your bath or use the oil in a diffuser.
Revitalizing Skin
Linalyl acetate, an ester in clary sage, may benefit the skin. Plant esters help soothe skin inflammations and heal rashes as well as balance the skin's oil production, notes Dr. JitKang Lim of the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Add a few drops of clary sage oil to your moisturizer or make your own body oil by blending clary sage oil into a skin-nourishing carrier oil like almond oil.
Scenting Personal Care Products
The sweet, floral scent of clary sage makes an ideal top note in perfume oils. Design your own blend by starting with a base oil like almond or jojoba and adding clary sage along with fragrances like citrus oils or sandalwood. Because the oil has mild antibacterial properties, it's also useful as a deodorant. Combine it with other antibacterial oils like thyme or tea tree in a base oil to make chemical-free deodorant oil.
References
- Robert Tisserand: Is Clary Sage Oil Estrogenic?
- "Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery"; The Use of Aromatherapy in Intrapartum Midwifery Practice an Observational Study; Burns E, et al.; February 2000
- "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine"; Effect of Aromatherapy on Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea in College Students: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial, Han SH, et al.; July-August 2006
- "Vegetarian Times"; Soothe Yourself with Good Scents: Essential Oils Can Help Heal Body and Soul; Hammers, M,; February 1995
- "Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi"; The Effect of Aroma Inhalation Method on Stress Responses of Nursing Students; Park MK, et al.; April 2004
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