Description
Helichrysum italicum, also called immortelle or the curry plant, is a small shrub with silver leaves and golden flowers that keep their colour when dried. It grows on dry, rocky slopes around the Mediterranean, especially Corsica and the Adriatic coast. Pickers cut the flowering tops in early summer and carry them to local stills within hours. Yields are often well under one kilogram of oil per tonne of plant.
Details
| Botanical name | Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Corsica, Balkans |
| Part used | Flowering tops |
| Extraction | Steam-distilled |
| Aroma | Honey, curry, herbal |
| Ingredients | 100% Helichrysum italicum flower oil |
Why it costs more: the flowers give very little oil, and much is still gathered from wild slopes where yields change with drought and fire.
How to use
- Face oil: add 1 drop to a teaspoon (5ml) of a light carrier oil such as black currant seed oil.
- Body oil: add 2 to 3 drops to a tablespoon (15ml) of carrier oil.
- Blending: pairs with lavender, citrus and woody oils.
Essential oils are concentrated. Always dilute before use on skin, patch test first, keep away from eyes and out of reach of children, and do not take internally. If you are pregnant or nursing, check with your doctor before use.
FAQs
What does helichrysum smell like?
Warm and honeyed, with herbal notes and a curry-like edge.
Why is it called immortelle?
The dried flowers keep their golden colour for a long time.
Why is it expensive?
It has a low oil yield, often under a kilogram per tonne of flowers.
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