The wellbeing benefits of chamomile

Chamomile has a variety of health benefits and applications. Identifiable by its distinctly feathery leaves and pretty, daisy-like flowers, gardeners favour it for creating delicately scented lawns while apothecaries extoll its virtues for making a famously calming tea.

Chamomile comes in two plant varieties: Roman and German. Both are pretty similar and they are both used in cosmetic and healthcare products, containing similar therapeutic properties.

When it comes to scent, Roman Chamomile is often described as having a light, fresh apple fragrance, while German Chamomile smells a bit more like sweet straw - so that’s more about personal preference. The plant’s name literally refers to its ground cover characteristics and its sweet scent (derived from the Greek words chamos - meaning ‘ground’, and melos - meaning ‘apple’).

• Calming and soothing skin
• Easing inflammation
• Soothing fevers
• Calming the nervous and digestive systems
• Some say it can help flush out toxins, allergens and infections

There’s also a fair amount of research into chamomile's wider health benefits, ranging from its use as a mild sedative to depression and inflammatory diseases. Modern herbalists even recommend chamomile to calm the digestive tract, soothe heartburn and ease menstrual cramps (ref. Georgetown University Medical Centre). We like chamomile best for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which make it especially suited for sensitive skin.