Chamomile essential oil: blue German chamomile, scent and dilution

In brief: Our chamomile oil is from German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), not from Roman chamomile. It is deep blue thanks to chamazulene and smells warm, sweet and herbal. For an oil burner 2–3 drops, on the skin 0.5–1%. Not suitable for people allergic to plants of the daisy family.

Everyone knows chamomile from tea. The essential oil, however, is another world: from a full bottle drips a thick, ink-coloured liquid that smells far richer than a chamomile teabag. If the blue colour surprised you, it is not a dye or a defect. It is a sign that the bottle really holds German chamomile.

Under the name "chamomile oil" two different oils are sold, and instructions on the internet often mix them up. In this article we discuss the one we have on offer: BIO German chamomile from Nepal. We show how it differs from Roman chamomile, how to dose it and who should avoid it.

German or Roman chamomile? What is in our bottle

Our range does not include Roman chamomile. In the article essential oils for relaxation and sleep we recommend it as the gentlest of the five. You can use German chamomile in evening blends too; it simply smells stronger, so half the drops are enough.

Why the oil is blue and why it turns green with time

In a fresh flower there is no blue substance. The plant contains colourless matricin, and only during steam distillation does blue chamazulene form from it through heat and steam. That is why German chamomile has a deep blue oil, while chamomile tea is yellow.

Chamazulene slowly oxidises in air and light. Older oil gradually turns green and then brown. The scent changes less than the colour, but make facial blends preferably from oil that is still blue. Two practical notes:

• It stains. A drop on a white towel or sheet leaves a blue-green mark. Let facial oil soak in before you get dressed.
• It drips slowly. The oil is thicker than lavender. Warm the bottle briefly in your palm and hold it upright; the drops then come out evenly.

What chamomile goes with

German chamomile is a strong voice in a blend. It usually makes up at most a fifth of the drops, and the rest is made up of oils that soften it:

• Lavender – the most classic partner; together they smell like a meadow in the evening.
• Orange and bergamot – they brighten the hay note and add sweetness (on the skin only orange; bergamot belongs in the oil burner).
• Ylang-ylang and rose – floral blends for facial oils.
• Himalayan cedar – a woody base for massages.

How to use chamomile oil

How to adjust the number of drops by room size can be found in the article how many drops of essential oil for a diffuser and oil burner. For dilution on the skin and choosing a carrier oil there is a detailed guide, essential oils for the complexion.

Evening facial oil: method

1. Pour 30 ml of jojoba oil into a clean dark bottle.
2. Add 3 drops of chamomile and 2 drops of lavender. That is about 0.8% in total, suitable even for more sensitive skin.
3. Close the bottle and turn it over several times.
4. The first time, apply a drop to the inside of the forearm and watch for 24 hours whether the skin goes red.
5. In the evening 2–3 drops of the blend on the face and neck are enough. Use within 3 months.

Three blends for an oil burner

• Calm evening: 1 drop of chamomile, 3 drops of lavender, 1 drop of orange.
• Floral: 1 drop of chamomile, 1 drop of ylang-ylang, 2 drops of orange.
• Autumn living room: 1 drop of chamomile, 2 drops of cedar, 2 drops of bergamot.

More calming combinations are in the article 9 proven aromatherapy blends.

Traditional use and what research says

In Europe chamomile is traditionally used for irritated skin and for calming. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) lists chamomile essential oil as a traditional herbal medicinal product, specifically as an ingredient in baths for skin irritation, and only for adults and adolescents from 12 years. This concerns registered medicinal products, not a fragrance oil from an online shop.

In laboratory studies, α-bisabolol and chamazulene show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. It does not follow from this, however, that the oil in an oil burner treats anything. People use chamomile mainly in evening blends for calming and in gentle skin care. If you sleep badly long-term or have a skin disease, it belongs with a doctor.

What to watch out for

• Allergy to the daisy family: anyone who reacts to ragweed, arnica, yarrow or calendula may react to chamomile too. The EMA lists allergy to this family as a reason not to use chamomile essential oil. Always test on the forearm first.
• Medicines: Tisserand and Young point out that chamazulene, farnesene and α-bisabolol inhibit the liver enzyme CYP2D6. If you take medicines that pass through it (for example some antidepressants or tamoxifen), consult a doctor.
• Children: no oils under 3 months. From 3 months 1 drop of chamomile in a diffuser, on the skin from 6 months and at most 0.5%. Details in the article essential oils and children.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: only in an oil burner, weakly, and after agreeing it with a doctor or midwife.
• Cats and dogs: the ASPCA lists chamomile as a plant toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The oil is far more concentrated. Do not put it on an animal's fur, and do not run an oil burner in a room the cat cannot leave. More in the article essential oils and pets.
• Not internally. The oil is not intended for internal use, nor for the eyes or mucous membranes.

How to recognise a good chamomile oil

On the label look for the Latin name Matricaria chamomilla or M. recutita, the country of origin and the batch. German chamomile is deep blue. If a "blue chamomile" is pale yellow, it is old or it is not German chamomile. Beware too of "Moroccan chamomile" (Ormenis multicaulis), which is a different plant with a different composition. General signs of quality oils are summarised in the article how to recognise the quality of essential oils.

You can also grow chamomile yourself: German chamomile seeds are sown in spring; how to do it is described in the article lemon balm and chamomile in the garden.

Frequently asked questions

Why is chamomile oil blue?

The blue colour is given by chamazulene, which forms during steam distillation from the matricin contained in the flowers. Only oils from German chamomile have it. When the oil turns green with time, the chamazulene has oxidised.

What is the difference between German and Roman chamomile?

They are two different plants. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) gives a blue oil with a rich herbal scent, Roman (Chamaemelum nobile) a pale oil with an apple scent and a different composition. At Pěstík we sell German chamomile.

Can I put chamomile oil straight on the skin?

No, always dilute it in a carrier oil, for the face 0.5–1%, that is, 1–2 drops per 10 ml. Even a gentle oil may irritate or cause allergy undiluted.

Is chamomile essential oil suitable for children?

It is among the gentlest oils. From 3 months 1 drop in a diffuser, on the skin from 6 months and at most 0.5%. Do not use it with children who are allergic to plants of the daisy family.

Does chamomile oil help with sleep?

People use it in evening blends for calming and a pleasant atmosphere, most often with lavender. It is not a medicine, and therapeutic effects of a fragrance oil have not been proven. Deal with long-term sleep problems with a doctor.

Recommended products

• BIO Chamomile, essential oil 10 ml – German chamomile from Nepal, blue thanks to chamazulene.
• BIO Lavender, essential oil 10 ml – the best partner for evening and facial blends.
• BIO Orange, essential oil 10 ml – brightens the rich scent of chamomile.
• BIO Himalayan cedar, essential oil 10 ml – a woody base for massage blends.
• BIO Jojoba 10 ml – a carrier oil for facial blends, absorbed quickly.
• Ceramic oil burner, white – for evening blends with a tea light.

Sources

• EMA: Matricariae aetheroleum – herbal medicinal product
• El Mihyaoui A. et al.: Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.): A Review of Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Uses, Life 2022
• ASPCA: Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Chamomile
• Tisserand R., Young R.: Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition, Churchill Livingstone 2014

Updated: 27 September 2026