Tanacetum Annuum Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil also known as blue tanacetus oil, is extracted by steam distillation of the aerial parts of the plant of the same name, which belongs to the Asteraceae family.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• Tanacetum Annuum is the scientific name for the flower commonly known as blue tansy or blue chamomile. This plant is valued for its flowers which produce a blue-colored essential oil.
• Flower/leaf/stem oil indicates that the product is an essential oil extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stems of Tanacetum Annuum.

Industrial Production Process

• Collection of plant material. The aerial parts of Tanacetum Annuum, such as flowers, leaves, and stems, are harvested at full bloom when the essential oil content is highest.
• Preparation. The collected material is cleaned to remove impurities and debris.
• Steam distillation. The plant parts are immediately subjected to steam distillation. This process uses water vapor passing through the plant material to extract essential oils.
• Condensation. The steam laden with essential oils is cooled in a condenser, turning it back into liquid. This liquid is a mix of water and essential oil.
• Separation. The essential oil separates from the water due to its lower density. The oil, being lighter, floats on top of the water or separates to the side and is collected.
• Filtration and purification. The collected oil may be filtered to remove physical impurities and further purified if necessary.
• Quality control. Tanacetum Annuum essential oil undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and concentration of active compounds such as chamazulene, and to verify the absence of contaminants.
• Storage. The oil is stored in dark glass containers to protect it from light and preserve its chemical and therapeutic integrity.

What it is used for and where

This oil is renowned for its high content of chamazulene, a compound that gives the oil its characteristic blue color and has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. It is primarily used in aromatherapy to relieve stress and calm the mind. Additionally, due to its soothing properties, it is a popular ingredient in skincare products intended to treat conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and skin irritations. Blue tansy oil is also employed for its ability to improve skin tone and reduce redness.

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

• Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability. It is able to create a perceptible pleasant odour, masking a bad smell. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product. 
• Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

Main uses and benefits of Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil.

Anti-inflammatory Properties. This oil is highly effective at reducing inflammation and soothing skin irritations such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea (1).

Calming and Relaxing Effects. The aroma of Tanacetum Annuum is used in aromatherapy to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm, helping to alleviate tensions and anxiety.

Skin Care. The oil has healing properties that can accelerate the healing process of small wounds, cuts, and abrasions, thanks to its ability to support cell regeneration.

Antioxidant. It contains antioxidants that help protect the skin from free radical damage and premature aging.

Pain Relief. It can be used to relieve muscle pain and tension due to its analgesic properties, making it useful in massage oils and balms.

Versatile Applications. Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil can be incorporated into various cosmetic products, including creams, lotions, serums, body oils, and products for sensitive skin care.

Safety

Tanacetum Annuum Flower/Leaf/Stem Oil  is a product generally considered safe.

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Ettakifi H, Abbassi K, Maouni S, Erbiai EH, Rahmouni A, Legssyer M, Saidi R, Lamrani Z, Esteves da Silva JCG, Pinto E, Maouni A. Chemical Characterization and Antifungal Activity of Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum) Essential Oil and Crude Extracts against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, an Agent Causing Bayoud Disease of Date Palm. Antibiotics (Basel). 2023 Sep 16;12(9):1451. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12091451. 

Abstract. Tanacetum annuum L. is a Mediterranean plant, commonly known as Blue Tansy due to its blue colour as an essential oil, which is widely used for medicinal purposes. However, there are no studies on the bioactive compounds (especially, phenolic compounds) and the biological properties of their organic extracts. Herein, the purpose of the present work was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil and crude extracts of the T. annuum aerial parts collected from northern Morocco and to evaluate their antioxidant and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, an agent causing Bayoud disease of the date palm, an important food source and commercial perennial crop in the Sahara and North Africa. Chemically, Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colourimetric methods were used to determine the total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents, respectively; polyphenols were characterized using HPLC-MS, while GC-MS was used to analyse the essential oil composition. Moreover, the evaluation of antioxidant and antifungal activities was carried out using the DPPH test and microdilution method, respectively. The results showed that the three T. annuum parts (stems, leaves and flowers) extracts contained important TPC and TFC with values varied between 51.32 and 116.32 mg/g of dry crude extract (DCE). HPLC-MS analysis revealed the identification and quantification of 19 phenolic acids and flavonoids with an emphasis on apigenin 7-glucoside (4540 µg/g of dry weight (DW)), luteolin 7-glucoside (2804 µg/g DW) and salicylic acid (1878 µg/g DW). Additionally, 39 biomolecules were identified in the essential oil using GC-MS, which were predominated by camphor (16.69%), α-pinene (12.37%), bornyl acetate (11.97%) and limonene (11.10%). The methanolic and hydro-methanolic extracts of T. annuum parts demonstrated a strong antioxidant property with IC50 values ranging between 0.22 and 0.65 mg/mL. Concerning antifungal activity, the essential oil and crude extracts of the Moroccan Blue Tansy exhibited a potent capacity against F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis at low concentrations, with MIC and MFC values of 3.33 and 4.58 µL/mL for the essential oil and values of 3.33 and 9.17 mg/mL for crude extracts, respectively. Overall, these results demonstrated T. annuum as an important source of bioactive compounds and contribute significantly to the potential of using essential oils and extracts for controlling the Bayoud disease of date palms. Moreover, the finding suggests that T. annuum can be highly useful for phytosanitary and pharmaceutical industries.

Belcadi H, Aknouch A, El Amrani S, Chraka A, Lachkar M, Mouhib M, Zantar S, Ibnmansour A. Gamma-irradiation effect on the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the moroccan tanacetum annuum L. essential oil. Heliyon. 2023 May 24;9(6):e16625. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16625. PMID: 37292271; PMCID: PMC10245259.