Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)
A prized, low-yield floral oil popular in skin-care circles for blends aimed at the look of skin after activity or aging.
How to use it
Dilute 2–4% in a carrier oil — a favorite in appearance-focused skin-care blends.
2–3 drops layered with lavender or frankincense for a calming evening blend.
Safety in detail
- Max dermal use
- Dilute in a carrier oil for skin
- Phototoxic
- No
- A gentle, well-tolerated oil; dilute before topical use as usual.
- Not phototoxic. Keep out of reach of children.
Sources: PLOS ONE study (2022)
Composition & chemistry
Aggregated from 25 GC-MS samples across 10 peer-reviewed open-access studies (2019–2026). Figures are the distribution across those samples — median with interquartile range — not a single reading.
- Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 56.2%
- Oxygenated monoterpene 19.2%
- Monoterpene hydrocarbon 12.2%
- Oxygenated sesquiterpene 9.2%
- Unclassified 2.7%
- Aliphatic / small aromatic 0.5%
| Constituent | Median | Typical range | Max | Detected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| γ-curcumene ↗ C15H22 | 14.6% | 14.1–15.5% | 20.2% | |
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| neryl acetate ↗ C12H20O2 | 12.0% | 9.0–17.0% | 21.2% | |
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| α-pinene ↗ C10H16 | 7.2% | 3.6–11.4% | 15.1% | |
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| β-selinene ↗ C15H24 | 5.3% | 1.4–6.8% | 11.3% | |
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| rosifoliol ↗ C15H26O | 5.1% | 1.7–7.4% | 7.4% | |
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| ar-curcumene ↗ C15H22 | 4.7% | 1.6–8.3% | 10.4% | |
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| α-selinene ↗ C15H24 | 4.6% | 2.3–6.7% | 7.3% | |
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| β-caryophyllene ↗ C15H24 | 4.3% | 2.4–5.0% | 19.8% | |
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| italicene ↗ C15H24 | 4.0% | 3.5–6.4% | 8.4% | |
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| limonene ↗ C10H16 | 2.5% | 1.2–3.3% | 4.7% | |
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| α-copaene ↗ C15H24 | 1.8% | 0.7–2.8% | 4.5% | |
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| linalool ↗ C10H18O | 1.4% | 1.0–2.3% | 11.6% | |
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+ 78 more compounds reported across the dataset.
10 peer-reviewed sources behind these figures
- Glumac M, Jažo Z, Paštar V, Golemac A, Čikeš Čulić V, Bektić S, Radan M, Carev I. (2023). Chemical Profiling and Bioactivity Assessment of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don. Essential Oil: Exploring Pure Compounds and Synergistic Combinations. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Zeremski T, Šovljanski O, Vukić V, Lončar B, Rat M, Perković Vukčević N, Aćimović M, Pezo L. (2024). Combination of Chromatographic Analysis and Chemometric Methods with Bioactivity Evaluation of the Antibacterial Properties of Helichrysum italicum Essential Oil. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland).
- Juliano C, Marchetti M, Campagna P, Usai M. (2019). Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of essential oil from Helichrysum microphyllum Cambess. subsp. tyrrhenicum Bacch., Brullo & Giusso collected in South-West Sardinia. Saudi journal of biological sciences.
- Węglarz Z, Kosakowska O, Pióro-Jabrucka E, Przybył JL, Gniewosz M, Kraśniewska K, Szyndel MS, Costa R, Bączek KB. (2022). Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don. from Central Europe. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland).
- Castagliuolo G, Sordillo A, Ramaminirina HJB, Di Girolamo D, Varcamonti M, Badalamenti N, Rakotonandrasana SR, Zanfardino A, Bruno M, Rasamison VE. (2026). Phytochemistry, Antimicrobial, and Antibiofilm Properties of Malagasy <i>Helichrysum manopappoides</i> Essential Oil. Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- Malaspina P, Polito F, La Neve A, De Feo V, Cornara L, Trombetta D, Smeriglio A. (2026). Essential Oils from Pruning Residues of <i>Lavandula angustifolia</i> Mill. 'Essence Purple' and <i>Helichrysum italicum</i> (Roth) G.Don: Phytotoxic and Ecotoxicological Evaluation. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Balázs VL, Filep R, Répás F, Kerekes E, Szabó P, Kocsis B, Böszörményi A, Krisch J, Horváth G. (2022). Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) Essential Oil Showed Antibacterial and Biofilm Inhibitory Activity against Respiratory Tract Pathogens. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Kunc N, Frlan A, Baričevič D, Kočevar Glavač N, Kokalj Ladan M. (2022). Essential Oil and Hydrosol Composition of Immortelle (Helichrysumitalicum). Plants (Basel, Switzerland).
- Andjić M, Božin B, Draginić N, Kočović A, Jeremić JN, Tomović M, Milojević Šamanović A, Kladar N, Čapo I, Jakovljević V, Bradić JV. (2021). Formulation and Evaluation of Helichrysum italicum Essential Oil-Based Topical Formulations for Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland).
- Kramberger K, Barlič-Maganja D, Bandelj D, Baruca Arbeiter A, Peeters K, Miklavčič Višnjevec A, Jenko Pražnikar Z. (2020). HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS Determination of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity Comparison of the Hydroalcoholic and Water Extracts from Two Helichrysum italicum Species. Metabolites.
Every figure above traces to a named table in one of these open-access papers. How this was built →
- Neryl acetate — the major ester giving helichrysum its soft, honey-curry aroma; the focus of chemical and activity studies on the oil PLOS ONE study (2022)
Immortelle earns its name — its papery yellow flowers hold their shape long after cutting.
What the research says
An honest read of the published research — what has actually been studied, at what stage. Not medical advice or a promise of results.
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Helichrysum's neryl acetate and related constituents have been studied for antioxidant and other activities in the laboratory. Its 'skin repair' reputation is popular and traditional, not established by strong clinical evidence.
PLOS ONE study (2022)
Evidence & sources
Peer-reviewed research on Helichrysum's chemistry and safety. These describe composition and documented effects — not health or treatment claims.
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Corsican helichrysum is defined by neryl acetate as its major constituent, alongside curcumenes and the distinctive italidione diketones.
PLOS ONE study (2022)
Frequently asked questions
Why is helichrysum oil so expensive?
Helichrysum italicum yields very little oil per plant and is labour-intensive to harvest, especially the prized Corsican type. Low yield plus high demand for skincare keeps prices among the highest of any essential oil. PLOS ONE study (2022)
Is helichrysum good for skin?
It's popular in skincare and generally gentle, but its 'skin repair' and bruise reputation is largely traditional. Enjoy it as a soothing addition to a diluted blend rather than a proven treatment. PLOS ONE study (2022)
Is helichrysum phototoxic?
No — it isn't phototoxic. Dilute it for skin use, but there's no sun-exposure restriction.
Gallery
The Plant and Where It Grows
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum), sometimes called “immortelle” or “everlasting” for the way its papery yellow flowers hold their shape long after cutting, grows wild across the rocky, sun-baked hillsides of the Mediterranean — Corsica, Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, and parts of Italy and France are the classic sourcing regions. It’s a low, silvery-leaved shrub that thrives in poor, dry soil where little else grows.
Extraction and Why It’s Expensive
The oil is steam-distilled from the flowering tops, but the flowers yield very little oil relative to the volume of plant material required — often cited as one of the lowest yields of any commercially distilled oil. That scarcity, combined with genuinely labor-intensive hand-harvesting on steep terrain, is why helichrysum is consistently one of the pricier oils on the shelf.
Aroma Character
The scent is warm, herbaceous, and distinctly honeyed, with a slightly hay-like, tea-like undertone — unusual among essential oils in that it smells almost edible without being sweet in a floral or fruity way.
Everyday Use
On skin: dilute to 2–4% in a carrier oil. It’s a favorite ingredient in skin-care blends aimed at the appearance of skin after physical activity, or as part of an aging-skin routine — an appearance-and-comfort use, not a medical one.
In the diffuser: 2–3 drops gives a warm, herbaceous, slightly honeyed background note that works well layered with lavender or frankincense in a calming evening blend.
Pairs Well With
Lavender softens helichrysum’s intensity, frankincense deepens it into a more resinous, meditative blend, and geranium adds a rosy lift that balances the honeyed note.
Sourcing Note
Because genuine helichrysum is expensive to produce, budget “helichrysum” oils sold elsewhere are sometimes diluted, cut with a cheaper carrier, or mislabeled entirely. Buying from a traceable source matters more here than with common, high-yield oils like lavender or orange.
Found in these blends
Helichrysum is one of the oils inside 7 Young Living blends.