Clary Sage Oil: Benefits for Women's Health and Wellness

Clary Sage: A Woman’s Best Friend

March 2, 2022

Clary Sage comes from an herb of the same family as common sage, and is found in northern Africa, Central Asia, and is native to the Mediterranean Basin. The oil is steam distilled from the flower blossoms and the plant. The aroma is herbaceous, dry, sharp, and musky with a middle perfumery note.

Not only is Clary Sage commonly used for its scent in the perfume industry, but there are many other health benefits! Its scent and properties have been used for hundreds of years.

Beyond its slightly floral and elegant scent, Clary Sage is known to relieve many other discomforts. It can reduce anxiety, stress and help with insomnia. You can diffuse it at night in your bedroom or 2-3 hours before going to bed to help you ease into a calming state of mind.

Studies on Clary Sage oil have proved to have an anti-depressive effect on rats, even more so than other calming oils such as Lavender, Chamomile, and Rosemary. After being placed in a stressful environment, the readings of the stress hormone, corticosterone, were lower in the rats who had been exposed to Clary Sage. “Our findings indicate that clary oil could be developed as a therapeutic agent for patients with depression and that the antidepressant-like effect of clary oil is closely associated with modulation of the Danergic pathway” (G. Seol, et. al) (1), (2).

It sounds like Clary Sage would be a great choice to both clear and calm the mind as well as a tool for when you are fighting depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD syndrome). These same calming effects can also help with insomnia.

Clary sage oil also relieves pain associated with menstruation, relieve stress or emotional unrest related to hormones, calm skin inflammation, and soothe muscle soreness. No wonder Clary sage is mentioned often as a fabulous ‘women’s’ oil because of its many benefits directly related to women’s reproductive health.

Clary Sage is also great for addressing hot flashes. See our recommended massage recipe below.

Clary Sage oil can also be quite useful when inhaled. Clinical tests show that clary sage is more potent than monoamine neurotransmitter serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and can help menopausal women by minimizing thyroid stimulating hormones and reducing depression and stress levels. (3) Diffuse it a few hours a day as needed to get some relief.

If you are a female over the age of 15, odds are you are familiar with menstrual pain and discomfort. Cramping is a very real problem and can disrupt your life for the duration of your cycle. Clary Sage can be a real comfort! In a randomized, double blind clinical study of women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea (painful periods or menstrual pain) it was shown that the group who practiced abdominal massage with essential oils including Clary Sage had significant reduction in symptoms!

Here it is in the words of the study: “Aromatic oil massage provided relief for outpatients with primary dysmenorrhea and reduced the duration of menstrual pain in the essential oil group. The blended essential oils contain four key analgesic components that amount to as much as 79.29%, these analgesic constitutes are linalyl acetate, linalool, eucalyptol, and β-caryophyllene. This study suggests that this blended formula can serve as a reference for alternative and complementary medicine on primary dysmenorrhea.” (3)

If you read that again, you see that they attribute the reduction in symptoms to the analgesic effect of the certain components found in the essential oils they used. Clary Sage is high in both Linalyl acetate and linalool. What does that mean? Clary Sage has high analgesic (pain relieving) properties. How awesome is this oil!

Those same two components, linalyl acetate and linalool, can do even more! There was a study completed that proved these elements in Clary Sage have an antifungal effect. The components listed above were able to penetrate the cells of a common fungus found in our bodies- yeast. When that happened, the yeast (fungus) cells began to die off! You have likely heard of the common ailment when our body overgrows yeast - a ‘yeast infection’ - and now we see that Clary Sage could assist in curbing that overgrowth.

Clary sage oil can be used in various ways to address some health concerns women are prone to such as:

Vaginal yeast infections
Anal fissure (a small tear in the lining of the anus)
Hemorrhoids
Postpartum perineal pain after a vaginal birth

When treating the vaginal tract you must remember that undiluted essential oils can burn the delicate mucous membrane tissues and so they must be used in a dilluted form-always. If you have an infection where thers is a large amount of discharge, it's important that you see a medical doctor before you attempt self-treatment as that could be a sign that there is asomething more seriously wrong.

For a home treatment, you can choose between sitz baths, douches, tampon method, creams, or massage oils. Here are some home recipes:

Hot Flashes Massage Formula

Ingredients:

USDA Organic Clary Sage 10 drops

USDA Organic Geranium 11 drops

USDA Organic Lemon 7 drops

USDA Organic Carrier oil of your choice 2 tbs

Directions:

Dillute in 2 tbs carrier (vegetable) oil and massage all over the body and use 5 drops of this blend in a bath whenever you wish. If you're in a rush, try rub it on the back of the neck or on the feet to help with hot flashes.

Cramp Relief Massage Formula

USDA Organic Clary Sage 4 drops

USDA Organic Gingergrass 6 drop

USDA Organic Juniper 14 drops

USDA Organic unscented lotion or your favorite carrier oil 1 oz

Mix the oils with an unscented lotion or oil and apply a thin layer to the abdominal area as needed to relieve menstrual cramps or signs of PMS.

Leukorrhea Treatment

Ingredients formula:

USDA Organic Clary Sage 4 drops

USDA Organic Juniper 4 drops

USDA Organic Thyme 2 drop

USDA Organic Glycerin 4 tsp or

any USDA Organic Carrier Oil 2 tbs

Instructions - You have a few different options for using this blend:

-Sitz baths, daily. For this method, use glycerine which can be found at any pharmacy or online stores. Mix all ingredients above before adding the blend to the water. Fill up the bath tub with hot water up to your hips and pour 8 drops of this blend into the water then sit in it for 15-20 minutes. Don't add more water as the blend will be too diluted and it will lose its effectiveness.

-Massage, daily. For this method, use any carrier oil you like. Add formula in proportion to a total of maximum 30 drops of the blend per 2 tbs of carrier oil. Massage the affected area daily.

-Douche, daily. If you prefer this method, use for 3 days a week only. Always add the oil blend to spring/filtered water that has been warmed.

Here are more recipes to try with Clary Sage Oil.

Breast Toning Recipe

To keep your breasts firmed and toned, exercise is very important. Massage over the whole of the breasts area in circular movements, once a day with this blend by combining all the oils below:

USDA Organic Clary Sage 5 drops

USDA Organic Geranium 5 drops

USDA Organic Lemongrass 10 drops

USDA Organic Carrot 5 drops

your favorite USDA Organic Carrier oil 2 tbs

Restful Night Blend for Insomnia

The worst thing about insomnia is that even if you're terribly tired you're still not able to sleep. This synergistic essential oil blend could help you relax the body and mind, so you can fall asleep faster, clear the mind of anxious thoughts, process your emotions and help you let go of daily stressors. When used regularly this blend will help you get a restful night's rest over time.

Suggested Blend for Diffusing:

USDA Organic Clary Sage - 30 drops

USDA Organic Geranium - 20 drops

USDA Organic Lemon - 30 drops

Mix these oils together in a bottle as suggested above, shake well, and diffuse in your nebulizer undiluted for a burst of delightful aromas and for maximum effectiveness. Diffuse it in the evening before sleeping for 2-4 hours in your bedroom with the door shut. If you use a diffuser instead, just divide all quantities by 10 (For example, if the recipe calls for 10 drops use just 1 drop, and if 20 drops just use 2 drops, and so on).

For maximum effect and for a lasting aroma, we highly recommend diffusing them in a nebulizer for its capacity to distribute a stronger scent, which is long-lasting, and in a fraction of the time with the maximum therapeutic effect. To learn about how these 3 oils interact together to help your brain relax and fight insomnia, learn more HERE.

Suggested Blend for Massage before the bath:

10 drops of each of the above 3 oils

2 tbs of your favorite USDA Organic carrier oil

Massage this mix into the body right before having a bath, including the neck and shoulders. You can do this while the bathwater is running. Mix 4 more drops of either of these 3 essential oils in the bath mixed with 1/4 tsp of carrier oil, then put it into the water which should be neither too hot nor too cold.

Get in and just lie there and drift off, or if you have the energy- read a book. Soak for at least 20-30 minutes. Then go to bed. Repeat nightly, as often as needed.

EXTRA TIP: massage the body massage blend into your temples, behind the ears, and the back of your neck to ease your mind before bed. You may also want to add a few drops to your pillow and beneath your nose.

Calm Meditation Blend

Meditation can be used as a powerful tool to get more grounded and get more clarity, help with several spiritual and emotional issues, plus it has many other health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, releasing anxiety, and calming the nerves just to name a few... Find out more about the proven benefits of meditation in your life read more in this blog post.

You can still feel calmer from just diffusing this blend even without meditating.

Suggested Blend:

USDA Organic Clary Sage - 30 drops

USDA Organic Lemon - 10 drops

USDA Organic Ylang-Ylang - 30 drops

Learn more HERE about the way these oils interact with your brain.

Clary Sage Roll-on Perfume

Both uses- as a herbal remedy and as an ingredient in the cooling and reviving clasic perfume known as Eau de Cologne- make this oil the perfect, sophisticated perfume for you and your home, 100% natural, and without the nasty effects of the artificial, toxic chemicals found in the commercial home fragrances sold in stores.

Lean more why What you don't know about your fragrance may hurt you which tells why you should stay away from the fragrances sold in stores- they're dangerous for your hormonal health and your tyroid.

Instructions:

All you need to create your own one-of-a-kind perfume is to mix 1-2 drops of Clary Sage essential oil with 1-2 teaspoons of carrier oil such as fractionated coconut, almond, or jojoba oil, shake the mix well, and store it into a small rollerball for easy application, and voila!

Make sure you are using USDA organic oils for topical use, otherwise, there is no guarantee that you are avoiding chemicals in non-organic essential oils that come from conventional farms where plants are sprayed with pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

As you can see, Clary Sage is a wonderful oil for women that could be used on a daily basis.