There are many unhealthy aspects of my life that I have found uncontrollable: My on-again/off-again affair with nicotine, my love of whiskey, my constant craving for Andy's Hot Fries. Recently, I sized up all my unhealthy habits and realized that those occasional cigarettes that often turned into random days of chain smoking my way through a deadline had to go. Since this wasn't my first time at the quit today rodeo I had already ruled out e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, Nicorette gum, or anything that involved me still pumping delicious nicotine in my longs for that matter. Fortunately, I found out one of my favorite essential oils, clary sage, could help me quit smoking, plus ease by anxiety about the whole situation.
Drinking "healing water" isn't for everyone, and it's entirely possible that clary sage is just a psychosomatic crutch that I've developed out desperation. One thing is for sure, clary sage will not go to waste in my cupboard because this distant cousin of sage is a phenomenal natural agent for healthy skin and hair as well. Clary sage is an anti-inflammatory that I've been using in toner for a couple of months and have already seen great results. Clary sage has firmed up my skin without irritation or dryness. It's an anti-inflammatory that will zap up pimples. Unlike many over the counter products, clary sage isn't going to diminish your skin's natural ability to produce oil, which is what keeps us looking young. Instead, it balances oil production and facilitates a healthy flow of natural moisture.
You may have seen clary sage in between several other ingredients on the back of Burt's Bees or Origin's skin care products. Here's the thing, clary sage doesn't need a lot of help to do its job: You can get all the benefits from this delightful oil just by diluting it with your favorite carrier oil. Clary sage is among many other things: an antidepressant, an aphrodisiac, a deodorant, an astringent, and anti-convulsive.
Here are just a few ways to introduce clary sage into your daily routine — just mix with your favorite carrier oil for a beauty success story.
1. Hair Restoration
If you are suffering from dry, brittle locks, adding clary sage to Jamaican castor oil will not only stimulate healthy hair growth, it will also restore moisture in your scalp, replacing dull, fragile hair with healthy, durable strands. If you have coarse hair, perform this treatment daily on damp hair. For those with finer strands, this treatment works wonders as a weekly deep conditioner.
2. Hydrating Toner
Add clary sage to aloe vera and filtered water for an amazing toner that will wake up dead skin cells and firm up sagging skin, creating a youthful appearance by naturally toning and strengthening skin. Don't fret if your aloe turns pink; it's typically a reaction of the plant during temperature change and not a sign of bacteria or rotted aloe.
3. Moisturizer
Adding clary sage to your coconut oil can make for a bomb two-ingredient moisturizer. The clary sage is hydrating yet, because of its strong antiseptic properties, won't clog pores. The scent is addictive and your face will thank you for the added moisture.
PS: If you're pregnant, skip the clary sage — it's been known to induce labor before.
Image: Giphy; Kristin Collins Jackson
