St John’s wort oil – a very special treat

This extract is traditionally valued in massage oils for stiff, aching joints and muscles. ‘It goes right down to the bones’ – this remark by a nurse friend sums it up perfectly. The muscle-relaxing character of St John’s wort oil is well known; it is also traditionally used to care for stressed skin and to support circulation.

In addition, it cares for the skin and is helpful for skin concerns as well as for caring for skin after exposure to the sun. The particular speciality of St John’s wort is its calming, comforting character and its uplifting, invigorating effect on mood. Especially on dull winter days, the oil gives you the feeling of conjuring a little sunshine and warmth onto your skin.

St John’s wort oil has proven its worth in rubs after sport to help the muscles recover and in massage oils for stiff, aching joints and bruised skin. It is also traditionally used in scar care. Thanks to its circulation-supporting character, it is also an important ingredient in perineal massage oils.

Taken internally, St John’s wort macerate is traditionally associated with an uplifting and emotionally balancing effect. According to current knowledge, these properties are probably due to the interaction of the red pigments with the essential oils of the St John’s wort flowers.

Important note

It is often said that St John’s wort oil has a photosensitising effect. This is not true. Studies by Prof. Dr. med. Schempp of the University of Freiburg (dermatologist and biologist) have clearly shown that St John’s wort cream and oil have no clinically relevant photosensitising effects. Nevertheless, please take care with babies, as baby skin is far more sensitive than the adult male skin that was tested.

According to Prof. Schempp [personal communication], the rule for babies therefore remains: after an application of St John’s wort oil, do not expose them naked to the sun for approx. four hours.

St John’s wort is gathered from about July to September (depending on the region), when it is in full bloom. To identify the plant reliably, please use a field guide or ask someone with botanical knowledge for help. Typical features are the finely perforated leaves (hence the botanical name), which you can see when you hold them up to the light. When the flowers are rubbed, they stain your fingers dark red.

Place 250–300 g of freshly picked flowers, dried overnight and cleaned of insects, in a mortar or on a plate, crush them with a pestle or spoon, put them in a clear preserving jar with 1 litre of olive oil and cover well. Leave in sunlight or daylight for about 4 weeks.

Then pour the oil, which is now earthy brown to dark red in colour, through a fine sieve into a large, clean amber glass bottle and store it in the dark. The oil does not necessarily have to turn deep red; even if it remains lighter, it is still of good quality. The macerate keeps for about 1 year.

Alternatives to olive oil as a base oil include sesame, macadamia nut (particularly caring for the skin) or sunflower oil.