5 Full Body Benefits from Sage Oil

Sage has been used for ages in ancient civilizations to help with digestion, wound healing, throat relief, and joint pain. While it’s hailed as a culinary delight in everyday cuisine, this diverse plant can also be extracted as an oil for full-body therapeutic benefits.

Sage oil is beneficial to a long list of ailments: athlete’s foot, moodiness, headaches, muscle spasms, dermatitis, scalp irritations, cold sores, asthma, high blood sugar levels – the list goes on! Sage is an essential oil with use for almost every part of the body.

About Sage

Most may not know, but sage oil can come from a number of different types of sage. There’s Common sage, Spanish sage, and Clary sage. The most popular option would be Common sage, known as Salvia officinalis – you’ll find this oil in our ingredients lists!

How is it that sage can manage such an impressive resume? Sage oil specifically possesses potent anti-stress properties. This relaxing effect potentially means lower blood pressure and anxiety levels. Clary sage is associated with improved memory and alertness, too. Clary sage has shown anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective properties in lab settings.

Several small studies have shown that sage oil may also work as an effective pain reliever. Part of why sage oil is so versatile is that it can be ingested and applied topically.

5 Full Body Benefits of Sage Oil

#1: Use as a cleanser
Our Nopal Cactus Cleanser uses a number of hydrating ingredients, like aloe and glycerin. Sage oil’s role in this product is to provide antibacterial activity; for many, bacteria is the culprit behind conditions like acne and rosacea. This is why our cleanser could be a suitable option for acne-prone skin or skin with rosacea.

PRO TIP: As with all essential oils, make sure you aren’t allergic to sage oil! An allergic reaction can set you back and worsen skin conditions, causing more redness and inflammation.

#2: Soothe sore muscles
Using sage oil in your bath can help relieve sore muscles after a particularly intense gym session. Dilute 3 to 5 drops in your bathwater. An alternative would be to use this essential oil on the skin; be sure to dilute your sage oil in a carrier oil before massaging onto skin.

#3: Potentially reduces menstrual cramps
With benefits for relieving sore muscles, sage can also relieve muscle cramps. In one study, women with painful cramps received a cream with sage oil plus other essential oils. They applied it onto their lower abdomen between cycles and found that their cramps were significantly reduced. You can try a similar experiment or use diluted sage oil during your cycle for potential benefits.

Side note: Clary sage oil is not recommended during pregnancy – neither topical use or use for aromatherapy are recommended. Be sure to check ingredients lists for clary sage before using products.

#4: Might hinder skin aging
Within Salvia officinalis is a compound called sclareol. This compound is responsible for the photoprotective activity often seen in lab settings. In one study, a cream with 0.02% sclareol was used. In addition to increasing cell turnover, this compound blocked " UVB-induced cell death.” This means fewer wrinkles from sun damage, so consider applying an anti-aging product with sage oil to continue the good work beneath your sunscreen.

#5: Helps treat oral diseases
When it comes to oral health, cavities and unhealthy gums are some of the most common issues we face. Since it exhibits antibacterial effects, sage oil has been found to effectively kill two types of microbes that may cause cavities: Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans. Sage oil’s anti-inflammatory properties mean it may also help inflamed gums in conditions like gingivitis.

It’s safe to a few drops of sage oil to your tea, smoothies, or food. One dental agency suggests using essential oils for oil pulling, making your own mouth rinse, or directly massaging diluted oils into the gums.

A Quick Guide: How to Dilute Sage Oil

In many cases, it’s not possible to use pure essentials on the skin, due to side effects like irritation. For guidance on how to dilute essential oils for topical use, read on!

Choose a carrier oil.
Carrier oils are plant-based oils like coconut, avocado, and jojoba oil. Remember to take the oil’s comedogenic rating into consideration; you don’t want a pore-clogging formula! A good option for oily or acne-prone skin is jojoba oil.

Add sage oil.
A general guideline is to use 6 drops of sage oil per ounce of carrier oil.

Hopefully, you’re now as convinced as we are about the superstar powers of sage oil! In fact, we’re so convinced that we use sage oil in all of our Puristry products. Incorporate one or two (or all) into your routine and see the effects of sage take a spin on your skin!