Yarrow

A resilient weed, native to the Northern Hemisphere, yarrow grows wild in open fields and along the sides of the roads, and had only recently acquired the privilege of being cultivated in flower gardens. Don't judge this humble herb to be ordinary, Achillea millefolium is a well documented medicinal plant, astringent, anti inflammatory and tonic, but above all it has a special gift: it is a hemostatic.

Yarrow is such a powerful anticoagulant that it stops the bleeding from small cuts and scrapes almost instantly, a quality which made it the go to herb for dressing wounds back in the day, in almost every culture. This explains some of yarrow's alte
ate names, like sanguinary or soldier's woundwort. Legend has it that Achilles himself had rendered his skin impenetrable by covering it with yarrow tincture, hence the name of the genus.

Its chemical composition shares elements with that of willow bark and chamomile and for this reason the plant exhibits similar properties. It is astringent and soothes irritation, useful qualities for skin care, particularly the oily or acne prone types. As with all home remedies, avoid during pregnancy.

Yarrow oil helps reduce scarring. It contains essential antioxidants, it stimulates the growth of new cells and promotes the health of the existing ones, which makes it a fountain of youth of sorts, definitely worthy of a place both in your medicinal garden and in your natural beauty arsenal.