In keeping with the spirit of summer, our July offering for Oil of the Month comes to you from the sunny coastline of Greece! Meet Sea Fennel Crithmum maritimum (also known as Rock Samphire or Rock Fennel).
The Sea Fennel plant has a history of medicinal use, as far back as Greek mythology. Today, it is finding new favor for its remarkable restorative benefits!
As a coastal plant, some say Sea Fennel carries the briny scent of the sea, while others smell the aroma as a fresh, lemony carrot. As we talk more about Sea Fennel, you’ll ‘sea’ why this makes sense!
Sea Fennel blends nicely into synergies, as an essential ingredient, so you can experience it in a way that you like best.
Background
Sea Fennel grows wild on the southern and western coasts of Britain and Ireland and on the Mediterranean and western coasts of Europe, including the Canary Islands, North Africa and as far as the Black Sea.
This tenacious short shrub has yellow blooms that thrives during summer in salty, brightly sunny climates. Foragers find it clinging to cliffs and outcroppings, even coming up through the crevices of the rocks.
Given its growing environment, the sea fennel plant is rich in sea minerals and Vitamin C. For centuries, sailors brought aboard ship the preserved fleshy leaves of Sea Fennel to stave off scurvy. And historically, healers also sought the plant to help with upset stomach and digestive issues.
Additionally, in the region where Sea Fennel grows naturally, chefs consider the plant a culinary delight. Various parts of the plant add a salty, spicy flavor, as well as tastes of parsley, carrot, celery and fennel (which come from the same family). Cooking with the sea fennel plant brings out the flavor in salads and side dishes, and complements seafood.
Sea Fennel essential oil comes from the distilled leaves of the Sea Fennel plant. It is comprised almost primarily of a complex mix of many constituents from the monoterpene category. And Sea Fennel is currently finding favor for its natural benefits in high-end skin care products.
Benefits
Sea Fennel Essential Oil has wonderful skin renewing and regenerative properties. It’s wonderful for aging skin, helping to improve tone and radiance. This amazing oil can also help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
The benefits of Sea Fennel go beyond making your skin look great. Sea Fennel helps soothe digestive issues. And, we can use this essential oil for help when dealing with seasonal allergy symptoms, and respiratory issues.
Learn more about Sea Fennel below:
Blending
While Sea Fennel is great for skin care (see ‘suggested usage’ in the product detail sheet above), this gift from the sea can also give us amazing aromatic support when seeking a sense of restoration to our wellbeing, especially in synergies with other enhancing essential oils.
Throughout history, people have traveled the European coast for the purpose of bathing in certain bodies of water. These places were believed by physicians to have therapeutic powers due to the mineral-rich sea environment. These ‘spa’ experiences were often prescribed as treatments to a host of physical ailments.
Today, we can make our own spa products at home! Get inspired by sea spa vacations; Reach for Sea Fennel to create your own remedies to help restore yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
First, some general information about Sea Fennel Essential Oil:
KidSafe®: Yes
Cautions: None Know.
When working with synergies, please note any additional cautions for the other essential oils included.
Shelf Life: 1-2 Years
The synergies below are crafted as mini-master blends so you can sample and see if they suit your tastes and needs. They can be easily scaled up as needed into larger stock blends.
You can add 5 drops per 100 mL of water to your diffuser, 15 drops to your personal aromatherapy inhaler, or use topically with proper dilution.
Sea Breeze Synergy
- 2 drops Sea Fennel Crithmum maritimum
- 1 drop Bergamot Citrus bergamia
- 1 drop Blue Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- 1 drop Spearmint Mentha spicata
With a scent reminiscent of a seaside breeze, you can reach for this synergy to help rejuvenate you when life knocks you down. Inhaled, it can help strengthen you when you’re facing fatigue, especially from nervous tension.
This Sea Breeze synergy may also help ease symptoms associated with allergies, and digestive issues! It’s emotionally uplifting, calming to the mind and soothing to the spirit. Applied topically, Sea Fennel can help to relax a tired body and relieve muscle discomfort and tightness from overexertion, nervous tension, or just feeling under the weather.
KidSafe®: No
Cautions: There are possible drug interactions for Blue Yarrow. With Spearmint, we recommend a maximum dilution of 1.7% for topical applications to avoid possible adverse skin reactions. Our Bergamot is Bergapten free, which is safe for use in the sun.
Sea Ease Synergy
- 2 drops Black Pepper Piper nigrum
- 2 drops Coriander Seed Coriandrum sativum
- 1 drop Sea Fennel Crithmum maritimum
This sweet, spicy synergy, with a hint of the sea, can help restore your body and mind. It can provide help during times of seasonal allergies, and help revitalize your sense of wellbeing while you recover. Culled from culinary herbs and spices, is especially helpful for digestive issues.
Both calming and balancing, this Sea Ease synergy helps with feelings of mental fatigue, muscle tension, and emotional exhaustion. If you apply this synergy topically, it can also help with symptoms of sore muscles, muscle tiredness, and overall help soothe your tired body.
KidSafe®: Yes
Cautions: None Known.
Sources:
Baessler, Liz. “What Is Sea Fennel: Tips On Growing Sea Fennel In The Garden.” Gardening Know How, 4 4 Apr. 2018, www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/sea-fennel/growing-sea-fennel-plants.htm.
O’Keefe, Liz. “Foraged Rock Samphire Is Back in Fashion on UK Restaurant and Supermarket Scenes.” Produce Business UK, 4 Sept. 2015, www.producebusinessuk.com/supply/stories/2015/09/04/foraged-rock-samphire-is-back-in-fashion.
Massimilanio, Renna, and Maria Gonnella. “The Use of the Sea Fennel as a New Spice-Colorant in Culinary Preparations.” Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics, Elsevier, 1 July 2013, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878450X13000085.
“Sea Fennel , Rock Samphire Seeds (Crithmum L.).” Sea Fennel , Rock Samphire Seeds (Crithmum Maritimum), Spicegarden Medicinal, Herb and Spice Seeds, www.spicegarden.eu/Sea-fennel-Rock-samphire-Seeds-crithmum-L.
“Spa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 July 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spa.
Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: over 800 Natural, Nontoxic, and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health, Beauty, and Safe Home and Work Environments. New World Library, 2016.
This oil sounds so interesting.! Is it only available through ootm?
Hi Gen, Sea Fennel is now a regular oil you can purchase on our website!
This oil is amazing! I added Sea Fennel and Frankincense to Younger Glo carrier oil, after 2 weeks my skin complexion has changed from dull to glowing. My 12 years old daughter noticed the change in my skin too. I love this oil!!
Thank you so much for sharing! We are so happy those products are working well for you 🙂
This is going on my growing wishlist!
I absolutely love this oil! I put it in my facial astringent which has made it quite refreshing in the morning! I vote to make this permanently available!
Also, thank you so much for sending the info sheets and sharing all the extra info, oils like this just are not found in my books, so that sheet is quite valuable!
I’d be happy to pass your suggestion along for making this a regular product. The product sheets do come in handy for these less known favorites. We’re happy to hear how much you’re enjoying it!
I have never heard of sea fennel although I love to eat regular fennel! I love the diffuser recipes. Being 45, I would love to see some skincare.
Sarah, I am happy to pass your suggestion along for skincare products. We do have lots of blog postings with DIY recipes for skincare that you can checkout as well!
I’m loving this oil so far!
I’m a big fan of the OOTM sea fennel – I’ve mixed it with some of PT’s Clear Complex and have been using it at night as a face serum. I hope this is one that PT adds to their regular inventory!
I’m so thankful for this part of the website I just found. I’m so excited this is a plethora of information! I want to order every oil now!
love all the information you give us so thankful for people who care and share thanks
Please make sea fennel regularly available! This has to be one of my absolute favorites for OOTM. I already bought a second bottle. We just moved and one of the things I miss most is the ability to do a day trip to the beach. I’ll put coriander on my list for the sea ease recipe but was wondering if there is something kidsafe I can substitute for blue yarrow for the sea breeze recipe or if I can leave it out. Any suggestions?
So glad you are loving this oil, Lindsay! We will definitely pass along your suggestion for making this oil a regular. As for the Blue Yarrow, you can leave it out from the blend. It adds an herbaceous scent to the blend, so if you’d prefer another herb like oil, you could substitute with that
I am excited to make these blends. I anticipate using my inhalers with these recipes since I love taking them with me everywhere I go. Sounds like just what I need. Thanks
Thank you so much for this oil! I had never heard of it before now. Within the first few days I could already tell a huge difference in my skin’s glow and complexion. I just add into my current moisturizer. Please make it a regular oil for purchase..its that great!
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Shelby! We have gotten a lot of really positive feedback about Sea Fennel, which is one of the ways we decide if we can make our oils full-time! You input is really appreciated 🙂
Sea fennel is a new one for me–I cannot wait to try this! Thank you for a great profile and suggestions for use
Sea Fennel is really nice! Hope you love it, Ashley!
I need to know how to make the serums! Are there “recipes” anywhere?
Joni, I would suggest emailing our team at [email protected] with the benefits you are looking for and we would love to help you with creating your own serum. Looking forward to hearing from you!
I am not in your OOTM club (I often have many of the oils you feature), so how long before this becomes available for all? Sounds like a really good oil to add to my collection.
There are no guarantees that OOTMs will be added to regular stock.
Super excited to try this for my skin care regiment!
Thank you for sharing! We hope you love it!
I’m actually really excited about this oil! I made a new night time serum with it and I love it. I do have to say that it straight up smells like new tires lol But that can be hidden when blended with other oils 🙂 So far so good with this one!
Oooooh, this sounds magical! I’m pretty sure I need it now 😉
We hope you get to try it out! It has a wonderful aroma 🙂
Sounds like a lovely oil. I have it but need to try it! These synergies look great!
I don’t have many oils to make mixtures yet, but I have a feeling that this will be a very interchangeable one in the future. 🙂 I think it smells very fresh and reminds me of summer.
Glad you like it!!
Haven’t joined the OOTM but did make this purchase after reading all the reviews…and wonderful skin renewing properties of the oil. I can’t wait to try the facial serum…making it today! Please have this oil available all the time!
This was my first OOM, and I *love* it! The smell is so fresh and uplifting – I keep sniffing it straight out of the bottle! Hoping this one becomes regular stock!
Adding this to my wishlist for my next purchase.
I haven’t joined the oil of the month club yet, but purchased it for one month. Sea fennel is the oil that I received. I wasn’t sure about the scent at first, but am truly starting to love it. I really enjoyed the information that you included with the oil and the article that you posted above. I love all the information that is provided by Plant Therapy and I have loved every oil that I have purchased so far. Thank you.
I can see how this would be good to try in a facial serum.
Just joined Oil of Month !!! It is so exciting knowing that something new and different will be arriving in the mail !!! This oil is amazing…..It takes me away to the sea shore
I just joined the club today. Bummed to have missed this one. Hopefully you will have enough interested and add it to your available oils! I love making my own body oils and face serums, and this sounds like it would be a great addition to my skin care oils collection.
I have this, but have not used it yet. I look forward to making a facial serum with it, so I’ve heard wonderful things about it. I’ll be sure to leave a review after using it for awhile.
Thanks for the new oil Sea Fennel! I love the smell and can’t wait to try in in some of your recipes and my own blends!
Can you recommend a Kidsafe recipe using Sea Fennel for tummy isuues?
Well I have not used mine yet since I got it in, but with all these fabulous comments, I am excited to try it. I will be making a serum with it today to try out. Thanks!
I can’t wait to get mine! It looks like a interesting oil.
Thank you for the recipe, i will definately try the DIY synergy..
I might have to try this one, it sounds like it would be great to have on hand for a lot of skin concerns!
I just got mine in the mail yesterday. I love it already! I’d really like to order another bottle!
Love this one so much that i got a second bottle. I can really see a difference on my skin. I hope this becomes a regular item at PT
Such rave reviews for Sea Fennel. I will be ordering this tomorrow. Thanks PT.
Looks like a winner to me. I’m just deciding if I should get another before the month is out.
I love this oil!! Can I get more as a club member?
You can call PT’s customer service to order past OOTM oils, as long as they still have some in stock!
What CO would you recommend when using this oil in a face serum?
I’m really excited about this one. It seems so unique. I’m going to add some to my rosehip oil. Please wish me luck.
I like the lemony smell!
Never knew there was an essential oil for Sea Fennel, but it sound awesome: fresh lemony carrot (who doesn’t like that….lol). And the great skin benefits to boot, thanks for this blog post!
Okay, I am joining OOTM, This sounds amazing. I cant wait to try to a facial serum or a fresh beach scent for the diffuser
i just joined oil of the month and this is my first one! havent had a chance to use it yet, but it smells just like a lemon-carrot! smells fresh and clean! excited to learn about it
This sounds perfect on so many levels. This blog was so well rounded. Thanks for putting all of this together. I like hearing the physical and the emotional aspects. It make the oil of the month club sound enticing!
Can’t wait for this to arrive! Read so many good comments from the SEOR group on Facebook I just had to order before the end of the month!
That’s wonderful to hear, Melissa! Sea Fennel is really wonderful; I was so pleasantly surprised with how bright and uplifting it is! We hope you love it!
I’m new to learning about oils, how could I use it for digestive issues?
It works really well diluted and applied to the abdomen in a clockwise motion. 🙂
This is such a wonderful oil! The facial serum blend on the product sheet is great in the near perfection carrier.
It’s one of my favorites!!
A friend introduced us to Plant Therapy and we love it! Thank you!
Thank you for that nice comment, Carrie! It’s always so nice to hear things from our customers!
I’ve been loving all the benefits of vitamin c on my skin lately — this sounds amazing to try!
It really is so great for the skin and smells wonderful! We hope you get to give it a try!
Yes I like this one! I am enjoying the aroma it’s quite unique and earthy but uplifting and bright too! For cellulite you say?! Yep…maybe will need another bottle and a recipe! Any thoughts on a blend to try?
Sounds amazing! Need to add it to my wish list!
Super Excited, I just joined the oil of the month club. Saved money too with the 10% off. Whoo hoo.I am new to essential oils and I’m always looking for tips and ideas.
We are so excited you joined the Oil of the Month club! Please take a look through our blog for some great tips and tricks about using oils, and have fun!
I’m so happy to have sea fennel now, especially after reading this blog post on all the wonderful properties. Admittedly, I don’t love the smell, but in the recipes above, it adds that note of sunny sea. I have been putting a drop or two into my Younger Glo oil and it’s been helping my rosacea. I’m needing less of my prescription topical medication. I haven’t had a break out all month–and that is saying something. Yay for Sea Fennel!!
Glad you’re seeing results from using the Sea Fennel! It’s an amazing oil!
I have never heard of sea fennel oil. I really enjoyed this blog post and I am excited to try it!
We hope you love it, Tonya!
OMG this oil is amazing for my skin. I mixed it with hemp seed oil and after using it once my skin looked so much better. I ordered two additional bottles of it. Please make this a regular oil!!!
Thank you for your comment, Jes! So glad this works for your skin!
I am so excited to add this to my skincare routine!
I love this one, ordered a second bottle. I use it in healing balm with carrot seed and frankincense for my face and hands.
Can’t wait to get my bottle of this. I have plans on including it in my facial serum. 🙂 Excellent article, as I didn’t know it helped with allergies, going to have to give that a try too!
Glad this was helpful for you!!
I love this oil! I hope that you begin to offer it regularly. Aging skin can use all the help it can get.
Thank you so much for your nice comment, Yvonne! It’s comments like this that help make the decisions to carry an oil, so we really appreciate your feedback!
I can’t wait to receive this oil and try it out. It looks like it will be a nice addition to my collection.
We hope you love it, Tomara! It has a really beautiful aroma that makes a great addition to any oil collection!
I have never heard of sea fennel before, but I will definitely be buying this oil, as I love anything that reminds me of the sea. Thank you Plant Therapy for the spotlight on this great multi purpose oil!
We hope you enjoy it!!
Thanks for the informative article about Sea Fennel. I just signed up for the OOTM Club so not sure if I’ll receive this one or not, but appreciate you posting info on it, ideas on how to use it, and “recipes”!!
Glad it was helpful! Which recipe do you want to try first?
I can’t believe how much Sea Fennel has helped my skin! I included it in a serum along with Clear Complex, Frank F, and Blood Orange…. my face has never looked better!
I can’t wait to get this!!
We hope you love it, Anne!
I LOVE this oil! I’ve been using on my face about 1-2 weeks and I can tell a difference in my skin!! Bought another bottle 🙂
We’re so glad you love it, Cherie!
I’m excited to start testing facial serums and this oil will be the perfect test. Now I have the perfect excuse to pick up some Younger Glo! As if CAM isn’t tempting enough, week 5 might determine whether I get a second bottle of this OOTM!
We’re glad you liked this OOTM!
“Cooking with the sea fennel plant brings out the flavor in salads and side dishes, and complements seafood.” Since the plant is used for cooking can this oil be used for cooking?
Unfortunately at this time we cannot provide any information on using essential oils safely in cooking. We hope to be able to provide this information soon!
Sea Fennel is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It smells more lemony to me. I’ve added it to Near Perfection carrier oil for my skin and definitely noticed a difference in my skin.
That’s wonderful to hear, Ruth! Thank you for sharing!
I hope this OOTM will become permanently available in the future. The word “tenacious” in the description gives me hope! I am already using it a facial serum. I can’t wait to try it out in the other recipes above!
Glad you’ve enjoyed it!!
Looking forward to trying some of these synergies!
Which one do you want to make first?
This is my 1st ootm and I’m so glad I joined when I did! I made a face seum with it and a couple other oils and absolutely love it! Even my hubby tried it and says it smells nice.
That’s wonderful, Faith! The smell really is very nice 🙂
I made the recipe on the product sheet using Plant Therapy’s Olive lotion. Love that it does not leave my face and neck feeling greasy! Just made another small batch to take on vacation with me.
That’s great, Angie! Thank you for sharing!
Love it’s many uses from anti-aging facial skincare to cellulite to fatigue and nervous tension. I’m getting this one!
We hope you enjoy it!!
I am so excited to have this oil of the month. I will probably order a second before the month is over. Made a roller bottle with OOTM, Frank, and Carrot Seed diluted to 1% for my face. Switching out this blend with my anti age synergy for use on my face. Thank you PT for such wonderful products.
Thank you for introducing the Sea Fennel to us. I have it in rosehip oil with frankicense for use and I love it!
Thank sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing!