Helichrysum: The Mediterranean Beauty Secret for Skin Healing & Renewal
It never stops amazing me how deeply the earth knows how to heal us.
Since I was a young girl, I’ve carried a quiet curiosity for natural ingredients – endlessly asking questions like “What is this good for?” and “Why has this been used for so long?” I was fascinated by the abundance nature offers us when we simply slow down enough to listen. Honestly, I still find it magical.
As I grew older, that curiosity deepened into something more intentional. I began to understand that what we put on our skin is just as important as what we put into our bodies. And once I started researching the ingredients commonly found in conventional skincare… let’s just say I was shook.
That curiosity eventually led me to one ingredient that stopped me in my tracks.
Helichrysum.
What Is Helichrysum?
Helichrysum, also known as Immortelle or Everlasting, is a golden flowering plant native to the Mediterranean region. Its name comes from the Greek words helios (sun) and chrysos (gold), and it’s known as “everlasting” because even after drying, the flowers retain their vibrant yellow hue.
For centuries, ancient Greek and Roman herbalists used helichrysum to support skin healing, especially for burns, wounds, and inflammation. Today, it’s considered one of the most powerful – and precious – botanical ingredients in natural skincare.
And yet, somehow, she’s still wildly underrated.
How I Found Helichrysum (Or Maybe… How She Found Me)
I first came across helichrysum while researching essential oils to help heal hyperpigmentation and uneven redness on my own skin. I learned about its long history in herbal medicine, its regenerative properties, and its deep connection to skin longevity. I tucked that knowledge away and carried on with life.
About a week later, I received an inquiry to chef at a retreat in the Italian countryside. Naturally, I began researching the retreat centre – only to discover it was located on an old Italian farmhouse that produces essential oils.
Their top-producing oil?
Helichrysum.
At the time, I laughed it off. A coincidence, maybe.
Life continued. I kept researching high-quality sources of helichrysum. And then, at the end of April, our house fire happened.
After moving through loss, grief, and a season that felt deeply destabilizing, I eventually returned to my research. That’s when I came across a podcast episode explaining why helichrysum is also called “everlasting.”
Because it’s often one of the first plants to grow back after a wild fire. Its scent also helps with grief.
Cue the tears.
That moment changed everything for me. It felt like this plant had been quietly walking beside me all along – a reminder of resilience, regeneration, and light after devastation.
Why Helichrysum Is a Mediterranean Beauty Secret
Beyond the symbolism, helichrysum is an absolute powerhouse for the skin.
It’s especially revered in Mediterranean skincare traditions for its ability to regenerate, calm, and protect the skin over time. Because it’s incredibly potent and labour-intensive to produce, true helichrysum essential oil is rare and expensive – but only a tiny amount is needed to make a meaningful impact.
It has a soft, herbaceous, honey-like aroma and works beautifully for sensitive, reactive, or mature skin.
Benefits of Helichrysum for Skin
Helichrysum is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that support skin regeneration and repair. It’s particularly valued for its ability to calm redness, fade scars, and promote a more even, radiant complexion.
Key benefits of helichrysum for facial skin include:
Skin regeneration & healing – Supports healthy cell turnover and helps fade scars, dark spots, and post-acne marks
Anti-inflammatory support – Calms redness, irritation, and sensitivity, including rosacea-prone skin
Anti-aging benefits – Helps support collagen and elastin, softening the appearance of fine lines over time
Acne recovery – Assists in healing blemishes and reducing inflammation without stripping the skin
Antioxidant protection – Helps protect against environmental stressors and sun-related damage
This is why helichrysum is often considered one of the most effective botanical ingredients for skin repair, longevity, and resilience.
Why I Chose Helichrysum for Elora Elixir
All of this is why helichrysum became the heart of Elora Elixir.
Elora means “light ray,” and that is exactly what this oil was created to be – a quiet source of brightness during darker seasons. Helichrysum brings both visible skin benefits and something harder to name: a feeling of warmth, resilience, and renewal.
I’ve personally watched small scars soften and fade with repeated use. And knowing that this plant has supported skin healing for centuries makes me feel deeply connected to ancestral wisdom and the land itself.
There’s something profoundly special about bottling a sunshine-like plant for the skin to receive in the depths of winter.
Sourcing Matters
Our helichrysum is sourced from a reputable, small-batch essential oil farm in the south of France, where it’s grown and distilled with deep respect for the plant and the land. This level of quality matters – not just for potency, but for integrity.
True helichrysum is rare, precious, and powerful. And when used with intention, it offers far more than surface-level beauty.
Final Thoughts
Helichrysum reminds us that healing is not rushed.
That resilience can be gentle.
And that even after fire, life finds a way to return.
And sometimes… it comes back golden.