St John’s wort
Oil extraction
We macerate freshly-harvested St John’s wort flowers in our precious black sesame seed oil. When exposed to sunlight, the yellow flowers turn the deepest red, giving the precious macerate its typical colour.
Effect
Traditionally this yellow herb is used to relieve stress and tension. It contains hyperforin, which ensures the distribution of neurotransmitters that soothe the vegetative nervous system and help the body and mind to relax. As a result, emotional anxiety and depressive moods fade away. The oil from the flowers has a harmonising effect on the entire musculoskeletal system and eases muscular stiffness and tension headaches. It is used in naturopathic therapy to alleviate migraine attacks. St John’s wort has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which make it suitable for external use, to disinfect wounds and injuries. It also relieves the itching of eczema and psoriasis and has been very successful in the treatment of neurodermatitis. Furthermore, the oil has a strong, regenerative effect on sunburn and other types of burn. We combine it with other plants to make our highly efficacious After Sun Serum.
Traditional use
In Europe, the summer solstice and the feast of St John are traditionally celebrated in mid-June. The birth of St John the Baptist is commemorated on the longest day of the year. Old customs include dancing around a bonfire and gathering important medicinal herbs such as St John’s wort; this is often done in groups. Folk wisdom holds that wild herbs grow with particular potency and many healing powers around midsummer. This makes sense: in mid-June, the sun’s position above European latitudes gives us long days with strong sunlight. At this time, all plants and flowers absorb large quantities of cosmic light energy and store the sun’s heat. No wonder, then, that ancient lore describes the bright red St John's wort oil as “bottled sunlight”. It has been used as an effective treatment for depression and listlessness since antiquity, and today it is known primarily as an anti-stress serum. The red oil relaxes the nervous system, fills the soul with warmth and serenity and relieves tension in the muscles. We sleep better and gain new energy. That is the power of pure sunlight!
