Blue tansy is popping up everywhere, especially in the clean beauty space.
Blue tansy face oil! Serum! Moisturizer!
It’s become so trendy that you have to stop and ask if all the hype is backed by anything, or if it’s just marketing. 😅
The short answer is that there is some real science behind the blue tansy skin benefit claims. So I’ll share that briefly, and then give you my thoughts on all of the non-toxic blue tansy personal care products I’ve tried.
Here's what's in this guide:
- Blue tansy skin benefits: why everyone is using this ingredient now
- My reviews of 14 natural blue tansy skincare products
- withSimplicity Blue Dew
- withSimplicity Barrier + Beyond Vitamin Water Serum
- withSimplicity Cream Exfoliator
- withSimplicty Face Jelly
- Annmarie Rejuvenating Facial Oil
- Annmarie Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant
- Ogee Indigo Dream Renewal Cream
- Primally Pure Blue Tansy Moisturizers: Body Butter, Body Oil, and Soothing Cream
- Primally Pure Blue Tansy Deodorant
- Earth Harbor Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Balm Cream
- Earth Harbor Mermaid Milk Nutrient Glow Moisturizer
- DIME Blue Facial Oil
This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!
Blue tansy skin benefits: why everyone is using this ingredient now
Most of the science on the skin benefits of blue tansy actually comes down to the different components of blue tansy, not the whole plant/oil itself. Also, most of these studies are in lab or animal settings, not clinical trials on blue tansy skincare products specifically.
That said, the findings are still promising. Here’s what the research shows:
Anti-inflammatory properties: This is one of the biggest reasons brands add blue tansy to their skincare products. It’s rich in three primary components that have shown to have anti-inflammatory properties:
- Chamazulene (the compound responsible for the blue color), which has been shown to reduce leukotriene B4. Leukotriene B4 is a pro-inflammatory compound.
- Sabinene, which has been shown to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- Camphor, which can help to soothe skin irritation and reduce redness.
Blue tansy is actually in the chamomile family, so you can imagine why it’s good for calming and soothing skin.
Protection from environmental exposures: Chamazulene is an antioxidant that can help reduce the skin-damaging effects of free radicals, UV exposure, and pollution.
Anti-aging support: This one goes along with the previous two benefits, since inflammation and environmental exposures are part of what can cause or worsen early aging signs.
But beyond what I’ve already mentioned, a 2015 study found that camphor increased the production of collagen and elastin and reduced UV-induced wrinkle formation. (This study was done on human dermal fibroblasts and mice.)
Anti-acne, antibacterial, and antifungal properties: Not only does camphor itself have antibacterial and antifungal properties, but blue tansy oil as a whole has been found to have strong antifungal effects as well.
The combination of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties is one reason why blue tansy skincare can be great for acne-prone skin. Some brands position their blue tansy products as a gentler alternative for spot-treating blemishes (though it’s worth noting that it works differently than ingredients like salicylic acid).
Related: 15 Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare
My reviews of 14 natural blue tansy skincare products
Spoiler: I liked almost all of the products I tried.
withSimplicity Blue Dew
withSimplicity is a lovely small clean beauty brand that’s based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. They carry makeup and skincare products for every skin type—aging, acne-prone, dry, oily, and hyperpigmented.
All of their products are free from a long list of toxic chemicals, including things like phthalates, parabens, and artificial fragrances. They also test for heavy metals. They’re not 100% vegan, as some of their products use beeswax and/or honey.
This Blue Dew is one of withSimplicity’s most popular products. (And it actually won Think Dirty’s 2022 Moisturizer of the Year.)
It’s relatively lightweight, but it’s still an oil-based moisturizer, so—true to its name—it does leave my skin with a dewy feel.
But moisturizing the skin is only one thing this balm is good for. It can also help calm inflammation, reduce redness, and help with dry or irritation skin. In addition to the blue tansy, a few of the other star ingredients include Camellia oleifera seed oil (which is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E, and fatty acids) and ucuuba butter (which helps to hydrate, restore, and sooth irritated skin).
Would I re-buy it? Yep!
withSimplicity Barrier + Beyond Vitamin Water Serum
This a hard-working but lightweight serum. It has a water-y consistency, so it absorbs really fast and you can put it underneath pretty much any other serum or moisturizer you want.
It’s got hyaluronic acid, a blend of plant peptides, and vitamins A, B3, C, E, and K. All of this together provides protection against UV and environmental pollutants, while also hydrating the skin and soothing sensitivity. It’s also got lactobacillus ferment, which can help to strengthen the skin’s barrier and encourage a healthy microbiome.
It is practically fragrance-free. You can just barely smell is blue tansy in it.
I use this as a morning/daytime serum. I talk all the time about how I don’t like a lot of heavy product on my face during the daytime, so I really like how this serum delivers a lot of benefits but without being oily at all. For that reason, I would definitely re-buy this.
withSimplicity Cream Exfoliator
This exfoliator combines AHA acid exfoliation with a gentle physical exfoliation in the form of rice particles. The rice kind of feels like those microbeads they used to put in our cleansers in the 2000s—gentle yet still helps to get rid of dead skin.
This also contains violet oil, a natural source of salicylic acid, which just further helps to exfoliate the skin and unclog pores.
Even though this exfoliator leaves my skin feeling softer after I use it, it’s does not feel harsh on my skin at all. Some other exfoliators leave my skin feeling a bit red and tingly afterward, but I don’t really get that with this one. So if you have more sensitive skin and are looking for a new facial exfoliator, then this might be a good one to try!
It does contain several different skin-soothing ingredients, including jojoba oil, shea butter, and of course blue tansy, so maybe that helps counteract the acids.
Would I re-buy it? Yes.
withSimplicty Face Jelly
Okay, I honestly did not know what this face jelly was at first. 😅 A cleanser? Makeup remover? Serum? Moisturizer?
Turns out it’s a very lightweight moisturizer. And actually, I don’t know if I’ve ever used a product quite like this before…
While it’s good for all skin types, this is especially good for oily and/or sensitive skin. (It’s oil-free.) I’d also say it’s really good for the summer months or if you live in a warm climate. It absorbs quickly and does not leave my face feeling weighed down at all.
Some of the star ingredients include blueberry fruit extract, which delivers a dose of antioxidants, and Manuka oil, which is anti-inflammatory and can help with redness.
It is technically fragrance-free, but it does have a nice light smell to it, which comes from the ingredients themselves. I thought it would smell like blue tansy, but it really doesn’t. I can’t really put my finger on what exactly it smells like, but I like it!
I think you could totally combine this with another moisturizer too, if you wanted to. It’s light enough that you could use it as more of a serum, and then layer another mid-weight face cream on top if you wanted even more hydration.
Would I re-buy it? Yes, I likely will. I think I’d especially like to use this one in the summertime.
Annmarie Rejuvenating Facial Oil
Annmarie is like… skincare for the elevated hippie. The majority of their ingredients are wild-crafted, and they use some plant ingredients that I don’t see a lot of other brands using!
All of their products are MADE SAFE certified, made in the USA, and Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free. They’re not 100% vegan, as a few of their products contain beeswax and/or honey.
I don’t typically like using facial oils in the morning (I’d rather use an oil-free moisturizer for daytime), but I actually really like this one. It’s lightweight enough for me.
The ‘star’ ingredient is butterfly pea flowers, which contain a lot of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants. It also uses mongongo oil which contains linoleic acid and magnesium and can help with a bunch of different things, from elasticity and hydration to texture improvement.
You can smell the blue tansy in this one as well, but it’s not overpowering. I like it.
Would I re-buy it? Probably!
Annmarie Resurfacing Facial Exfoliant
This exfoliant is a little bit intense (as a lot of resurfacing exfoliants are). They recommend doing a patch test before trying it for the first time (which I did) and only using it at night since resurfacing can make your skin more sensitive to sun or environmental damage.
It has a slight burn when you put it on, which I kind of like (because it means it’s working?). But if you have sensitive skin, you might want to be mindful of this. And don’t get it around your eyes.
For the resurfacing, they use honey-derived lactic acid, which can help target dark spots and wrinkles. But then they combine it with cucumber extract and blue tansy to soothe the skin at the same time.
You can smell the blue tansy in this one, but it’s subtle.
One time I actually did the Radiant C Mask/Polish and then immediately followed with the Resurfacing Exfoliant… I don’t think my face had been that soft since I was a baby. 😆
Would I re-buy it? Yeah.
Ogee Indigo Dream Renewal Cream
Ogee is a great brand for makeup and skincare that’s clean, high-performing, and luxurious at the same time. They use a lot of organic and NSF certified ingredients. Some (but not all) of their products are vegan.
This Indigo Dream Renewal Cream is a great nighttime moisturizer—although I will say that it’s not as thick as some of the other nighttime restorative creams I’ve tried.
In addition to blue tansy, it also utilizes aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, electric daisy extract, and various other nourishing plant-based oils.
You can definitely smell the blue tansy, but it’s pretty subtle. It’s nice though!
I don’t have anything groundbreaking to say about this cream. It’s a great natural nighttime face cream and I have no complaints.
Would I re-buy it? Yes.
Primally Pure Blue Tansy Moisturizers: Body Butter, Body Oil, and Soothing Cream
Primally Pure is a 100% natural skin & personal care brand that’s focused on sourcing high-quality and effective ingredients from regenerative, local farms as much as possible. This brand is not all-vegan; many of their skincare products use tallow.
When it comes to blue tansy skin & bodycare products, Primally Pure has three specific ones that are great. Honestly, they are all pretty similar in terms of their purpose. You don’t really need all three. I think it just comes down to your preferences:
- whether you tend to like a body butter or oil better
- whether you like tallow or vegan products better (the body oil is vegan)
- and whether you’ll be using it on your body or on your face
The Blue Tansy Body Butter: This is a super-nourishing, whipped, tallow-based body butter. And yes, it is very nourishing. In addition to the 100% grass-fed tallow, it’s also got ingredients like shea butter, wildcrafted lavender, unrefined beeswax, and more. It’s a bit thick and greasy, so I usually put it on at night. When I do, my skin definitely feels softer the next day.
The Blue Tansy Body Oil: While the body butter contains tallow and beeswax, this body oil contains only plant-based ingredients, including coconut oil, Kukui but oil, and others. The oil is lighter, but I would say it has roughly the same amount of ‘greasiness’ after putting it on as the body butter does. So I use this one at night as well. It also makes my skin feel super soft!
The Blue Tansy Soothing Cream: Yes, this soothing cream is as luscious as they make it seem. I really love the texture—it’s really so smooth. While the former two products are made more for your body, the soothing cream is made for your face. They use tallow for this formulation as well, but then they combine it with things like emu oil, which further helps with things like irritation, redness, dermatitis and dryness.
The blue tansy in all of these products helps to calm redness and ease stressed out, sensitive skin. My husband’s skin is more dry and sensitive than mine and I’ve put the body butter on his back where he has dry, red patches a few times. I do think it helps. (Now if we could only be consistent with it!)
I also used the Soothing Cream on my irritated armpits recently (I put it on before bed) and it definitely helped. My irritation was gone the next day.
Even though they all have a blue color to them, they rub in clear. So you don’t have to worry about your skin turning blue or anything like that. 😆
They all come packaged in glass jars with plastic lids.
Would I re-buy these? Yes, I’d buy all three of them, but not all at once. I’d probably just rotate them tbh. I honestly can’t choose a favorite, but it’s probably between the body butter and the soothing cream.
If you decide to buy something from Primally Pure, you can use the code THEFILTERY for 10% off.
Primally Pure Blue Tansy Deodorant
This is basically the only product on this list that I would personally not re-buy. BUT I seem to be the odd one out on this. Even though I like the smell of blue tansy for skincare products and body lotions, I just don’t like it for a deodorant. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the way it mixes with my sweat?!
Anyway, Celia really likes it, and a LOT of other customers do as well—their Blue Tansy deodorant is one of their most popular and best selling products. So if you’re unsure and want to try it, you could grab the smaller 1.7 oz stick and see what you think.
I will say that I like Primally Pure’s other deodorants, especially the Charcoal one. They use a very small amount of baking soda, which helps to keep odors in check without irritating the skin. They also use things like coconut oil, tallow, and beeswax.
Earth Harbor Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Balm Cream
Earth Harbor was actually founded by someone who is an herbalist and a toxicologist! They use 100% plant-based ingredients, are low-plastic & refillable, and they make 99% of their products in-house (in Utah). They have options for a wide range of skin-types: aging, acne-prone, sensitive, and more. Their products are all PETA® approved Vegan & Cruelty-Free.
This Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Balm might be my favorite Earth Harbor product. I love the texture—it is so smooth and fluffy. It smells really good too, which I think might be the combination of meadowfoam flower and blue tansy.
This is definitely a night-time cream for me. Although it has a sort of ‘marshmallow-y’ texture, it’s a bit too thick & oily for a daytime moisturizer.
In addition to the meadowfoam flower and blue tansy, it also contains bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative), squalane, plant ceramides, and other anti-aging ingredients.
I would definitely re-buy this and continue using it.
If you want, you can use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off.
Earth Harbor Mermaid Milk Nutrient Glow Moisturizer
Where the Mermaid Moon Line-Filling Cream is a nighttime moisturizer, this Mermaid Milk one is more of a daytime option. It also smells good, but it’s much more lightweight. It’s actually got a slightly jelly/bouncy consistency to it. It absorbs quickly but still gives hydration and protection for the day.
It’s got ingredients like spirulina, seaweed, an matcha—all of which give your skin antioxidants and other nutrients. It’s also got turmeric which can help soothe acne-prone or irritated skin.
This is one of their products I think would be great for tweens & teens who love skincare. It’s functional, it’s not heavy on the anti-aging ingredients, it smells good, and it’s a fun green color.
This one comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid. But honestly, I think you could just get the refill option instead if you wanted to. The jar is the same size but the lid is aluminum.
Don’t forget to use the code THEFILTERY15 for 15% off if you decide to try it yourself.
DIME Blue Facial Oil
This natural, EWG Verified facial oil is filled with several different plant oils—including meadowfoam, rosehip, and of course blue tansy—which help to protect against free radicals and prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
I usually use this oil at nighttime. I would say it’s in the ‘midweight’ category. It’s not super heavy, but it’s too greasy for the daytime for me personally. I do really like the way it makes my skin feel—it’s definitely softer and calmer. And it smells really nice too.
Would I re-buy this? Yep!
You can use the code THEFILTERY for 20% off.
This is by no means a complete list of non-toxic blue tansy skincare products. I plan to continue trying more and adding them over time. If you have any favorite blue tansy products, let me know in the comments and I’ll check them out!
