SWEET VERNAL GRASS ESSENTIAL OIL
Botanical Name: Anthoxanthum odoratum
Botanical Family: Poaceae
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OVERVIEW
The Scent of Every Summer
The smell of summer sunlight & fragrant fields is captured in the aroma of Sweet Vernal Grass, also known as vanilla-grass.
Similar in scent and related to the Sweetgrass that gets braided for burning in North America, Sweet Vernal Grass is distilled from the grassy meadows of Mediterranean France, where the essence is known as Flouve.
This essence is perfect for soothing skin, evoking smooth summer skin in every drop.
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APPEARANCE
Appearance In Nature
Sweet Vernal Grass sways gracefully in sun-drenched meadows and woodland edges, its slender, emerald-green blades catching the light like threads of silk.
As it matures, it takes on a golden hue, its delicate, feathery flower spikes standing tall, releasing a warm, hay-like fragrance into the breeze.
This unassuming yet enchanting grass blankets fields with a soft, whispering presence, adding to the quiet magic of untamed landscape
Appearance In Bottle Post Extraction
Yellowish, hay-like colour swirls like summer sun.
AROMA
Golden Grass Zest
The aroma of Sweet Vernal Grass is warm, nostalgic, and softly intoxicating, blending the scent of freshly cut hay, sunlit meadows, and golden honey.
It carries delicate notes of creamy vanilla, soft almonds, and a hint of coumarin’s sweet, earthy richness, evoking the feeling of lying in a sun-warmed field as the breeze stirs dried grasses around you.
Its scent is both comforting and grounding, wrapping the senses in a gentle, herbaceous warmth with a whisper of wild nature’s untamed beauty.
CONSISTENCY
Medium
An unusual, slightly viscous essential oil.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
France
CULTIVATION
Thriving Grassy Meadows
Sweet Vernal Grass thrives in temperate climates, favouring meadows, grasslands, and open woodlands with moderate moisture and well-drained soil.
It is a hardy, perennial grass that tolerates poor, acidic, or sandy soils, often flourishing in wild, uncultivated fields where other plants may struggle.
Preferring full sun to partial shade, it spreads easily by self-seeding and rhizomes, making it a resilient addition to natural landscapes and pastures.
EXTRACTION METHOD
Steam Distillation
Find more information on botanical extraction methods HERE.
LORE
A Sacred Plant Worldwide
In North America, Sweet Grass (a botanical cousin to the sweet vernal grass of the Mediterranean) is a sacred plant among Indigenous tribes, used in spiritual purification rituals, basket weaving, and as a natural insect repellent.
In the Mediterranean, Sweet Vernal Grass was valued for its fragrant hay, medicinal uses, and aromatic qualities, often used in agriculture and herbal remedies. Both grasses have been cherished for their sweet, vanilla-like scent and deep-rooted cultural and spiritual significance.
MYSTICISM
A Universal Spiritual Botanical
In the Mediterranean, Sweet Vernal Grass was historically associated with fertility, renewal, and divine blessings, often used to honour deities of agriculture and abundance.
Its sweet, hay-like aroma was believed to purify spaces, invite harmony, and connect humans to the cycles of nature.
Some traditions burned or scattered it in sacred rituals, symbolizing prosperity, protection, and the renewal of life through the changing seasons.
PLANT MATERIAL UTILIZED
Flowering Tops & Ripe Blades of Grass
SKIN APPLICATION
Direct Application
Sweet Verbal grass essential oil (if and only if 100% pure and organic) can be used directly on the skin as spot treatment for any areas in need of soothing.
Dilution
Mix in with a carrier oil such as olive or jojoba to your desired strength for a fantastic allover moisturizing oil.
SKIN BENEFITS
Soothing & Anti-Inflammatory
Rich in coumarins, this oil helps calm redness, irritation, and sensitive skin, making it beneficial for conditions like eczema and rosacea.
Natural Skin Perfumer
With its warm, hay-like vanilla aroma, Sweet Vernal Grass essential oil acts as a subtle botanical fragrance, enhancing body oils, lotions, and perfumes with a gentle, long-lasting scent.
Wound-Healing & Repairing
Traditionally used in herbal medicine, its properties aid in skin regeneration, making it helpful for minor cuts, abrasions, and soothing sun-exposed skin.
Stress-Relief for Skin
Due to its aromatherapeutic properties, it helps reduce stress-related skin issues, such as breakouts or dullness, by promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.
VIOLET GLASS
Violet Glass
Ultimate preservation & potency.
Violet glass is a deep purple, almost black, glass that keeps bioactive compounds preserved for as long as possible.
