Blue Tansy Is the Seriously Anti-Inflammatory Skin-Care Ingredient You Need to Know About

Just because beauty products are meant to beautify doesn't mean they're necessarily pretty themselves. Take snail mucin—goopy slime—for example, or probiotic-packed tonics with a funky smell. (Don't even get me started on that blood moisturizer, which doesn't quite look like blood but is still made from it.)

So it's a welcome respite when glow-inducing skin care looks as good on display as it makes you feel (it's the Instagram era, after all). The reigning queen of this category? Blue tansy—which dazzles in beauty products with its vibrant blue tint.

"Blue tansy's a little flower that's native to Morocco," says Amity Spiegel, an esthetician at cool-girl clean beauty boutique CAP Beauty. "Its nickname is Moroccan chamomile, as it's from the chamomile family and shares a lot of those properties. It gets that beautiful blue color through the chemical reaction that occurs when they steam distill the flower." (In other words, it's a white flower on the stem.)

"Everyone can benefit from using blue tansy because of all the antioxidants."

And it ain't just pretty: The flower has serious powers when it comes to boosting your complexion's radiance. "Blue tansy's a magic ingredient for a lot of people," notes Spiegel. "It's got antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so you see it used to calm the skin, reduce heat, and relieve delicate or troubled skin."

You don't just have to have a skin issue to benefit from it, however. "Everyone can benefit from using blue tansy because of all the antioxidants," Spiegel explains. "Though you generally see it in products meant for sensitive types, acne, and even eczema. It's also in some shampoos and conditioners as it provides relief for an itchy scalp."

There's an added bonus, too—you'll reap the benefits from the botanical's scent. "Blue tansy as an essential oil has a lot of emotional properties similar to that of chamomile," she says. "It's good for relaxation, regulating hormones, and calming anxiety." Sounds like a multitasking must-have for your top shelf, if you ask me.

Keep reading for 8 blue tansy-rich beauty powerhouses to add to cart. 

May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon, $180

Consider this the godmother of blue tansy. "May Lindstrom was one of the first people to harness blue tansy for skin," says Spiegel. "This is one of my favorite products for clients with red, itchy, irritated, or fragile skin." The dreamy balm melts onto the skin, turning into a luxe oil that literally cocoons inflammation until it's nice and healed.

Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Mask, $48

Herbivore's royal blue mask is gentle—but mighty. Though it's got fruit enzymes and white willow bark to slough off dead skin cells, the good ole blue tansy botanical keeps everything calm, cool, and collected. So it's a soft peel without any angry after effects.

Shiva Rose Blue Crystal Eye Cream, $95

What better way to treat the most delicate area of your face than with the ultimate skin-soother and healing azurite crystals? Shiva Rose's eye cream contains these along with anti-aging primrose and de-puffing aloe to keep the eye area smooth. "It's such a beautiful preparation," notes Spiegel. "It's really calming and hydrating, and it has an almost opalescent quality, so it can be illuminating." Swoon.

Kahina Giving Beauty Lip & Face Balm, $44

If you've got chapped lips or a dry, irritated face, this blue tansy-spiked balm will provide some much-needed TLC. Along with the healing botanical are renewing immortelle and rich butters (think mango nut and shea) with the enticing scents of neroli and geranium, which make it something to keep on hand in harsh temps.

Living Libations True Blue Spirulina Shampoo, $36

The botanical isn't just for restoring a glow to your complexion—it can lend your scalp a hand, too. "Living Libations uses blue tansy in their shampoo and conditioner," says Spiegel. "It really helps for a dry, itchy scalp." One wash with this deep blue shampoo—which also contains anti-inflammatory yarrow and German chamomile—will restore a more balanced pH to your strands, so you'll be back to bouncy, healthy hair in no time.

Leahlani Bless Beauty Balm, $48

Teleport to Hawaii via this rich balm made with purely intoxicating oils—besides blue tansy, there's anti-inflammatory moringa, rosehip, cold-pressed argan, and other skin faves—that bestows its radiance-boosting prowess onto your complexion. "This is a nice alternative to the Blue Cocoon," says Spiegel. Oh, and it smells divine.

Primally Pure Blue Tansy Beauty Cream, $40

With only five ingredients, this organic, buttery cream soothes inflammation without causing buildup in your pores. Besides calming powerhouses blue tansy, azulene, and emu oil, the blend has tallow—which comes from grass-fed cows and contains fat-soluble vitamins that keep your skin plump.

Josh Rosebrook Advanced Hydration Mask, $65

Basically every skin hydration powerhouse lurks in this magical mask. Think aloe vera, various butters, nourishing oils like avocado and sunflower seed, anti-inflammatory turmeric, and the great blue tansy for good measure. It's so gentle, you can use it daily for a mini-spa ritual on the reg. Bring on the blue.

To make it as effective as possible, here's *exactly* the right order to apply your skin-care products, according to dermatologists. But should you use one skin-care brand or curate your own mix?