Star Anise Essential Oil has a warm, sweet aroma that is similar to black licorice. Learn more about this spice oil. Find out how to use and benefit from this wonderful oil plus get Star Anise Essential Oil Recipes you can make to help spice up your life.
This warm and energetic oil can be used to lift stagnation. Star anise essential oil blends well with Lavender, Cypress, Orange, Rose, Pine, Clove, Peppermint, and Cinnamon.
Star anise is a popular spice essential oils, in a class with oils like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. These spices are commonly used to flavor food and baked goodies. The spice essential oils offer a wide variety of health benefits, including improve digestion, relieve pain, and boost immunity. They are also traditionally used for respiratory comfort, skin care, and headaches. Read more about spice essential oils.
What is Star Anise is Good For?
Star Anise is a common spice used in cooking and for its therapeutic benefits. Star Anise (Illicium verum) is an evergreen tree, the essential oil is steam distilled from the star-shaped fruits it produces or the leaves. It has antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
| Botanical Name | Illicium verum |
| Botanical Family | Schisandraceae (formerly Illiciaceae) |
| Aka | Anise Star |
| Aroma | Warm, spicy, licorice-like |
| Note | Top to Middle |
| Extraction Method | Steam distilled |
| Plant Part Used | Star-shaped fruits (seed pods) |
| Shelf Life | 3-4 years |
| Kid Safe? | No |
| Pregnancy Safe? | No |
| Adult Max Dilution | 1.75% |
| Safety Concerns | Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Avoid contact with eyes. Never ingest. Avoid use if you have endometriosis or estrogen-dependent cancers. |
DIY Star Anise Essential Oil Recipe Guide
Star Anise Essential Oils Guide with 10 DIY Recipe Blends by Jennifer Lane, Loving Essential Oils Owner & Certified Aromatherapist:
7 Benefits of Star Anise Essential Oil
This essential oil is a fabulous oil to help when feeling fatigued or overwhelmed. Here are more benefits of Star Anise Oil:
- Helping digestive discomfort
- Easing menstrual cramps
- Soothing coughs and colds
- Relieving pain and stiffness
- Restoring physical and emotional energy
- Helping anxiety-related sleep problems
- Combating body odor
Star Anise Essential Oil Safety Precautions
- Possible skin sensitivity, maximum dermal use 1.75%
- Estrogenic, should not be used in endometriosis, estrogen-sensitive cancers
- Don't use if pregnant or breastfeeding
- Not suitable for children
- Don't use if old or oxidized
- Best if used in moderation
Never ingest essential oils. Keep star anise, and any diffuser running it, away from cats, and make sure dogs can leave the room.
5 Star Anise Essential Oil Recipes
Here are 5 simple blends to add the amazing benefits of Star Anise into your aromatherapy routine. All of these recipes are for adults only, and not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
1. Fall Dreams Roller Blend |
The sweet aroma of this blend is just a dream, make this roller recipe today.
Directions: Add essential oils to the bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with jojoba oil. Place roller top on and roll back and forth between your palms to mix oils together. Be sure to label the bottle. 4% dilution (star anise stays at 1.5%, under its 1.75% max), good for occasional use. |
2. Move Easy Massage Oil |
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Use this blend of comforting essential oils to ease discomforts.
Directions: Add all ingredients into the glass essential oil bottle. Use trauma oil if you have it, jojoba oil will work well too. Place pump top on and roll bottle between palms of hands to mix well. 12 drops in 1 oz of carrier oil is 2% dilution. |
3. Winter Warmth Diffuser Blend |
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We all know that feeling when we wake up in the morning and can't get out of bed. We're just not ready to face the day yet, but we have to go anyway. Try waking up to this winter warming star anise diffuser blend. Star anise creates a warming atmosphere, you can try this recipe even if it isn't winter too.
Directions: Add essential oils to a diffuser with the recommended water amount. |
4. Rebalanced Energy Body Oil |
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Here is a lovely body oil blend, try applying after your shower for uplifting.
Directions: Add ingredients to the glass essential oil bottle. Place pump top on and shake the bottle to blend oils together. 24 drops in 2 oz of carrier oil is 2% dilution. |
5. Cough Soothing Steam |
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Inhale the star anise steam for comfort when you have a cough.
Directions: Add essential oil drops to a steaming bowl of water and inhale the steam with your eyes closed. Keep face at a comfortable distance back to avoid burning from steam. |
Where to Buy Star Anise Essential Oil?
Star Anise essential oil can offer many health and wellness benefits. To obtain these benefits ensure your oil is pure and high quality without fillers or toxins added. Never mistake perfume oils or fragrance oils as essential oils.
Know the company you are purchasing from, ask questions, and ensure they are 100% pure essential oils. You will be inhaling and applying to your body, you need to be sure. Look for Illicium verum on the label, in a dark glass bottle. Here is how I choose quality essential oils.
General Essential Oil Precautions
Never use essential oils undiluted, in eyes or mucous membranes. Do not take internally unless working with a qualified practitioner. Keep out of reach from children.
Use essential oils with extreme caution on children, be sure you have researched the oil and that it is safe for use on kids. See my kid-safe essential oils list.
If applying an essential oil topically (on your skin), you may perform a small patch test to an insensitive part of the body, use 1-2 drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil like jojoba oil, read more here.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, epileptic, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. For more information on oil safety issues here.
Newbie to Oils? Read More: Essential Oils for Beginners
Star Anise Recipes DIY Guide
Want our Star Anise Guide? Get our Printable Recipe Guide for amazing DIY blends using Star Anise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Star Anise Essential Oil
Here are a few FAQs about star anise oil:
How to Make Star Anise Essential Oil?
It's made through steam distillation, where plant material is heated with water, and the oil rises with steam droplets that are then separated. While making it at home might not be possible, you can create a fragrant hydrosol water that offers many of the same therapeutic benefits.
Can I use Star Anise essential oil in cooking?
No. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should never be ingested. Stick to using whole star anise pods in your cooking instead.
What does Star Anise essential oil smell like?
Its warm, spicy, and exotic aroma of licorice and spice can keep you calm and level-headed in the face of life's challenges. Perfumers describe it as true to Star Anise and often blend it with spices like Allspice, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper, and Fennel.
Is Star Anise essential oil safe to use?
When used as directed, it can be safe to use. However, it's contraindicated for people with estrogen-dependent cancers due to its high trans-anethole content. Pregnant or nursing women and children should also avoid it.
Do not ingest star anise oil. If you take blood thinners or have surgery coming up, check with your doctor before using it.
Always dilute essential oils before use on the skin and use in low doses.
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