Clary Sage Essential Oil Benefits

Clary sage essential oil is best known for its calming scent and its potential to support stress, sleep, and hormone balance—especially for issues like PMS, mood swings, and even night sweats. I actually turned to it during a rough stretch of hormone-related sleep issues, and the results surprised me.

Let’s explore the benefits of clary sage essential oil, how to use it effectively, and whether it’s worth adding to your routine.

What Is Clary Sage?

Clary sage is a biennial or perennial herb that grows up to 6 feet in height, otherwise known by its Latin name, Salvia Sclarea. It belongs to the family of Lamiaceae. The oil is sourced from the purple-tinted large hairy green leaves of the plant.

Clary sage is native to the northern Mediterranean Basin, as well as in some areas in North Africa and Central Asia.

It's different from Salvia officinalis (plain sage), which is commonly used in cooking, and has been used for many years in many multiple medicinal and therapeutic ways.

Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, clary sage was called “Oculus Christi” or “the eye of Christ.” It was highly valued for its properties and it was thought that it was effective for vision as well. The name “clary sage” comes from the Latin word “clarus”, which means “clear.”

10 Benefits of Clary Sage Essential Oil

Clary sage is mostly known for its hormonal benefits. And for good reason (you'll see what I mean when you read about how this powerhouse of an essential oil helped me with a recent hormonal (ugh) struggle). But clary sage's benefits go way beyond that. Here's more about this wonder essential oil.

Traditionally, clary sage essential oil has been used for many things, but some of these uses, of course, have not been proven.

Some of the traditional uses include skin health, for use in labor, and for digestive health. There are many benefits of clary sage beyond this post, but here are some of the more well-demonstrated uses of this amazing essential oil.

Reduces Cortisol

Cortisol is a stress hormone, so when you're stressed, your body produces more of it.

In this study in Seoul, Korea on post menopausal women, clary sage was shown to reduce cortisol plasma levels. Effects on depression were also noted.

Mood Support

Though clary sage isn't listed in this post about mood boosting essential oils, in this study, clary sage was tested on rats, along with other essential oils to see what the effect on depression would be. Clary sage had the greatest effect in reducing depressive markers in the rats.

Anti-Bacterial

Due to concerns about the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, some researchers are turning to alternative ways to fight stubborn infections. In this study, clary sage was shown to have antibacterial activity against several infectious agents, including Staphlococcus Aureus.

Fights Candida

Candida is a stubborn yeast infection that troubles many people. I personally have struggled with it and if you've dealt with it, you know how stubborn it can be.

To that end, anything that can help fight this beast is a welcome addition to the candida-fighting arsenal. In this study, clary sage essential oil was shown to help fight candida by breaking down its membrane leading to cell apoptosis (cell death).

Blood Pressure Support

A study done at the Department of Basic Nursing Science in the Republic of Korea measured clary sage oil’s ability to lower blood pressure in women with urinary incontinence or involuntary urination and found that both clary sage and lavender oil had statistically significant effects on blood pressure.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial

Extracts of clary sage have been shown to have both antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities (source).

Anti-Fungal

In this study in Belgrade, Serbia, clary sage was shown to have anti-fungal activity on a number of fungal species including aspergillus, fusarium, and penicillium.

Helps Wounds

Clary sage oil has been shown to help with wound healing due to it helping with collagen synthesis, it's anti-inflammatory properties, and enhanced angiogenesis (new blood vessels forming from old ones (source).

Cardiovascular Support

Linalyl acetate, one of the main components of clary sage, has been shown to have cardiovascular benefits for those suffering from acute nicotine exposure. The study indicates that future studies on how linalyl acetate and possibly clary sage oil (and other oils) should be studied more in the future for their beneficial effects.

Hormonal Balance

This benefit is the one that my experience relates to. As women, we have many issues surrounding our hormones including menstrual pain, mood swings, skin conditions, insomnia, and more. Hormones affect so much and since our hormones fluctuate, things get out of whack. Clary sage has been shown to have beneficial effects on hormonal health, bringing balance and relief in all of the above areas.

Who doesn't want balance like that?

My Experience With Clary Sage Oil

I’ve dealt with insomnia on and off for years, but at one point it got especially bad. I was waking up two or three times a night—completely drenched in sweat.

I’d had night sweats before, but those seemed tied to temperature or my thyroid. This felt different. It was pretty clearly hormonal.

Not fun.

So I started looking into natural remedies for night sweats, and clary sage kept coming up—especially for hormone-related symptoms.

I decided to try it.

And honestly? I wasn’t expecting much.

But the results surprised me.

The night sweats stopped. Completely—for a stretch of time.

No more waking up soaked. No more changing clothes in the middle of the night. And my sleep improved a lot.

Now, it hasn’t worked perfectly every single time since, but it’s still something I come back to when those symptoms flare up—and it’s been a really helpful tool to have on hand.

How to Use Clary Sage Essential Oil

Here are some ways to use clary sage to enjoy both the scent and the benefits of this fantastic oil.

Topical (most common)

• Dilute 1–2 drops in 1 tsp carrier oil
• Apply to:
  • lower abdomen (for PMS/hormones)
  • back of neck (stress)
  • bottoms of feet (general support)

Aromatic

• Diffuse 3–5 drops
• Or inhale from hands

Bath

• Mix 3–5 drops with carrier oil or milk (do not add straight to your bath water; essential oils need to be emulsified)

Where to Apply Clary Sage Oil

• Lower abdomen for hormones/cramps
• Neck/shoulders for stress/tension
• Wrists or chest for mood/calming
• Feet for gentle full-body absorption

Important Safety Note

Please note the following for safe usage of clary sage oil:

• Avoid during pregnancy (it can stimulate uterus)
• Always dilute with a carrier oil before applying
• Patch test to check for sensitivity before using

Where to Buy Clary Sage Oil

I sought out years ago to find an essential oils company that I could trust. You can see the beginning of my search for the best essential oil company or skip to the end here and of course you can read the other posts as well. I'll likely update the series in the future but for now, this is a good source.

Whether you choose the same company that I did or not, please make sure to order from a reputable company.

More Essential Oil Hormonal Help

If you prefer ready-made blends instead of using single oils, some companies offer hormone-support formulas that include clary sage along with other complementary oils.

Rowe Casa's Hormone Kit is a fantastic option, but you can also make your own blends at home if you prefer. Code WNM gets 20% off your first order.

Have you ever used clary sage oil?
What benefits of clary sage essential oil have you noticed?