Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale): a Highland botanical with a long history and a growing body of research

Bog myrtle is one of those ingredients that feels deeply Scottish. Not just because it grows in our landscape, but because it’s been part of our culture for generations. We’ve worked with bog myrtle in our handmade soaps and nourishing skincare products for years and we’re often asked the same questions:

  • What is bog myrtle?
  • Why do people use it in skincare?
  • Is there any proper research behind it?

This article takes a look at what bog myrtle is and where it grows. How it’s been used historically in Scotland and across northern Europe. What modern research has explored about bog myrtle extracts and essential oil and what that might mean for your skincare routine.

What is bog myrtle?

Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) is a small aromatic shrub that grows in wet, peaty places across the northern hemisphere, including Scotland. It’s associated with bogs, loch edges and damp heathland: the sort of landscape many of us recognise instantly.

It’s also a plant with a strong identity in Scotland. If you’ve ever brushed past it outdoors, you’ll know the scent: fresh, resinous, herbal, slightly citrusy. That natural aroma is one of the reasons it’s been valued for so long.

Bog myrtle in Scottish and northern European history

Bog myrtle shows up again and again in historical accounts of how people lived in wetland regions. Not as a rare curiosity, but as a useful plant.

A plant with a long-standing place in daily life

One of the best-documented historic uses is in traditional brewing, long before hops became dominant. A detailed paper in Brewery History describes “gruit” (a mix of herbs used to flavour and preserve beer) and identifies bog myrtle as a key gruit ingredient in parts of northern Europe.

The same paper discusses why those herbs mattered: not just flavour, but also their preservative and functional properties - a theme you’ll see repeat in modern research.

Traditional insect-repellent use 

Bog myrtle also has a long-standing reputation as a plant people used to discourage insects around homes, clothing and bedding. What’s useful here is that modern researchers are still exploring this, not just repeating folklore.

A 2023 scientific case study in Separations (MDPI) explicitly notes the traditional use of Myrica gale as an insect repellent and explores the essential oil’s chemistry and activity in that context. It helps explain why bog myrtle has been treated as a “useful” botanical in daily life for such a long time.

In this classic video, Highland Soap Co Founder, Emma, discusses the features and benefits of Bog Myrtle and some of its historic uses with BBC Alba.

Why bog myrtle is interesting in skincare

When people talk about “botanical skincare”, it can sometimes sound vague. The reason bog myrtle is different is that it contains a well-described mix of naturally occurring compounds. Those compounds are exactly what researchers tend to focus on when they study plant extracts.

Two areas come up repeatedly in the literature:

  1. Microbial activity (how essential oils/extracts interact with certain bacteria and yeasts in lab testing)
  2. Antioxidant activity (how compounds in the plant behave in oxidative-stress models)

That matters in skincare because many common skin complaints tend to revolve around:

  • skin that feels congested or out of balance
  • skin that looks dull or uneven
  • skin that feels stressed, dry or uncomfortable
  • concerns associated with mature skin and visible ageing

While the research doesn't automatically mean that a finished product can be used to treat these sorts of conditions, it helps to explain why bog myrtle is used in cosmetics designed to support healthy-looking, comfortable skin.

What modern research has explored

Testing bog myrtle essential oil and hydrolate for antimicrobial properties

A peer-reviewed paper in Records of Natural Products (2020) analysed essential oils and hydrolates from Myrica gale leaves and flowers and tested them against a range of bacterial pathogens. The authors report antimicrobial activity against several organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis.

A second peer-reviewed source (Baltic Forestry, 2020) looked at fruit essential oils of Myrica gale and tested activity against bacteria, yeasts and fungi. The paper reports that the strongest growth-inhibitory effect was observed against Staphylococcus aureus, and discusses likely contributing compounds in the oil such as α-pinene, 1,8-cineole and α-phellandrene.

What this can mean in skincare terms

While this is ingredient-level lab research rather than testing on a finished product, it helps to show how certain botanical oils are useful in formulations designed to help skin feel fresh and clean, particularly for those who prefer plant-derived ingredients. It also helps explain why bog myrtle has historically been treated as a “purifying” botanical.

Testing bog myrtle fruit exudate for antioxidant activity and in oxidative stress models

When customers talk about “anti-ageing”, what they usually mean is that skin looks more plump, fine lines are less noticeable, texture looks smoother, and skin looks brighter and more even.

From a research angle, a lot of visible ageing is associated with oxidative stress, which is why antioxidant compounds show up so often in skincare.

A foundational paper on PubMed (1995) and a related paper from 1996 examined antioxidant activity in bog myrtle fruit exudate and identified "myrigalone B" as a key antioxidant component.

What this can mean in skincare terms

This is part of the evidence base for describing bog myrtle as a botanical with antioxidant interest and explains why it's used in skincare products that aim to supporting a healthy-looking complexion and protect against environmental stressors.

    How we think about bog myrtle benefits

    If you’re deciding whether bog myrtle products are for you, it may help to think in simple, everyday terms.

    If your skin feels dry, tight or uncomfortable

    A rich & nourishing night cream with botanical oils may help with that “comfort” feeling, especially at night when skin can feel drier.

    If your skin looks dull or tired

    Botanical ingredients with antioxidant properties are often used in formulas designed to support a healthier-looking glow.

    If you prefer skincare that feels clean and balanced

    The antimicrobial research is ingredient-level, but it’s part of why bog myrtle has a long-standing purifying botanical reputation.

    Why we keep coming back to bog myrtle

    Part of what we love about bog myrtle is that it's not only an ingredient with a rich history of practical history in Scotland, but it's a growing body of modern scientific interest for properties which start to explain why it's such a beloved ingredient.

    And - crucially - it’s just a joy to use. The scent alone is one of those things that makes you pause for a second and breathe it in properly. It turns “putting cream on” into a little ritual.

      Sources

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