For skin
In a mask, the leaf powder is mixed with a floral water or blended with a clay. It forms a plant-based paste that cleanses the skin gently and leaves a light herbal scent.
Plant powderMoroccan heritage
White wormwood (chih)
The steppe white wormwood of the high plateaus, with silvery leaves.
The sprig woolly leaves with a herbal, camphor-like scent.
The drying the leaves dry before being ground.
The powder fine and fragrant, for masks and the hammam.
INCI · ARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA LEAF POWDERBuild my white wormwood range
- INCI name
- ARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA LEAF POWDER
- Other names
- Chih (shih), izri, ifsi, white wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba)
- Family
- Plant powder, aromatic plant (Asteraceae)
- Origin
- Moroccan steppes: High Plateaus and the southern slope of the Anti-Atlas
- Part used
- Dried and ground leaves
- Areas of use
- Face, body, hammam rituals
In brief
White wormwood in 30 seconds
By the Carmel Cosmetics Labs R&D team · updated October 18, 2026
- INCI nameARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA LEAF POWDER (white wormwood leaf powder)
- What it isa small aromatic steppe shrub, called chih in Morocco
- For skina plant powder for masks and hammam blends
- For the formulaa herbal, camphor-like scent, and a strong Moroccan story
- Originthe High Plateaus and the southern slope of the Anti-Atlas
( A )WHAT IT IS
What is white wormwood?
White wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba), called chih in Morocco, is a small perennial shrub of the Asteraceae family, 15 to 60 cm tall, with woolly, silvery leaves. It forms vast steppes on the High Plateaus and the southern slope of the Anti-Atlas. Highly aromatic, it gives off a herbal, camphor-like scent. In cosmetics, its dried, ground leaves go into powders, masks and hammam rituals.
White wormwood leaf powder or essential oil: the difference
Leaf powder
The dried, then ground leaves, declared as ARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA LEAF POWDER. This is the form used in our powders and masks: a whole plant material, chosen for its texture and discreet aroma.
Essential oil
A volatile oil obtained by distillation, which the CosIng database classifies as a perfuming ingredient. The Moroccan oils analyzed are rich in thujones and camphor: it is dosed like a fragrance, with its own labeling rules.
( B )ITS BENEFITS01 02 03
White wormwood for skin and formula: benefits
For the ritual
In a hammam blend, paired with black soap or a body mask, it brings an aromatic, camphor-like note that recalls the steppes of Morocco.
For the formula
It tells the story of a terroir ingredient, known in Morocco as chih, izri or ifsi. The CosIng database lists a skin conditioning function for white wormwood flower extract.
How do you use white wormwood?
- Face
One spoonful of powder mixed into rose water or blended with a clay, applied in a thin layer, then rinsed off with lukewarm water after a few minutes. Avoid the eye area.
- Body
Added to a body mask or a black soap ritual, it is massaged onto damp skin in the hammam, then rinsed off.
- Powder
Sold in a sachet or a jar, it is prepared just before use: the paste does not keep, the dry powder does.
( C )IN OUR PRODUCTS
Launch your white wormwood range
We add it to mix-your-own powders, face masks and hammam ritual products, ready to carry your brand. Pick a category to see our formulas.
( D )FORMULATOR NOTES
How we use it
What our formulators take into account when white wormwood goes into your product.
Often paired with
- 01The right INCI name
“Chih” is a vernacular name: the INCI list gives the plant's Latin name and the part used, here the powdered leaves.
- 02A controlled powder
As a raw plant material, it is checked on receipt, notably for microbiological cleanliness, then sieved for an even texture.
- 03A managed fragrance
Its camphor-like scent is pronounced: we balance it with floral waters or other plants. If a wormwood essential oil is added, its allergens are labeled, including camphor, added to the list by Regulation (EU) 2023/1545.
- 04No medical claims
Chih has traditional medicinal uses in Morocco. We present them as a tradition and write your claims within the cosmetic frame: cleanse, fragrance, soften.
Did you know?
The plant of the Moroccan steppes
- Chih
In Morocco, white wormwood has several names: chih in Arabic, izri or ifsi in Amazigh depending on the region.
- Steppe
The white wormwood steppe is characteristic of the High Plateaus and the southern slope of the Anti-Atlas, in a climate that receives about 200 to 300 mm of rain per year.
- Artemisia
The Artemisia genus includes about 500 species worldwide, twelve of which are found in Morocco.
White wormwood: your questions
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What is white wormwood?
It is Artemisia herba-alba, a small aromatic shrub with silvery leaves, called chih in Morocco. It grows in dry steppes, notably on the High Plateaus. In cosmetics, its dried, ground leaves are mostly used, in powders, masks and hammam rituals.
What are the benefits of white wormwood?
In cosmetics, the leaf powder serves as a plant-based base for masks and hammam blends: it helps cleanse the skin and brings a herbal, camphor-like scent. Its medicinal uses belong to folk tradition: they are not benefits a cosmetic product can claim.
How do you use white wormwood powder in a mask?
Mix one spoonful of powder with rose water or a clay to make a paste. Apply it in a thin layer on the face, avoiding the eyes, leave it on for a few minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water. Patch test on a small area before first use.
What is the difference between white wormwood and other wormwoods?
The Artemisia genus includes about 500 species, twelve of them in Morocco. White wormwood is recognized by its woolly, silvery leaves and camphor-like scent. On a label, it is the Latin name in the INCI list, Artemisia herba-alba, that identifies the exact species, not the common name.
What is chih in Morocco?
Chih is the Arabic name for white wormwood, also called izri or ifsi in Amazigh. Herbalists in the Fès-Meknès region mention its leaves in traditional preparations, as a decoction or infusion, among other things for cleaning teeth. These are traditional uses, not product claims.
Can you create a white wormwood range with Carmel Cosmetics Labs?
Yes. We add it to white label mix-your-own powders, face masks and hammam ritual products, or to an exclusive private label formula, made in our ISO 22716 factory in Aït Melloul, Morocco.
Sources
- European Commission, CosIng database: ARTEMISIA HERBA-ALBA FLOWER EXTRACT (white wormwood flower extract)
- El Ouardi M. et al., Chemical composition, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of essential oils from Artemisia herba-alba Asso. and Artemisia huguetii Caball. from Morocco, Frontiers in Chemistry 12 (2024)
- Salhi N. et al., Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants Used for Cosmetic Purposes in the Fez-Meknes Region, Trop J Nat Prod Res 7(11) (2023)
- Peltier J.-P., Artemisia herba-alba, Plant Biodiversity of South-Western Morocco (teline.fr)
- European Commission, Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (labeling of fragrance allergens) (2023)
Your white wormwood range, made in Morocco
Send your brief: we formulate and manufacture your white wormwood powders and masks in our ISO 22716 factory in Aït Melloul. Free consultation and formula selection, no commitment.