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BATH ~BATHING-HERBS, WATERs, & OILS

Featured / Jeanne Rose / 1 Comment

By Jeanne Rose

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The bath and the herbs and essentials one can use in a bath are for complete stimulation, relaxation, and cleansing. Essential oil and herbal recipes for bathing and making your own home aromatherapy and a healing spa.
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BATHS ~ AROMATIC & HERBAL Baths & • Showers

The Cammy Bath showing herbs and essential oils.

Fig 1. -Cammy Bath ingredients with essential oils courtesy of PrimaFleur.com

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Showers are to clean the body
while baths are to heal the mind and body and are used to cleanse the spirit.

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Hydro- or water therapy has been used for healing for thousands of years, employing a system of bathing rituals and various therapeutic baths to aid in healing various body systems. It has been prescribed since before the Roman baths. Do you know that you can restore some aspects to your body by bathing, that is, taking a bath with herbs or salts or whatever appeals to you. These elements will actually get into your body via your skin.

Magnesium is an essential mineral, and 35% of the magnesium you ingest is in your body fluids and tissues. Soaking in magnesium-rich waters helps restore balance so your muscles can ease up and relax. Herbal infusions from plants such as Alfalfa, Horsetail, Nettle, and Red clover contain lots of magnesium, and with added Epsom salts and a calming essential oil such as Lavender, you will have a healthful, relaxing bath. Add Rosemary herb, a, hydrosol, and essential oil; it is rejuvenating and anti-aging.

Negative ions are charged with electricity and help promote feelings of physical and psychological well-being. They are especially prominent in the waters of a waterfall or the moving waters of mineral springs. Negative ions in the water are beneficial for physical and mental fatigue, reduce depression in some, and they relax your body and renew your energy by enhancing overall circulation and soothing your daily tensions.

For women and, yes, even men, the bath, especially herbal baths, and mineral baths, promotes skin health and beauty by opening pores, removing dead skin and impurities, and leaving the skin soft, clean, and silky smooth. The bath also relieves the pain from some chronic illnesses, including rheumatism and joint pain.

HOW TO TAKE A SOAKING BATH BY JEANNE ROSE

Treat Chronic Pain, Ease Fatigue, Promote Relaxation

•Remember that a bath, particularly a soaking bath, is to soothe your mind, relax your body and ease your stress. Yes, of course, it can also clean your skin, but for the full power of a bath, take a quick shower first to get rid of grime, then run a bath and relax in those healing waters. Remember, we are an inner ocean and need water to drink and soak into.

1. Take a quick shower with soap and a brush to clean your skin. If you like, sprinkle a drop or two of essential oil on your skin and rub it around.
            2. Open the taps in the tub and add the herbs-salts-goodies-essential oils you have chosen. Don’t forget those aching muscles need magnesium, and some herbs and Epsom salts have high levels.
            3. Run the water hot but not boiling.
            4. Use an herbal infusion from 4-6 ounces of your bath herbs or 1-cup bath salts per bath and some hydrosol OR pop the herbs into a large rice infuser and put the whole thing into the tub.

5. Get in. If the tub is small and your shoulders ache, lie flat on the bottom to soak your shoulders; if the tub is small and your legs ache, sit upright and think relaxing thoughts; if everything aches, take turns soaking one part and then the other OR get a big Victorian tub. and soak at least 22 minutes. This is the time it takes for those toxic products to get moving and released out of the body and into the tub water and rinsed down the drain.

6. Get out of the tub and wrap in a blanket or towel, do not rub dry. If you have one, wrap it in a big linen towel*. Go to bed to get the full effects of the bath.

*[Linum usitatissimum is Flax and the oldest fiber known to man; linen has a rich history as the traditional fiber of hospitality and beauty. No other fiber so exudes such old-world elegance yet delivers modern practicality. Linen is lint-free, non-allergenic, soft, smooth, and durable; linen is distinguished by a unique natural luster that improves with use.]

7. Now think of your happy place, smell a favorite essential oil and relax in a big chair and look at nature, or sleep and dream the dreams.

A large mesh rice ball filled with herbs for the bath

Fig. 2 – Rice ball cooker

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS for Herbal Baths ~ are great for the skin and healthy for the mind and body. To make an excellent herbal bath, first, make an infusion of the herbs.

Add 4-6 oz of your choice of herbs to 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let cool while you run your bath.
Pour the liquid directly into the bathtub through a strainer, put the herbs into a bag, and throw that into the bath.

2a. You can also simply put herbs into a large rice boiler (see picture above) and put them into the off-the-boil water. The herbs need time to release their tonic goodness into the water. Then place all in the warm bath.

3. Keep the herbs as healthy mulch for the garden.

You can choose soothing herbs such as Rose petals and Comfrey, astringent herbs such as Witch Hazel, tonifying herbs such as any of the citrus peels with anti-aging Rosemary, and healing herbs such as Comfrey root or Marshmallow root. Essential oils can also be added after the bath as a rubdown; about 2-5 drops are plenty.

HERBS to Use ~ There are so many herbs that can be used in the bath or made into infusion form and sprayed on the body after the shower, and some of these are Calendula, Chamomile, Comfrey, Geranium, Lavender, Peppermint, Roses, Rosemary, Sage, Seaweed and Witch Hazel; for anything else, you can think of. See The Herbal Body Book, Chapter XX, “Herbal Baths, The Wonder Cure”.

•Citrus Solstice Bath – Whole Yuzu fruits (or Oranges) are floated in the hot water of the bath, sometimes enclosed in a cloth bag, releasing their aroma. The fruit may also be cut in half, allowing the citrus juice to mingle with the bathwater. The Yuzu bath, known commonly as yuzuyu but also as yuzuburo, is said to guard against colds, treat the roughness of skin, warm the body, and relax the mind.

•Bundles of Birch twigs were used in Russian banyas to gently strike the body to stimulate whole-body circulation. The banya was a small room that could be used both as a sauna or steam room. The bathhouse keepers used scrubbers of many kinds, including those made of green branches of the Birch tied to a stick. Birch twigs contain acetylsalicylic acid, a precursor to aspirin, and relieve pain while improving circulation as the steam releases the Birch’s volatile oils.

A thirteenth-century manuscript of Sachsenspiegel shows bathers massaging themselves with leaves (Lyons and Petrucelli, p. 364)

a page of a book showing bathers in the sauna scrubbing themselves with bunches of birch leaves

Above: Bathers in the sauna scrub and/or beat themselves with bunches of leaves.

(Sachsenspiegel, 15th c., Universitatbibliothek, Heidelberg)Fig. 3

VARIOUS TYPES OF BATHS

•GENERAL DETOX BATH – a quick shower to clean the skin. Then …

___1. Add 2 cups Epsom salt (and herbs, kelp, or Moor mud) to a standard tub full of water. If your tub is bigger, add more.

___2. Ideally, you want the water to be very hot. We are looking to create a nice sweat.

___3. If your bath water is not filtered, add 1 cup of baking soda as this helps neutralize the chemicals, primarily chlorine, as well as increase mineral absorption.

___4. Immerse yourself in the water all the way up to your neck. You want as much of your body underwater as you can. Close your eyes, do some breathing exercises, and soak for at least 20 minutes.

___5. Once you are done soaking, rise out of the tub very slowly and cautiously. You may feel light-headed; this will go away as you shower off quickly in cool water.

___6. It is important not to use harsh soaps or shampoos in the bath, as your pores are open and will just absorb the bad items found in those products.

___7. Once dry, you can apply a natural moisturizer like body butter, shea butter, or coconut oil and some natural deodorant, but again no lotions with perfumes, dyes, or chemicals.

___8. Many recommend that you do not eat before or after taking a detox bath. However, in the Middle Ages, often a meal was served in the tub on floating tables while people socialized in the bath; I think this is best not done.

___9. Instead, hydrate yourself by drinking water or light herbal tea before and after.

__10. Allow time after your bath to rest and rejuvenate.

•BATHS Recipes ~ See individual listings for different baths and therapies.•

Showers are to clean the body, while immersion Baths are to heal the mind and body and are used ritually to cleanse the spirit.

Hydrotherapy is a system of bathing rituals or various therapeutic baths to aid in the healing of various systems of the body. It has been prescribed since before the Roman baths with their distinct and separate rooms of various temperature baths.

However, full body immersion is the key to cleansing the body of illness, and with shallow modern baths where only the lower part of the body is fully immersed, this does not lend itself to a healing experience. In a modern bath, one must lay down flat on your back in the tub with the legs up and out in order to get the proper healing effects. Worried about your hair? Wear a shower cap.

In a bath/hydrotherapy treatment, it is important to use three baths per week of 20-30 minutes each. The temperature of the water is not important. Start with warm baths; add Seaweeds, Moor mud, various types of salts, herbs, and/or hydrosols. Seaweed bath information will be coming.

•Balneotherapy. Balneotherapy is using the therapy of mineralized water in the treatment of disease by bathing, especially in mineral springs. (The use of the minerals in hot springs for therapeutic bathing). Balneotherapy (spa therapy) is the act of bathing in thermal or mineral waters at temperatures of about 34° C (98.6° F). The hydrostatic force of the water is thought to bring about pain relief, which may result from taking stress off the affected joint, relaxation, or other factors. It is most commonly recommended for patients with psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis. Balneotherapy uses mineral salts or water. Simply open the tap or get into a bath of mineral salts — water energy will draw the minerals in.
Bathing lifts the spirits and relaxes the body. You can use a blend of salts, herbs, and/or oils such as Hinoki Wood, Rosemary verbenone, Atlas cedar, or chlorophyll. Minerals from the earth help clean the body and help to heal the agitated mind.

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There’s no place like a bath to stretch your soul and listen to your own inner voice. -Seneca

Bathing in Thermal Waters. increases body metabolism, including stimulating the secretions of the intestinal tract and the liver, aiding digestion. It is my feeling that a repeated series of baths, five, using hot springs or mineral or Moor bathing (especially over a 3- to 4-week period) can help normalize the functions of the endocrine glands as well as the functioning of the body’s autonomic nervous system. Trace amounts of minerals such as carbon dioxide, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, and lithium are absorbed by the body and provide healing effects to various body organs and systems. These healing effects can include stimulating the immune system, leading to enhanced immunity; physical and mental relaxation; the production of endorphins; and normalized gland function. Mineral springs contain high amounts of negative ions, which can help promote feelings of physical and psychological well-being.

The direct application of mineralized thermal waters (especially those containing sulfur) can have a therapeutic effect on diseases of the skin, including psoriasis, dermatitis, and fungal infections. Some mineral waters are also used to help the healing of wounds and other skin injuries.

•Relaxing Bath. Use a bath as full immersion therapy. Hot water to the neck provides an ultra-warm environment for the body that helps to boost blood flow and, in turn, promotes a more complete relaxation for the body.

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•Forget Your Troubles Bath. I believe that there is no ritual more important to well-being than a warm bath at the end of the day or at least three times per week. Hinoki and Cedar, both the branches (herb) and their essential oil, are relaxing, and Sage herb and Lemon peel and their essential oils are purifying and healing while the chlorophyll in the plants is cleansing. Bathing is thus transformed into a walk with nature. Slip yourself into this floating, watery, citrus-woody scented, mineral-rich bath and forget your troubles.

picture of lemons, hinoki leaf, and sage for a bath

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Indications for Balneotherapy are chronic diseases such as rheumatic diseases; metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and gout; chronic gastrointestinal or respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD; circulatory diseases, especially moderate or mild hypertension; chronic skin diseases; psychosomatic and stress-related diseases; hearing disorders such as those affecting balance; chronic gynecological diseases; and other ailments.

•A Bath Formula. Use up to 4 oz of herbs per bath, enclose in cloth or a rice ball, anything that you have will do, and then add 5-10 drops of a blend of essential oils. Equal amounts of the essential oils of Hinoki wood (Chamaecyparis obtusa), Owyhee (Artemisia ludoviciana) or Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis CT verbenone), Sage (Salvia officinalis), and Lemon (Citrus limon) can be mixed and 10 or so drops added per bath.

“This ritual-based body treatment (of baths) is founded on the principle that stimulating blood flow through the body helps to release the flow of vital energy in the body. Combined with the benefits of warm water, these minerals are known to ease muscles, soften the skin and renew the body. By blending these exceptional ingredients and pure scents, healing occurs deep in the skin, and the mind is similarly relaxed and inspired. Roots, herbs, and flowers hold life and health for the human body. The Hinoki scent for bathing is inspired by the sensual art of caring for the body as it was developed and created in Japan. Always use one hundred percent botanically based pure essential oil and pure salts derived from clear springs.” —Kneipp Keep your products free of drying agents, dyes, synthetics, preservatives, and synthetic colors.

•Directions for Salt Bath. Empty up to 1 lb. of mixed salts, and you can add 5-10 drops of essential oil mixture, plus Sea-Lettuce (a seaweed) to a very warm bath. Water becomes naturally green because of the chlorophyll of the seaweed and is buoyant with rich minerals from the salts. Step in. Steep yourself for 22 minutes. Step out and into a big warm towel.

•More Bath Formulas. A simple aromatic bath is the infused herbs of any fresh ones that you have available with 5-10 drops of complementary essential oils. i.e., 4 oz. Citrus peels infusion plus citrus and Patchouli oil [1 drop each Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, and Neroli + 4 drops Patchouli]. When using citrus oils, it is best to add them first to the herbs and mix carefully and then put the combination into a bag which is then put into the tub. Get into the tub before the herbs because citrus oils can burn and irritate the genitals and delicate skin if they get concentrated and if just poured into the tub without being mixed first. (essential oils float on water)

______•Hydrosol-Essential Oil Bath. For example, for hypertension, shower and clean first, then fill the tub and use body temperature water; add 1 cup of Rose Geranium or Rosemary hydrosol; if you wish, you can also add the appropriate essential oils, soak for 20 minutes, wrap in a large towel, drink a cup of your Hypertension Tea Blend, and go to bed. Melissa is the most useful but difficult to obtain, but Lavender or Rose Geranium hydrosols can also be used. Don’t have hydrosols? Call Prima Fleur Botanicals for their list. It is easy to use the herbal infusions of the herbs mentioned above.

Essential oils, roses, for a stress relieving bath

Fig. 6-Stress Bath

Fangotherapy .(fango = mud from Italy thermal springs) or Pelotherapy is volcanic ash or mud used with thermal springs in curative treatment at SPAs. In California, there is only one hot springs that uses the true Fangotherapy — Indian Springs in Calistoga, CA, and they also have the best outdoor pool. It can also mean any clay or mud used in therapy.

•Hot Springs. The water from a hot spring gradually increases the temperature of the body, which helps to kill harmful germs and viruses. Bathing in mineral springs increases the static water pressure on the body, which increases blood circulation and oxygenation of the cell, and the minerals in the water get soaked up by the skin. This increases blood flow and also helps to dissolve and eliminate ‘toxins’ from the body. Mineral and Hot Springs bathing increases the flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, improving hydration and nourishment to vital organs and tissues.

If you visit California, try the bubbling naturally carbonated waters in the lovely and charming tubs at Vichy Hot Springs in Ukiah, CA.

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A Jeanne Rose BATHING TOMATO TALE

I have been fortunate and bathed in many different hot springs in the western part of the United States including Lithia Springs in Steamboat Springs, CO (lithium); Esalen Hot Springs in Big Sur, CA (sulfur); Ojo Caliente in New Mexico (arsenic); the naturally carbonated hot springs at Vichy Springs, Ukiah, CA (bubbles like champagne surround your body); as well as the thermal baths at the Arlington Resort Hotel in Hot Springs, AR; the mineral baths (sulfur) at the fabulous Green Brier Resort in West Virginia; the waters at Rancho La Puerta in Mexico; Hot Springs (radium) in Banff, Canada; and many wild and willful hot springs that pop out of the ground and in streams in Nevada, southern Idaho, and Oregon. Many of these were followed by the application of herbs in the form of wraps, compresses, rinses, and poultices to increase the water’s curative effects.

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See The Herbal Body Book for many formulas and enroll in our Aromatherapy Course-Home & Family.

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Fig.7. Photo of Parker Ranch pond with hot springs by Michael S. Moore… mikesmooreptgs.com

•Hydrotherapy.is the treatment of disorders by the application of water, especially externally by immersion or use of water in any way as a treatment. Water used in therapy, especially as a compress, packs, masks, wraps, hot water, cold water, sprays, immersion, cold water, hot water, etc.

•Hydrosol therapy.is the use of herbal and floral hydrosols with any other hydrotherapy to affect change in the body. A hydrosol is a non-alcoholic water solution obtained from plant distillation. It is the solution in which the distillate obtained is a liquid that contains the micro-drops of essential oils and the infused properties of the plants that were distilled. PrimaFleur.com has hydrosols.

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A JEANNE ROSE HYDROSOL TOMATO TALE

•Hydrosol Bath from 2016. “Today in April, I took a hydrosol bath. I used Choisya hydrosol and Rose Geranium hydrosol. These I had personally distilled. The Choisya contains components that are considered absorbable, pain-relieving, and antiaging such as phellandrene, and the Rose Geranium is a beautifying skin tonic. I added about 1 cup of each of the hydrosols. I also added about 2 cups of Rosemary infusion from my large garden Rosemary plant. Rosemary is also anti-aging and rejuvenating. The hydrosol is added to the bath — Rosemary can be absorbed into the skin, and so when the Rosemary infusion is added to the bath, it adds its unique anti-aging qualities, is slightly stimulating, and is very comforting. Use about a 1-cup/bath Rosemary infusion or hydrosol as a fine tonic addition. I added very warm water and sat and soaked for 22 minutes before I washed with a bar of natural soap and then rinsed with clear water.” It was a wonderful and refreshing cleansing bath. You should all try it.

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•Pelotherapy. (pelo from the Greek word for clay or mud) is the therapeutic application of mud to the body. It is used in conjunction with other forms of therapy, especially hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, or thalassotherapy.

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•Shower, Sprays, or Herbal Hand-Foot Bath Therapy is part of the hand-and-body baths that were once written about by the French doctor Maurice Mességué, a French herbalist who began practicing in earnest in 1947, a time in North America when there were virtually no herbalists but many hot springs available. Mességué primarily used hand and foot baths to administer herbs as compress, poultice, and soaks, and was a champion of carefully harvested and prepared herbal formulas from his locally-grown herbs, and that he also used as medicines. If you do not have a tub, any part of the body can benefit from sprays or washes and soaks with herbal and aromatic waters.

Shower or Spray therapy and baths can be more effective if used with consideration of what you want to accomplish, and they can boost the immune system if you follow with a 3-minute cold shower.

First, take a shower with soap to clean. Then take a few drops of your favorite blend of essential oils and massage into the skin – from head to toe. Now, take a shower for refreshment, run in bursts of hot and cold for circulation, or from soft to ‘hard rain’ to stimulate or use the hand-held spray attachment at various settings, including ‘waterfall’ or ‘rainfall’ settings. Be conscious of the effect you wish. Use a rinse of any herbal infusion and then step out and wrap in a big warm towel and have a cup of tea.

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______•Seaweed baths (part of an herbal bath) are the best, remember the seaweeds swell up and become thick and plump with the algin that soothes and heals your skin. Just don’t let the seaweed slip down the drain. Always ‘capture’ the Seaweed that is in the tub in a net bag or sieve before you remove the plug from the tub drain. You can hang the seaweed outside to dry so that you can use it another day.

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•Seaweed-Rosemary Herb Bath

Rosemary, Seaweed, and Comfrey leaf for a bath.

Fig. 9. A very good Comfrey, Rosemary, Seaweed Bath

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•Thalassotherapy is the use of seawater or seaweeds as a therapeutic treatment. Thalasso comes from the ancient Greek meaning ‘ocean’. Thalassotherapy uses the nutrients in seawater and Seaweed. The different nutrients found in the sea plants help to nourish and cleanse the body. The theory is that seawater has practically the same chemical makeup as human plasma, so the body easily absorbs the water that is rich with nutrients from sea plants or plant matter. I personally adore bathing in warm seawater with fat strands of Seaweed wrapping around my body, nourishing the skin, and keeping me ‘at one with the mother ocean’.

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Wash your beard. Okay men this is important. …Swiss researchers tested the facial hair of men and dog fur from various breeds. A new study finds men with beards carry more germs than the fur on dogs. “Study author Professor Andreas Gutzeit told the BBC that the researchers found a significantly higher bacterial load in the men’s beards compared with the dogs’ fur. Some of the men tested positive for microbes that actually posed a threat to human health. Experts say men should shampoo their beards regularly.” — (Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Gutzeit)

Fig. 8. 1995 – My black & white husky – Wolfie. She only had 4 baths in her 15 years.

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RECIPES AND FORMULAS are also available in The SKIN/Spa Booklet produced for Jeanne’s SPA class called Salud Per Aqua or Health Through Water by Jeanne Rose. SPA Booklet (Salve per Aqua) and A Seminar by Jeanne Rose is a collection of Jeanne’s personal SPA information and formulas.

•The Toilet of Flora – An Aromatic Bath

A page from "The Toilet of Flora", an antiquarian book of cosmetic recipes

A page from my personal copy, Fig. 10

• OTHER PLANT MATERIALS that are considered herbs in the herbal bath context ~ Oatmeal, bran, Wheat Germ, honey, egg yolk, Papaya, Mango, Avocado peels and pits, Corn meal, silk powder.

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•COLLOIDAL OATMEAL BATH

Oatmeal, a blender, and ground oats for a bath

Colloidal Oatmeal Bath – Fig. 11

You need Oatmeal in a finely ground form for the bath. You can buy that in boxes in the store or you can make it. Once you grind the Oat grain or flake you have an emollient and thus soothing product for the skin — it is called colloidal oatmeal. I have always added an infusion of Comfrey root and a hydrosol or sometimes a few drops of soothing essential oils of some sort, such as Lavender or Helichrysum. But it is the colloidal oatmeal that is most important. You can purchase or you can make your own for your bath – a bit messy but well worth the effort.

MAKE YOUR OWN OATMEAL BATH (this is for soaking not with soap and water)

You have the option to buy the commercially prepared product at around $11 for eight single-use packets, or you can make your own at home for around $1.

Here’s how: You’ll need a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder and 1 cup of oatmeal. You can use instant oatmeal (unflavored), quick oats, stone-ground oats or slow-cooking oats- all work equally as well. Blend or process the oats on the highest setting until you have a very fine, consistent powder. To test the colloidal property of the oats, stir 1 tablespoon of oats into a glass of warm water. If the oats readily absorb the water and give it a milky look and a silky feel, you’ve blended long enough.

Giving the bath: Sprinkle the oats into a tub of running water and stir the water with your hand several times to ensure even distribution. Feel along the bottom of the tub for clumps and break up any you find. Take care getting into the tub as the Oats will make the tub even more slippery than usual. Soak in the tub for 20-25 minutes and pat dry with a soft towel rather than rubbing. You can use this bath once or twice a day or more if you need it and it is excellent for children.

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Common uses for Oatmeal Baths …
•Anal itching (often from pinworms)
•Chicken pox
•Diaper rash
•Dry skin
•Eczema
•Insect bites
•Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
•Shingles
•Sunburn
•Windburn

•ESSENTIAL OILS & HYDROSOLS ~ The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations is the book to read. Chapter 1, Tables 1 and 2, will tell you which oils to use for which condition. Try the same essential oils as the herbs that you have chosen. Add a drop of Chamomile, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rosemary, or Ylang-Ylang after the bath and as a rubdown. Use hydrosols of Lavender, Geranium, Melissa, and Rosemary in your bath for skin health and well-being.

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This work is supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

11 bottles of essential oils from Prima Fleur Botanicals

Fig. 12. So many beautiful essential oils to choose from http://www.PrimaFleur.com

A BATH LIMERICK
Baths relax and cool the emotions
They remind you of the deep blue ocean
Showers are nice
And remove all the lice
But baths clean the soul of commotion…. JeanneRose 2012

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An illustration from Le Roman de la Momie, illustrated by George Barbier of women in a public bath

Fig. 13. Le Roman de la Momie, illustrated by George Barbier

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Would you like to learn how to make your own products and to treat your skin like a royal? Have you ever wondered why some women have such wonderful complexions? The Herbal Body Book and The SPA/Skin Care Booklet have everything you need to know about skin, salt, water, hydrosols, essential oils, herbs for the skin and body and to make your own products. Herbs and essential oils have a profound ability to penetrate the skin and can have a very rejuvenating affect. Read the book and try some of the 400 recipes. There is also the articles section at http://www.jeannerose.net/ and this blog with other posts.

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•Soap for all your healing needs. There are so many lovely handmade bars of soap that are now available at your local retailer or can be made. I once wrote a small book on 200 different soaps that I had tried. My favorites always ended up being the simplest and less complicated.

Fig. 13. A bar of simple natural soap

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You can make your own plain simple soap in a pot and grow the herbs you need in your yard for your bath, or you can purchase them from your Herb Store or nearby Farmer’s Market. Read The Herbal Body Book by Jeanne Rose for more bath and soap ideas.

•Herbal bath for aching muscles•

The objective and purpose are to prepare a mix used in a bath for aching muscles of the back.

Formula:
•Add ½-cup clary sage tops, ½-cup strawberry leaves, ½-cup pennyroyal tops, ¼-cup fine-chopped comfrey root, ¼-cup chamomile and ¼-cup fine-chopped white willow bark. Mix this all up and store in a light-proof container.

•Bring to a boil 1-cup of the mix mentioned with 2 quarts of water. Simmer, without boiling, for 15 min.

•Pour the liquid part of the mix through a sieve or strainer into a hot bath.

•Take the solid part and put it into a washcloth or cloth bag that will be used to wash your back.

•Now stay at least 20-25 min in the bath and enjoy.

Results: A warm-to-hot bath is always very relaxing and good for the muscles. But with that mix, and mainly (in my opinion) with the comfrey root, it adds a huge benefit to the hot bath. When I took it, I quickly felt a relaxing and soothing effect on my back muscles. I really appreciated that moment and will do it again for sure.

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DYING FOR A BATH

A mineral spring, rice ball with herbs and Seneca in a bath for dying.

INTERESTING INFORMATION about the Bath ~ In 65 CE, Nero wrongfully accused the aging Seneca, his childhood tutor, longtime political advisor, and minister, of complicity in the Pisonian plot to murder him. Nero ordered Seneca to commit suicide as punishment for his alleged crime. The death of Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 1 BC–AD 65), an ancient Roman stoic philosopher and statesman who cut his wrists and then entered a bathtub to quicken his death after Emperor Nero ordered him to commit suicide. Stoicism was concerned with the acceptance of one’s own mortality, and, indeed, the philosopher shown here appears unaffected by his impending death.

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Sources:

•PrimaFleur.com is known for premium quality products, essential oils and hydrosols, carrier oils, and specialty ingredients.

•Seaweed is available from Mermaid Botanicals, now that the glorious seaweed man, Ryan Drum, has retired.

• The SKIN/SPA booklet produced for Jeanne’s SPA class is subtitled Salud Per Aqua or Health Through Water. SPA Booklet (Salve per Aqua) was written for a seminar by Jeanne Rose and is a collection of Jeanne’s personal SPA information and formulas.

Bibliography:

Kniepp.com . Product materials.

Rose, Jeanne. The Herbal Body Book. Still available from http://www.jeannerose.net/books.html

Rose, Jeanne. The SKIN/Spa Booklet. Available from Jeanne Rose’s website.
The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary

The Toilet of Flora. J. Murray, London. 1779 was reprinted in 1939 from Mrs. Rosetta E. Clarkson’s original edition.

CEDARwood

June 26, 2023June 26, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 1 Comment

CEDARwood, A Profile of True Cedar
By Jeanne Rose

Image of a Cedar tree with a bottle of its essential oil in front.

Atlas Cedar, Cedrus atlantica, and Deodar Cedar, C. deodara are profiled.

COMMON NAME/LATIN BINOMIAL OF TRUE CEDAR ~ The Cedar tree is so lovely, and it is often confused with every other tree there is. And other trees that are totally unrelated are called ‘cedar’ by older, ignorant, common usage. There are Pine trees, Cypress trees, Thuja trees, Juniper trees, and Calocedrus trees, all called Cedar, but only the Cedrus genus is the true Cedar tree.

Cedrus libani var. atlantica Manetti (fam. Pinaceae) is a true Cedar, the original one from Morocco. Here we are only discussing the genus Cedrus. There are two main species: Cedrus atlantica, the Atlas Cedar, and C. deodara, the Himalayan cedar. That is it.

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THE WORDS HAVE MEANING

•Atlas Cedar (wood) Cedrus libani ssp atlantica. Cedrus is Latin for evergreen conifers + libani, meaning Mt. Lebanon, the name of the mountain, and atlantica meaning a large ocean, while the common name of Atlas Cedar means coming from the Atlas mountains. Botanical names always mean something. A majority of the modern sources treat Cedrus atlantica as a distinct species but some sources consider it a subspecies of the Lebanon Cedar (C. libani subsp. atlantica).

See Chapter Two of my book, “375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols,” for the meaning of the other aromatic-therapy plant names.

Cedar-wood (the dash shows that you know they are not cedars) and is of the Conifer family, Cupressaceae. These are of different genera, in this case, Juniperus and Thuja. The trees have scales and not needles. While true Cedars have needles (Pinaceae) and not scales.

Juniperus virginiana is indigenous to Virginia and is not an old-world tree. It is called red cedar-wood, and the oil of the bark is both organoleptically and chemically different from true Cedar. It contains cedrol and cedrene. It is used as a slight moth-repellent wood for closets and boxes. Juniperus virginiana is called Cedar via the ignorance of people coming from the Olde Worlde to the Newe and thinking it looked like what they knew from the past. It should be spelled cedar-wood to separate it from the true Cedar of Cedrus. It is indigenous to Virginia and is not an Olde-Worlde tree. It is called red cedar-wood, and the oil of the bark organoleptic and chemical composition is different. It contains cedrol and cedrene. It is used as a slight moth-repellent wood for closets and boxes.

Other trees called Cedar that are not – African-Cedar – Juniperus procera, American /red/Pencil-Cedar – Juniperus virginiana Aka Eastern Red-Cedar, Southern Red-Cedar – Juniperus silicola.

>See Chart at end of Article<

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FAMILY ~ Atlas Cedar and Himalayan Cedar belong to the Pine family (Pinaceae), Cedrus genus. They have needles and not scales. The essential oils of the bark are almost identical in organoleptic and chemical composition. They contain the alcohol ‘atlantone.’ This is a wonderful oil to use in aromatherapy.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS ~ Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar, Himalayan Cedar, or Deodar; Urdu: deodār; Hindi, Sanskrit: devadāru;) is a species of true Cedar native to the western Himalayas in eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, north-central India, southwesternmost Tibet, and western Nepal, occurring at 1500–3200 m. altitude. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree reaching 40–50 m tall, exceptionally 60 m, with a trunk up to 3 m. diameter. It has a conic crown with level branches and drooping branchlets.

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Our beautiful Cedrus atlantica in Golden Gate Park. So majestic.

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Cedar trees – GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ Fully grown, the Atlas cedar is a coniferous, evergreen tree with wide branches tapering to a height of 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 4.9 to 6.6 ft. The branches are covered with long needles, having barrel-shaped cones standing upright on the branches. Some of the Cedars in Lebanon, however, are said to be one hundred feet high and over 2,000 years old.

There are several examples of the tree in the front center area of the San Francisco Botanical Garden. I have also seen these lovely trees as an entrance allée to the government buildings of Sacramento, all over Golden Gate Park, and near the entrance to the University of Arizona in Tucson.

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ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ Cedrus atlantica is grown in many countries; the Lebanese cedar is an endangered species due to over-exploitation and the destruction of its natural habitat, Cedrus libani is vulnerable, and in some areas of its heritage growth, it is endangered.

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PORTION OF PLANT USED FOR EXTRACTION, EXTRACTION METHODS; DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, AND YIELDS ~ The wood, chips, and sawdust are steam distilled. Yield: 3-5%.

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SOURCE

This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

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bottle of Prima Fleur Cedarwood oil,Cedrus atlantica

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ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of Cedar Oil

Color: Deep golden yellow

Clarity: Clear

Viscosity: Non-viscous

Taste: Tastes bitter, camphoraceous, smooth, slightly astringent

(reminds me of a deep fragrant cave).

Intensity of Odor: 4

Tenacity of Odor: 6

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ~ It contains cadinene, atlantone, cedrol, and alpha and beta Cedrene, and Caryophyllene.

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ODOR DESCRIPTION/ AROMA ASSESSMENT of Cedar Oil ~ The oil from the wood has a clean deep gold color with a rich, fruity, floral, wood odor that contains up to 80% Sesquiterpenes and Sesquiterpenols.

(see Scent snapshot at the end, comparing Atlas Cedar and Virginia Cedar-wood).

GENERAL PROPERTIES of Cedar oil and plant

We are only discussing Cedrus spp.

The EO has antiseptic properties that are especially useful in the respiratory and urinary tract, for inflammation of the urethra or bladder, and to treat bronchitis. A drop of the EO in half a cup of water is an excellent gargle for a sore throat. Add it with a few drops of Eucalyptus EO in a bowl of steaming water to reduce nasal or lung congestion. It can also be used like a homemade “Vicks-Vapo-Rub.” It can be taken internally as a lymphatic tonic and may help reduce water retention. External application of the EO can be used for the scalp, especially for alopecia, and skin diseases. Add the EO to shampoos or facial washes to reduce oily secretions and combine with Galbanum to support wound healing.

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•Physical Uses & How used – Application and in massage; It is used for arteriosclerosis, the retention of fluid in the tissue (edema), cellulite reduction, and in skin care for reducing oily secretions. It is also used for cleansing, as a general tonic, acne, rheumatism, cystitis, and scalp disorder.

Cedarwood is used by application and inhalation for chest infections and asthma.

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A formula by Jeanne Rose for the skin and scalp. Mix together 20 drops each of Thyme borneol, Rosemary cineol, and 40 drops of Atlas Cedar essential oils. Add 80 drops of Jojoba oil. Agitate, and succuss. Use 3-4 drops on your hairbrush and brush your hair from scalp to ends every day. This will encourage hair growth and discourage alopecia.

∞

There was a young man from Natchez,
Whose head was balding in patches.
He used Atlas Cedar for sure,
And Rosemary that was pure
And now he no longer scratches.
•

This formula also smells very nice and can be used for facial care when there is acne or even using it to massage over the limbs.

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•Properties by Inhalation – Cedar is a tonic to the respiratory system. When applied in a massage blend it assists as an arterial regenerative, lymphatic tonic, antiseptic, fungicide, tonic, anti-seborrheic, and regenerative.

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•Ingestion – If a drop or two are taken in a teaspoon of honey, it aids in urinary tract infections.

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•Emotional Uses – Used by Inhalation for anxiety.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC USE ~ The mystery of aromatherapy —Get to know the elusive essence that is able to create such a variety of emotional and physical changes.

Cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent – The deodar tree is the national tree of Pakistan. Among Hindus, it is worshipped as a divine tree, particularly in Kashmir and Punjab villages, as the name deodar suggests. The first half of the word deva means the words divine, deity, Deus, and Zeus, and the second part connotes durum, druid, tree, and true.

Forests full of deodar trees were the popular resting places for sages and religious scholars as per ancient Indian mythology.³

For an excellent Focus Blend to be used in Yoga, a blend of Cedarwood/Spikenard/Patchouli.
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BLENDING & PERFUMERY with Atlas or Deodar Cedar – These Cedrus oils are a wonderful woody, floral, and fruity scent with deep intensity and are excellent in a base note blend for tenacity. They blend Best with citrus, wood, and florals.

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formula for a true Cedar perfume, called Green Harmony, from Jeanne Rose Aromatherapy.

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HYDROSOL ~ At this time, I have not been able to find and use the true Cedar as a hydrosol.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components; most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

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HERBAL USE ~ Construction material – Deodar is in great demand as a building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character, and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Its historical use to construct religious temples and as a landscape around temples is well recorded. Its rot-resistant character also makes it an ideal wood for constructing the famous houseboats of Srinagar, Kashmir. In India, during the British colonial period, deodar wood was used extensively for the construction of barracks, public buildings, bridges, canals, and railway cars.¹

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2 side by side photos of true Cedarwood, Cedrus atlantica with a false cedar-wood, Juniperus virginiana

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A FEARLESS JEANNEROSE TOMATO TALE ABOUT THE NAME OF CEDAR —

Fifty years ago, when I first started collecting historical books on plants (herbs and aromatics), I was put off by so many books with the names and history of plants just plain wrong. As a science major at college (1954-1959), I was educated by and the assistant of a botanist who was a stickler in the use of correct Latin binomials and the history of each plant. He said, “You don’t need to pronounce the name correctly, but you do need to spell it correctly”. The Latin names are the same all over the world.

One of the first books I obtained was a first-edition book, dated 1951, that stated the trees that were used to build the temple of Solomon in ancient Jerusalem was the American Cedarwood named Juniperus virginiana. Well, anyone with a lick of sense knows that the Temple of Solomon was built around 1000 B.C.E. (before the common era) in the Middle East and that the tree called Juniperus virginiana is a species of Juniper indigenous to and native to eastern North America and was not named or identified or found until the early 1600s. (Yes, the Native Americans of the area used this tree, but these are not the people of Solomon’s era.) I discarded that book immediately and cannot even remember its name. But I also saw this same misinformation that “Cedrus species is a North American tree…of the family Cupressaceae” in one of our modern books on aromatherapy, published in 1995 by two well-known teachers of aromatherapy.

In 1972, I also started collecting the true ancient rare historical books, including a copy of Gerard’s Herbal from 1632 and a copy of Plinie’s Herbal published in 1601. These, I used to give me a real background and a good grounding in the aromatic plants and herbs that were to eventually make up my life’s work.

I enjoy taxonomy now, although not so much back in 1957. Names are important, and you should know the names of the plants that you use, just like you should know the names of the friends that you love. You wouldn’t call every female you know ‘sis’ – would you? So, don’t go calling all the trees cedar, either.

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chart of the many trees called 'cedarwood'

KEY USE ~ Prepare the dead and Respiratory disorders.

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HISTORICAL USES ~ From the Sanskrit for “Timber of the gods”.²

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INTERESTING INFORMATION ~ In mummification and to repel vermin. “Repellant to insects. Used by the ancient Egyptians for mummification and by other ancient cultures for sarcophagi and palace and temple material. Sometimes called ‘satinwood.’ The Latin name means ‘Atlas Cedar’, the tree growing in the Atlas Mountains that span Morocco and Algeria. Different species of cedars are found all over the world. Native Americans use cedar as medicine and burn it for purification”^4.

The Cedar of Solomon, with the Egyptian heiroglyphics and a branch of the tree.

∞

Native American lore says that when the great mystery gave a gift to each species, the young trees were given a task to stay awake for 7 days and watch over the forest; the trees fell asleep species by species leaving only the young conifers that were so excited that they could not fall asleep. By the 7th night the only trees left awake were the Fir, Pine, Spruce, Cedar, Holly, and Laurel. The great mystery was very happy, “What wonderful endurance you have,” and gave them the gift of forever remaining green – thus the Evergreens. They were proclaimed the guardians of the forest and given exceptional healing qualities. (from the Herbal Studies Course)

•§•

ABSTRACT/SCIENTIFIC DATA ~ Arch Dermatol. 1998 Nov;134(11):1349-52. by Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD.

Department of Dermatology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Scotland. ad.ormerod@abdn.ac.uk

RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF AROMATHERAPY. SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT FOR ALOPECIA AREATA.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of aromatherapy in the treatment of patients with alopecia areata.

DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of 7 months duration, with follow-up at 3 and 7 months.

SETTING: Dermatology outpatient department.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-six patients diagnosed as having alopecia areata.

INTERVENTION: Eighty-six patients were randomized into 2 groups. The active group massaged essential oils (thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood) in a mixture of carrier oils (jojoba and grapeseed) into their scalp daily. The control group used only carrier oils for their massage, also daily.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment success was evaluated on sequential photographs by 2 dermatologists (I.C.H. and A.D.O.) independently. Similarly, the degree of improvement was measured by 2 methods: a 6-point scale and computerized analysis of traced areas of alopecia.

RESULTS: Nineteen (44%) of 43 patients in the active group showed improvement compared with 6 (15%) of 41 patients in the control group (P = .008). An alopecia scale was applied by blinded observers on sequential photographs and was shown to be reproducible with good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.84). The degree of improvement on photographic assessment was significant (P = .05). Demographic analysis showed that the 2 groups were well matched for prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS: The results show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata. Treatment with these essential oils was significantly more effective than treatment with the carrier oil alone (P = .008 for the primary outcome measure). We also successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy.

•§•

SCENT SNAPSHOTS

References
1.Wikipedia – Cedrus deodara
2.arbordayblog.org/treeoftheweek
3. https://whatsanswer.com/national-tree-of-pakistan/
4. essential aromatherapy, p.122

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Bibliography

Herbal Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose & Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1992
Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3^rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.
Mojay, Gabriel. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press,1999.
Ohloff, Gunther. Scent and Fragrances
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd., 1999
Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:
Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:
Rose, Jeanne. Certification II Booklet “Botany, Chemistry and More”
Rose, Jeanne. Herbal Studies Course. 1990

PALMAROSA grass-eo

June 12, 2023June 14, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 5 Comments

PALMAROSA ~ E. O./PLANT PROFILE

An ambitious discussion of the essential oil of the grass oil from Palmarosa,
Its herbal uses, growth, description, organoleptic qualities, and essential oil uses oil.

photo of Palmarosa oil in a field of Palmrosa grass

PALMAROSA ~ E. O./PLANT PROFILE ~

By Jeanne Rose ~ June 2023

ESSENTIAL OIL PROFILE ~ Palmarosa. PALMAROSA GRASS is a genus of the Gramineae (Poaceae) family of grasses. The genus Cymbopogon contains many species of grass that yield aromatic essential oils that use in scent, ‘herbal’ insecticides, medicine, and for flavoring foods. The species martini has also been separated into the areas in which it lives, its terroir, with the variety motia or mota, commonly called >Palmarosa or Geranium Grass< and harvested in the highlands of India or Nepal and the variety sofia or sofiya, commonly called >Gingergrass< harvested in the lowlands of India.

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LATIN BINOMIAL/BOTANICAL FAMILY ~ Cymbopogon martini var. motia syn. Andropogon martini ~ also Cymbopogon martinii of the Family Gramineae (Poaceae).

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Naming: Cymbopogon martini was named by W. Roxburgh after the shape and look of the plant, while the species was named after General Martin, who collected the seeds in the highlands of India as he described…a long grass…so strong an aromatic and pungent taste, that animal’s taste of it.” — from “375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols”.

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Essential Oil Plants of the Grass Family ~ Gramineae (Poaceae).
Chrysopogon zizanioides is commonly known as Vetiver, a bunch grass whose roots are used.
Cymbopogon nardus is Citronella grass.
Cymbopogon citratus West Indian Lemongrass;
Cymbopogon flexuosus is East Indian Lemongrass
Cymbopogon martini var. motia is Palmarosa grass, syn. Andropogon martini or Cymbopogon martinii.
Cymbopogon martinii var. sofia is Gingergrass
Cymbopogon nardus is Citronella grass.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN ~ Palmarosa is native to India, now grown elsewhere. “Palmarosa is wildly grown in wetlands in provinces of India, including Nepal. The Palmarosa oil is extracted from the stem of the grass by distillation of dried leaves. Once the stems and leaves have been distilled for two to three hours, to separate the oil from the Palmarosa, the leftover distilled grass is turned into organic matter and becomes manure or is composted.” —Wikipedia.

Palmarosa grass in the field

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT, HABITAT & GROWTH ~ Palmarosa is a wild-growing or farmed plant native to India but now grown elsewhere. It is a green and straw-colored grass with long stems ending in tufts and whose grassy leaves are very fragrant and produce small, yellow flowers.

GROWTH ~ Nepal and Palmarosa, Sri Lanka – They are organically grown.

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PORTION OF PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, EXTRACTION METHODS & YIELD ~ The essential oil is distilled from the leaves, stems, and flower heads, and the finest oils with the most effective components come from highland grown plants, var. motia. The plants yield up to 1.7% EO, with the main components being citronellal, citral, and geraniol up to 85% of the total. Steam distillation is of fresh or dried grass before flowering.

Yield: 1.0-1.5% and up to 1.7% EO per weight

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SUSTAINABILITY ~ you must examine each of the plants you use for their ability to reproduce before you choose to harvest or wildcraft them. Many plants are in dire straits because of human incursion into their environment. Best to learn to grow what you want to gather.

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of PALMAROSA GRASS OIL

Color:                          Colorless to pale gold to yellow
Clarity:                         Clear
Viscosity:                    Non-viscous, watery
Taste:                         Mild, smooth, bitter, slightly analgesic, hot,
Odor Intensity:           4-5
Odor Tenacity:             5
Solubility:                   Insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, and fixed oils

ODOR DESCRIPTION ~ is woody, herbaceous, citrus, and very occasionally fruity/floral. First, I want to say that Palmarosa highlands or Gingergrass lowlands do not smell like Rose or Rose Geranium or Ginger — not at all! I have sampled many types, and they are usually a green and citrus scent, not Rose at all.

The Prima Fleur Palmarosa from Nepal had a soft intensity of 4 and had a Green Predominant note, Herbal Subsidiary note, and Citrus, herbaceous, wood Back note with fruity, and spice missing.
Very pleasant odor.

photo of Palmarosa oil supplied by Prima Fleur Botanicals

This work is sponsored and supported
by Prima Fleur Botanicals

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ~ the main components are citronellal, citral and geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Linaloöl, Alpha-Humulene, and Beta-Caryophyllene.

“Essential oils distilled from the whole herb, leaf lamina, leaf sheath, and inflorescence of Palmarosa plants cultivated in south India were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Inflorescence (2.00%) and leaf lamina (1.40%) (flowers and leaf) produced significantly higher oil yield than whole herb (0.75%) and leaf sheath (0.33%). The Palmarosa stem did not produce oil. Seventeen constituents accounting for 95.6–97.1% of the oils were identified. (E)-β-Ocimene (1.2–4.3%), linalool (0.8–2.0%), geraniol (70.1–85.3%), geranyl acetate (4.3–14.8%) and (E, Z)-farnesol (1.6–3.4%) were the major components. Whole herb oil was richer in linalool, β-caryophyllene and (E, Z)-farnesol. Leaf lamina and leaf sheath oils were richer in geraniol. Inflorescence oil was richer in (E)-β-Ocimene and geranyl acetate. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report on the oil profiles of leaf lamina and leaf sheath of Palmarosa.” —JEOR

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HISTORY AND INTERESTING FACTS: Palmarosa has been used to adulterate Rose oil because the high geraniol content makes it smell ‘rose-like’ to some persons. In the past, it was called ‘Turkish geranium oil.’ “It is shaken with gum Arabic solution and left in the sun—a process which makes it lighter in color, thus more like distilled Rose oil” Essential Aromatherapy, p. 156. According to Arctander, “Palmarosa oil is the best natural source of geraniol of all essential oils.”

PALMAROSA PROPERTIES AND USAGE – EO

Fine perfumes, candles, and herbal pillows with the pleasing smell of rose are often, in fact, scented with Palmarosa. It is also used to flavor tobacco. “Palmarosa oil has been shown to be an effective insect repellent when applied to stored grain and beans, an anthelmintic against nematodes, and an antifungal and mosquito repellent.”—Greenfield Agro Forestry

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Application: When applied in creams, lotion, and products, Palmarosa can be cellular regenerative, particularly in herbal products with the herb Comfrey leaf; it is antiseptic; and with Rosemary verbenone, Frankincense, and Spikenard, it is antifungal; in products, it helps to increase the antibacterial, analgesic, anti-infectious effects.

Marguerite Maury (1961) and others, including current skincare product makers, know that this oil is regenerative, especially when used with Elemi and Galbanum. Palmarosa, (Cymbopogon martini var. motia), is a grass that releases a versatile essential oil, somewhat anti-infective. It soothes and regenerates the skin. It works exceptionally well for dry, lifeless, irritated, sensitive, or wrinkled skin.

(see formulas at the end of this article)

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Inhalation: In aromatherapy, the EO is used by inhalation as a tonic to the heart, antiviral, relaxing, and soothing to the nervous system. Doulas and birth coaches have used Palmarosa as a relaxant in birthing.

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Uses: You can use Palmarosa in all sorts of skincare products. It works well to reduce acne, scar tissue, relieve dry skin, and reduce the look of wrinkles in old skin. It aids in the regulation of oil production of the skin. With other oils (mentioned above), it relieves athlete’s foot fungus.

“Palmarosa oil is also known as an antifungal that fights against Aspergillus niger, commonly known as black mold, Chaetomium globosum, also known as moldy soil, and Penicillium funiculosum, which is a plant pathogen.” —Wikipedia.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ Because it is somewhat antiseptic and antifungal, Palmarosa EO works very well in a diffuser to clear a sickroom. Diffuse no more than 5 minutes out of 30 and less if the scent is still strong after 15 minutes or if the ill person is a child (under 14) or an elderly or very sick person.

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An old photo of Palmarosa oil being distilled in India.

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ENERGETICS-EMOTIONS USES ~ it is used as a nervous relaxant for stress-related problems. It is also used for physical exhaustion.

Used in ritual/energetic work to attract love—The Aromatherapy Book

One customer stated the following, “This Palmarosa, a relative of Lemongrass, creates a feeling of security. It is used to reduce stress and tension and promotes feelings of well-being. This oil reduces nervous tension. Excellent oil for home diffusion.”

A grower I knew said this grass is strong and has a gentle presence. Therefore, it really

strengthens a soul, and fortifies the body.
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INTERNAL USAGE IN HUMANS ~ Not tested in humans, it is suggested that the EO not be taken internally. However, in 2014 after some testing, Palmarosa herb/oil was considered safe for human consumption in low concentrations and in very small amounts; used occasionally, it can assist in removing pathogenic intestinal flora.

______I would suggest adding a small amount of the hydrosol to water to drink and not drinking the EO. If you have the opportunity, drink the tea. There are occasional recommendations that it can be used both as an inhalant and internally in anorexia.

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BLENDING and Perfumery ~ Samples of this Palmarosa oil can have a rich intensity or a very low intensity, although the tenacity in a blend is quite pronounced. It works well with herbal scents like Geranium, Lavender, and Rosemary, resinous oils such as Frankincense, citrus oils like Bergamot and Grapefruit, and rooty oils such as Spikenard and Vetivert.

photo of one bunch of Palmarosa grass in flower in Nepal.

A plant from Nepal

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HYDROSOL ~ This grass is beautiful and aromatic. Adding Palmarosa hydrosol to food and for healing skin is a gentle way to add a rosy note to dessert or cosmetics. It can be a very potent healer. It does “open doors” for people who are new to hydrosols. Palmarosa blends well with other hydrosols, and it’s excellent for a deodorant or body perfume. We have read it is suitable for the gut biome and has antiseptic qualities.
There is a sweet freshening effect of Palmarosa hydrosol; it is slightly astringent and used as a facial toner, hair tonic, and mood lifter. This hydrosol can refresh your mood, your linen bedclothes, or the inside of your car. Ms. C. Durney personally takes a pint and pours it on her forehead to soak all the hair follicles, as this may thicken hair and tighten the pores and provide a delicate deodorizing effect to the entire system. I would use it with Rosemary infusion or hydrosol for the hair.

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KEY USAGE ~ “Oil of Antifungal” as stated in the Jeanne Rose “Aromatherapy Course-Home & Family” course.

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Toxicity: If added directly to water, the EO is moderately toxic-to-toxic to fish, fungi, and mollusks. In other words, do not pour it down the drain – dispose safely.

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: When used externally in moderation, it is non-toxic and non-irritating. Moderation in use is recommended. Do not diffuse oVetiveror children.

§

Science Abstracts ~ Abstract from Food and Chemical Toxicology Volume 68, June 2014, Pages 71–77. . —, Evaluation of toxicity of essential oils Palmarosa, Vetiverlla, lemongrass and vetiver in human lymphocytes “The present investigation was undertaken to study the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of the essential oils (Palmarosa, citronella, lemongrass, and vetiver) and monoterpenoids (citral and geraniol) in human lymphocytes. Trypan blue dye exclusion and MTT test was used to evaluate cytotoxicity. The genotoxicity studies were carried out by comet and DNA diffusion assays. Apoptosis was confirmed by Annexin/PI double staining. In addition, the generation of reactive oxygen species was evaluated by DCFH-DA staining using flow cytometry. The results demonstrated that the four essential oils and citral induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity at higher concentrations. The essential oils were found to induce oxidative stress, evidenced by the generation of reactive oxygen species. Except for geraniol, induction of apoptosis was confirmed at higher concentrations of the test substances. Based on the results, the four essential oils are considered safe for human consumption at low concentrations.”

Palmarosa grass being placed in the still in Nepal.

Palmarosa grass – Filling the still in Nepal

Bibliography ~

Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils. Krieger.

Journal of Essential Oil Research, Vol. 21, Issue 6, 2009. Essential oil Profiles of Different Parts of Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Wats. var. motia Burk.)

Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book. 3^rd edition 2008, reprinted with corrections 2014.

Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols.

Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations.

Sonali Sinha, Manivannan Jothiramajayam, Manosij Ghosh, Anita Mukherjee Food and Chemical Toxicology Volume 68, June 2014, Pages 71–77 —, Evaluation of toxicity of essential oils Palmarosa, citronella, —————-lemongrass and vetiver in human lymphocytes

www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?12809

www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20123185915.html www.pesticideinfo.org

www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20123185915.html

www.pesticideinfo.org

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that is a matter between you and your healthcare provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

FORMULAS WITH PALMAROSA OIL

HERBAL PALMAROSA TEA RINSE HAIR to GROW LONG HAIR
Ingredients:
Palmarosa grass, cut into lengths
Rosemary herb cut and sifted
Basil leaves, cut and sifted

Directions: Mix the herbs together, using any amounts you wish. Store the greater part of the product in an airtight container. When needed, shampoo hair, rinse, and follow with this hair rinse using ½ oz. Herbs simmered for a few minutes in 2 cups of water. Strain. When cool enough, rinse through the hair repeatedly, catching the run-off and reusing.

Dosage: How much and, when, how often
How much to take or do: ½ oz. by wt. of herbs per 2 cups by vol. water
How much to take or do: ½ oz. by wt. of herbs per 2 cups by vol. water
When to take or do: Use after each shampoo
How often to take or do: At least once per week
How long to take: Use at least for a month. Then try another formula and return to this one every other month for 6 months.

••••

EO HAIR GROWTH OIL ~ this is anti-fungal, pro-growth, anti-aging, and healthy for the scalp and hair.
Ingredients:
Palmarosa oil 25% or Gingergrass 25%
Rosemary oil 25% (verbenone type)
Jojoba oil 50%

Directions: Mix thoroughly. Shake; use only 1-2 drops per application. Apply to brush and brush hair or apply by fingertips to the scalp and massage into the scalp at least twice/day.
Label: Put into 1-ounce bottle and label fully with the name of the product, ingredients, how to use, and your contact information.

••••

Antifungal Treatment – Frankincense, Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini var. motia), Rosemary verbenone, and Spikenard essential oils are used in equal amounts and at 10% of the total product. For instance, use 4 drops of each essential oil and add to 100 drops of a carrier, whether lotion or oil (40/20 Calophyllum/Sea Buckthorn + 40 Calendula Infused oil or Bruise Juice. Apply several times per day and before bed. Both Frankincense and the Rosemary chemotype verbenone contain verbenone, an unusual ketone that is antifungal, and Palmarosa is considered antifungal as well.

•

CUTICLE NAIL TREATMENT – Equal quantities of each of several of these carrier oils, especially Jojoba, Calendula, Gotu Kola, Calophyllum, and Sea Buckthorn, to equal 1 ounce of carrier oil.

Add to this
5 drops Blue Cypress
5 drops Helichrysum
10 drops Neroli
15 drops Palmarosa
10 drops Pelargonium Rose
This is a therapeutic 10% mixture of essential oils to carrier oil.

Dip your fingernails into the mixture, soak for a few minutes, then carefully rub the excess into the nail bed. Repeat daily for a week. Then weekly.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

photo of four different bottles of Cymbopogon; 3 of Palmarosa and 1 of Gingergrass

Cymbopogon martini var. motia (highland) and var. sofia (lowland)

•§•

Palmarosa oil limerick
I love rosy, grassy Palmarosa
It goes in Bruise Juice for the toes-a
As an antiviral
It isn’t chiral
But it pleases me from toes to nose-a…JeanneRose

~ JR ~

Elemi Resin

May 30, 2023October 26, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 1 Comment

Elemi Resin & Essential Oil Profile & Uses

Jeanne Rose

Synopsis: Elemi, native to the Philippines, the bark resin is extracted and steam distilled;
the E.O. is clear and pale yellow with a citrus scent,
is therapeutic and used in perfumery as a bridge note or fixative
and in skin care (with Galbanum) to rejuvenate and soothe the complexion.
The resin has a history of medicinal uses.

Elemi E.O. and resin

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LATIN BINOMIAL/BOTANICAL NAME ~ Elemi (Canarium luzonicum) (Blume) A.Gray and from Family Burseraceae. The tree bark produces a resin generally grouped as a balsam; it is more viscous than an oleoresin, very gooey, soft, malleable, and fragrant. When fresh, it is like crystalized honey and will later harden.

FAMILY – Burseraceae family is the same family that produces Frankincense and Myrrh. The family Burseraceae comprises about 16-20 genera of shrubs and trees.

•

NAMING ~ Elemi is known as “Pili” in the Philippines. Elemi is a common name for resinous items used as varnishes, printing inks, and ointments. The word itself in Arabic, a translation of Elemi, is similar to the saying “as above, so below”.•

History: “It was Magellan’s discovery of the Philippines in 1521 that led to Manila elemi – known for its medicinal properties and fragrance – being introduced to Europe and the Middle East. The product’s name dates from this period, from the Arabic El-lemi. Its use in “Chinese incense” for religious ceremonies was already being mentioned in China in the 7th century. Further, it was used as a fumigant to perfume homes. Small bags of Elemi were also worn around the neck in that era. Starting in the 18th century, the West began regularly using Elemi for its therapeutic properties, and it is mentioned in many texts, including as “the inventory of simple drugs that must always be kept on hand in the King’s hospital pharmacies.” ²

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN of Elemi ~ Native to the Philippines. Manila Elemi is a resin (from the bark) grouped in the balsam category and is more viscous than an oleoresin; it is semisolid and quite fragrant. The Philippine Elemi resin (Canarium luzonicum) is also one of the best-known and the source of the world’s largest supply.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT, HABITAT & GROWTH ~ Elemi trees grow in lowland rainforests and primary forests at low and medium elevations. It is an evergreen tree about 30 meters in height, pollinated by insects, and not self-fertile. The resin comes from both cultivated and wild trees.

Elemi Resin

PORTION OF PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, EXTRACTION METHODS & YIELD ~ The tree bark of Canarium produces large quantities of the resin over a period of months. It is available both in the dry and the wet season, and there is a greater flow of resin during the wet season. A mature tree can produce up to five kilograms of Elemi a year. The gum is then shipped to warehouses using large palm fronds and placed in large wooden crates for export.

While Frankincense is sweet and musky, Elemi delivers a fresh, peppery-citrus aroma.

Elemi E.O. and CO₂ are extracted from the bark resin using steam distillation or a supercritical carbon dioxide system from a tropical tree native to the Philippines. It is a member of the Burseraceae plant family and is closely related to a resin that resembles Frankincense and Myrrh.

Yield ~ 13-25% from the resin. Some sources mention yields as low as 3-6%.

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ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ This particular species tree is considered to be threatened and/or vulnerable due to heavy usage, people moving into the areas where they live, and by over-tapping. Some species of Canarium are also considered to be invasive.

Sustainability ~ These items may not be sustainable in the amounts used. My suggestion is to use only the actual resin as it was once meant to be, as incense, in small, moderate amounts as needed, and not use the essential oil at all.

••

This work is sponsored and supported
by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF RESIN AND EO

ELEMI Resin & Oil	Resin	EO
Color:	Pale yellow	Pale yellow to colorless
Clarity:	opaque	clear
Viscosity:	Very viscous	Non-viscous
Taste:	none	Bitter, aromatic
Intensity of Odor: • 1-10 • 1 is least intense	3	4-5

ODOR DESCRIPTION ~ This oil has a clear to a yellow hue, is non-viscous, tastes bitter, and is medium intensity with a citrus resin scent. The odor of some Elemi E.O. is somewhat like the flower and leaf of Choisya in the spring when it is full of phellandrene. The odor of the principal oil constituent of alpha-phellandrene (more in the spring of Choisya) and the odor of β-phellandrene has been described as peppery-minty with a slightly citrusy note, and phellandrene is absorbed through the skin. Thus, the hydrosol of this resin is excellent in the bath or as a body spray, and the E.O. is helpful in skin care. It is anti-inflammatory.

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SOLUBILITY in 3 mediums – When you see Elemi discussed, it will often be described as a gum resin, resin, or an oleo-resin. Because each of these words has different meanings, I conducted my own simple experiment in determining the solubility of Elemi, in water (to see if it was a gum), in alcohol (to determine how quickly it might dissolve), and in oil (to see if it could be described as an oleo-resin). It was a revelation.

The solubility of Elemi is Soluble in 0.5 to 5 vol. of 90% alcohol; and usually soluble in 5-10 vol. of 80% alcohol. It is about 30-50% soluble in oil and, by my own experiment, NOT soluble in water; thus, it is an oleo-resin and not a gum resin.

…

SOLUBILITY in 3 mediums

5/27/18 At 9:30 A.M.
Day 1. Using 15 ml. Of 95% Neutral Grape Spirits, a combo of Sunflower/Jojoba Oil or distilled Water.
Day 2. Resin is dissolving in alcohol, slightly dissolved in oil, and not dissolving in water.
Day 3. Dissolved in alcohol; 30-50% dissolved in oil; not dissolved in water. [not a gum]

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ~ A study on the composition of Elemi essential oil from Manila and from the distillation of Elemi resin yielded 39 compounds, with the most abundant being phellandrene or limonene. Limonene for some tests was at 56%, or phellandrene was higher at 25-28%. These components change depending on the terroir and where and when the tree was harvested and distilled. Constituents are limonene and phellandrene with smaller amounts of elemol, elemicin, dipentene, and terpineol.

This oil is clear and light yellow in color and is non-viscous. Its main constituent is phellandrene (25-28%).

The soft nature of Elemi resin partly results from the quantity of liquid sesquiterpenes. It sometimes crystallizes from the triterpenes and becomes opaque and white.⁴The optical rotation of this E.O. and the fresh resin changes if stored in sunlight, and care should be taken to keep either in a dark container. A box will be sufficient for the resin, and for large amounts of the oil, brown glass is best.

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INTERESTING INFORMATION AND HISTORY ABOUT ELEMI ~ When Frankincense became too costly and scarce for mass consumption, Elemi quickly became a logical replacement, offering many of the same therapeutic benefits. In Arabic, a translation of Elemi is similar to the saying “as above, so below.” It was revered as an oil of the Gods and, like Frankincense, was used in meditation and prayer. While Frankincense is fruity and herbal, Elemi delivers a fresh, citrus-spicy aroma.

Artifacts dating from Egypt’s 26^th dynasty (664 B.C. and 525 B.C.) have been found at Saqqara that contained a fat-based ointment containing Elemi, a fragrant resin from tropical trees. “Elemi and another resin Dammar have not previously been linked to ancient Egyptian embalming practices and are highly unexpected.” “Elemi was present in the (embalming) workshop mixtures used to treat the head, liver, and body bandages.”^6.

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Several bottles of essential oil of Elemi with the resin and a crystal and a shell.

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PROPERTIES OF ELEMI RESIN AND ESSENTIAL OIL

Elemi resin is antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antispasmodic, and rubefacient; it is used in plasters to ease coughing. If used in medicine, Elemi is a potent antiseptic that protects against bacterial and viral infections, fungus, and septic shock. Its resin is soft, odorous and has the texture of honey. It was formerly exported for the European pharmaceutical trade as Manila or Philippine gum Elemi for use as an ointment for healing wounds and as a plaster. The valuable resin, called ‘Pili,’ aka Manila elemi or ‘breabianca,’ is used as an ingredient in manufacturing plastics, printing inks, and perfumes. It is also used by the Spaniards for ship repairs.

Raw nuts are purgative.

In skincare, it has been used to rejuvenate and heal wounds topically, as well as reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It is widely used as a fixative in fragrances, soaps, and cosmetics. Elemi may be used as an excellent base note in perfumery, where its inherent complexity is at once earthy and citrusy. During massage and aromatherapy treatments, it can be inhaled to reduce stress-related conditions and bring a feeling of peace and well-being.

Skilled practitioners have incorporated using Elemi to address bronchial and chest congestion due to its expectorant and stimulant properties. A potent antiseptic, Elemi protects against bacterial and viral infections, fungus, and septic shock.

Elemi, Canarium luzonicum, CO₂ wild resin #201, and steam-distilled #217 are both from the resin. Try a bold new step in your skin-nurturing regime; protect and nourish your body with a luxuriously rich combination in a custom skincare line.

Elemi Properties (by IG=ingestion or IN=inhalation or AP=application)

Manila elemi (the resin obtained from the tree) and the essential oil distilled from the resin have a long history of medicinal use. They are considered to be antibacterial, antifungal, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, and rubefacient.

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Physical Uses & How Used (I.G. or I.G.). BA.P.Application – The resin can be melted and used in an ointment for wounds. The resin is applied externally in a salve to arthritic and rheumatic joints, boils, abscesses, furuncles, burns, and sores. It is heated and used on the chest as a poultice to stop severe coughing. The essential oil is an ingredient in a commercial preparation that is a natural anti-louse foaming gel, and this gel also contains Echinacea purpurea.

SKINCARE ~ ELEMI ~ Canarium luzonicum, the wild resin, is extracted by CO2 extraction and steam distilled for the E.O. It was used by the great Marguerite MAURY, a French biochemist and cosmetics chemist. In the 1950s, she was the first to use essential oils from plants in a new method and by using therapeutic massage. Marguerite Maury believed that Elemi with Galbanum would eventually rejuvenate the complexion and body.

It is used in products and perfumery. Try it in your skin-nurturing ritual; protect and nourish the skin with a 2% combination of these two ingredients in your night cream and daytime protection cream. In skincare, it has been used to rejuvenate and heal wounds topically, as well as reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It is widely used as a fixative in fragrances, soaps, and cosmetics.

Make a luxuriously rich combination of these two resins in a combination of Rice Bran oil and Rosehip seed oil to protect and nourish your body and add to your skincare routine. Use this as a luxuriously rich combination in your custom skincare line.

Elemi & Rose Lotion

By Ingestion – A corn kernel-sized drop of the resin is taken with water and is used in the treatment of fevers and chills.

By Inhalation – Skilled practitioners have incorporated the use of Elemi oil by inhalation or in a blend in a diffuser to address bronchial and chest congestion due to its expectorant and stimulant properties.

••

Emotional/Energetic Uses (AP or IN):

Inhalation – The resin burns smoky but with a delightful citrus scent. Inhaled, it stimulates mental and psychic ability, gives spiritual balance, and calms the mind. Elemi resin for the 3^rd chakra, the solar plexus, vibrates in yellow, the sound is E, and its scent is citrus-like and helps to balance your fire spirit. The smoke is used by inhalation “to treat the thymus gland.^3”

Emotional Attributes -cleansing/purifying, strengthening, creativity, meditation, prayer. “On the emotional system, Elemi oil imparts a strengthening, balancing, and centering action, which makes it valuable in meditation. Use it to stimulate mental ability when you suffer from stress, nervous exhaustion, or simply feeling sluggish. Elemi essential oil can be used to help dispel loneliness and create a more positive outlook and encourage hopefulness.”⁵

• •

USING ELEMI herb, resin, and oil

HERBAL USES ~ One species of Canarium,  Canarium ovatum, the seed is used in the traditional Chinese dessert called ‘mooncakes’, “The kernel (seed) is a major ingredient in this famous Chinese festive dessert’. However, kernels from some trees may be bitter, fibrous or have a turpentine odor. Young shoots are used in salads, and the fruit pulp is eaten after it is boiled and seasoned. Boiled Elemi pulp called pili resembles the sweet potato in texture, it is oily (about 12%) and is considered to have food value similar to the Avocado. Pulp oil can be used for cooking. Young shoots from the tree are used in salads, and the fruit pulp is eaten after it is boiled and seasoned.¹"
          The tree bark is commonly used for postpartum baths.

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Use the essential oils in moderation. Choose to use the herb tea or resin more often.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ Elemi is a resin and thus can gum up a diffuser. Suggest trying something else for that lovely citrus scent, like a combination of Lemon-Grapefruit-Orange CP (cold-pressed) in your diffuser. Use Elemi, the resin burned on charcoal, to clear the spirit of your home.

I always use charcoal to burn resin, which is the way of using holy incense. I do it outside. And see the smoke curl into the air, and smell what is left in the air. It is a sacred thing. Resin is burned because it is fragrant and the “food of the gods” which they inhale. Burning incense is to feed the gods, and it is a meditative process.

BLENDING & PERFUMERY ~ Elemi blends well with Rose and other florals, adding a complex, spicy-citrus note. It contributes a unique freshness to Frankincense, Myrrh, Labdanum, Lavender, Rosemary, and Sage.

E.O. Perfumery – Elemi E.O. may be used as an excellent base note where its inherent complexity is at once earthy and citrusy. During massage and aromatherapy, it can be inhaled to reduce stress-related conditions and bring a feeling of peace and well-being.

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HYDROSOL ~ I have not as yet had the opportunity to try an Elemi leaf, bark, or resin hydrosol.

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Key Use: ‘Resin for Skin Rejuvenation’ — M. Maury

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Science article: Elemi contains dipentene and elemicine, which are responsible for Elemi being a strong antiseptic, protecting wounds, and being a strong healer. expectorant. https://www.discoverlsp.com/news/chemical-focus.html

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References:
^1.http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=425
http://www.scents-of-earth.com/elemi.html
^2. http://www.albertvieille.com/en/products/55-elemi-essential-oil-philippines.html
^3. Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book Applications & Inhalations. www.jeannerose.net/books.html
^4.Langenheim, Plant Resins
^{5 .}https://www.quinessence.com/blog/elemi-essential-oil
^6.Bower, Bruce. Egyptian Mummy Recipes Revealed. Science News. February 25, 2023, p.6

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Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 1972 reprint

https://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Canarium+luzonicum

Mabberley, D.J., Mabberley’s Plant Book, 2008 Third Edition with 2014 updates, Cambridge University Press

Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. http://www.jeannerose.net/books.html

Elemi ~ A corny Jeanne Rose Limerick
Elemi, the resin smells citrus
But always sweetly odiferous
Gooey, it’s true
And so sticky too
But one thing it’s not is cruciferous.

• • •

PATCH TEST ~ If applying a new essential oil to your skin, always perform a patch test on the inner arm (afterE.O.ou have diluted the E.O. in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply E.O.iluted drop (1 drop E.O. + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose Band-Aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas. —The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that matters between you and your healthcare provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

••

Moderation in All Things.

Be moderate in using essential oils, as they are not environmentally sustainable.
Be selective and more moderate in your usage.
Use the herb first as tea or the infusion. —JeanneRose 2010

MAY CHANG – Litsea cubeba

May 9, 2023May 26, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 1 Comment

MAY CHANG – Litsea cubeba

Essential Oil Profile

May Chang – Litsea cubeba

Background, history, name, use, and essential oil

Jeanne Rose

Summary ~ May Chang, Litsea cubeba, gives us an oil beautiful in name, color, and scent. In a diffuser, it can cleanse the environment, ease breathing and uplift the spirit. Diluted in a blend with a carrier oil (Rice Bran oil is good) is healing and regenerative to the skin and leaves a clean and refreshing scent.

•

COMMON NAME/LATIN BINOMIAL ~ Litsea cubeba, the common name includes May Chang, Exotic verbena, tropical verbena (unrelated to lemon verbena), Kilemo, or Mountain Pepper.

Family ~ Lauraceae, or the laurels, is a plant family that includes the true laurel, Mediterranean Bay, and its closest relatives. This family comprises about 2850 known species, including Avocado, Bay Laurel, Cinnamon, Clove, Massoia, and more.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS: COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN ~ China primarily produces Litsea cubeba oil. It is also cultivated in Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia.

•

ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ This species is classified as a ‘Non-Timber Forest Product’ because it produces essential oils from several parts of the tree, such as leaves, fruits, flowers, and bark.

Unfortunately, the raw material for May chang oil has been obtained from natural forests, not cultivation. Continuous exploitation without cultivation efforts will threaten the existence of this endemic species.^2.”

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ Litsea cubeba is obtained from the small peppercorn-shaped fruits resembling the black peppercorns of another plant. Litsea cubeba, the aromatic Litsea or May Chang, is a deciduous to an evergreen tree or shrub 5–12 meters high. It flowers from March-April, and the seeds ripen from August to September. This small tropical tree has lemon-scented leaves and flowers, and the small berries resemble green or black peppercorns. The species is hermaphrodite, which has both male and female organs.1. It is native to the Southern Chinese region, including Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Taiwan and Fujian, and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia.

•

PORTION OF PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, EXTRACTION METHODS, AND YIELDS ~ Berries are steam-distilled to produce the essential oil, sometimes solvent extracted for the absolute. Sometimes the leaves are distilled as well.

Yield ~ 3-5% from the berries

•

•

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ESSENTIAL OIL ~A pale yellow liquid, clear, not-viscous, intensity 5-6, taste is tart and irritating, with a tart lemon-fresh and fruity odor. The scent of May Chang has been compared to Lemongrass and Lemon verbena. It is considered sweeter and finer than Lemongrass and a possible fragrance alternative to the costly Lemon verbena (not an option in terms of therapeutic potential). It has been used to adulterate both Lemon Verbena and Lemon Balm (Melissa) oils — both of which have a woody back note, while Litsea does not.

Aroma Assessment ~ The scent of May Chang has been compared to Lemongrass and Lemon verbena, but if you smelled the latter, you would know that it does not. It is considered sweeter and more refined than Lemongrass. It has been used as a possible fragrance alternative to the costly Lemon Verbena (not an alternative in terms of therapeutic potential). It has been used to adulterate both Lemon Verbena and Lemon Balm (Melissa), which have a woody back note, while Litsea does not.

Color – pale yellow
Clarity – clear
Viscosity – not viscous
Intensity of odor – 5-6
Tenacity of odor – 6-7
Taste – strong, bitter, aromatic, and sour

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Chemical Composition: Litsea cubeba is valued because of its high citral content, estimated to be at 75%. Geraniol is the alpha-citral, and Neral is the beta-citral. The sensitization risk, due to the high citral level, is mitigated by the presence of the chemical limonene.

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF LITSEA cubeba

May Chang is most valued for its anti-inflammatory and calming properties. Other therapeutic actions are astringent, antiseptic, insecticide, hypotensive, stimulant, and tonic. The oil is used as a scent (especially in bar soap) and for flavoring in its own right. It is also used as a raw material by the chemical industry for the synthesis of vitamin A and for violet-like fragrances.

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Circulatory system: Research in China has focused on the oil’s ability to regulate cardiac arrhythmia.

•

SKIN CARE ~ This oil is helpful for general skin cleansing due to its antiseptic properties. It is also beneficial to the aromatherapy treatment of oily, acne-infected skin areas. It can be used directly on a cold sore (lip or nose) or wart to kill the virus, but this will sting. Best to always use this oil in dilution.

APPLICATION ~ There have been times in the past when I would develop a cold-sore/herpes outbreak on my lip. This was easily but painfully treated by directly applying a drop of one of three high citral-containing essential oils; Litsea cubeba, Lemon verbena, or Melissa. Litsea is, by far, the easiest to obtain. At the first notice of irritation on your lip, apply the tiniest drop of EO. Yes, it will burn, but it is killing the virus, Apply again about three times per day. Herpes will not develop and will disappear by the 2nd day.

•

INHALATION ~ May Chang seems to work very well on the respiratory system as it functions as a bronchial dilator and is, therefore, helpful for relieving symptoms associated with bronchitis and asthma. “When given orally or by inhalation (citral), may possess prominent protective effects against bronchial asthma that is induced by inhalation of broncho-constrictors. May Chang oil may inhibit anaphylactic shock when inhaled and has a relaxing effect on the tracheal muscle.” (I am unable to find the original quote to cite)

•Diffuse/Diffusion – Effect on the nervous system ~ This oil is helpful in the treatment of fatigue, lethargy, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It should be used in a blend along with limonene oil, such as Orange peel or Lemon peel oil, and with a gentler oil, such as a high linalool Lavender oil.

•Emotional/Energetic Use ~ In a diffuser, Litsea cubeba is a useful addition to a blend as it is emotionally uplifting, clearing, and naturally refreshing. Tone its exuberance with Lemon or Grapefruit oil, and it will clear a room of negative energy and ‘clean’ a space for you.

Litsea flowers on the tree

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NATURAL PERFUMERY & Blending ~ Blends well with Cedarwood, Chamomiles, citrus odors, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Palmarosa, and more, such as Patchouli, Labdanum, Oakmoss, and Ylang. Battaglia recommends using May Chang with the following essential oils: Basil, Bergamot, Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Rose, Rosemary, and Rosewood.

It is best used in smaller quantities as a bridge note or connecting note.

Extra information about citral and bridge notes.

••••

basic perfume formula and a formula using May Chang

•

HYDROSOL ~ I have not had Litsea hydrosol. It might be slightly irritating if sprayed on the face directly, but it would work well as an application to acne sores and/or sprayed on minor cuts.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be explicitly distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components, and most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using fresh plant material.

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CULINARY AND HERBAL USES ~ The berries are used extensively as a spice by the aboriginal peoples of Taiwan; it is seen as one of the features of aboriginal cuisine.

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HISTORICAL & INTERESTING USES ~ Litsea plants are the primary source of traditional medicines, but they also serve as a secondary food source for muga silkworms (Antheraea assama). The silk from the muga silkworms produced from the Litsea plant is very attractive and more expensive than the silk produced from other plants. The silk cocoons fed with Litsea produce a creamy, glossy silk five times more costly than silk produced from a primary source of food plant, i.e., Machilus bombycina King^4.[Silkworms mostly eat mulberry leaves. Silkworms eat vegetables mostly, especially mulberry leaves, and they are predominantly herbivores. The quality of food they eat determines the quality of silk they spin].

••

ABSTRACT/SCIENTIFIC DATA ~ “…The plant [Litsea cubeba] possesses medicinal properties. It has been traditionally used for curing various gastrointestinal ailments (e.g., diarrhea, stomachache, indigestion, and gastroenteritis) along with diabetes, edema, cold, arthritis, asthma, and traumatic injury. Besides its medicinal properties, Litsea is known for its essential oil, which has a protective action against several bacteria, possesses antioxidant and antiparasitic properties, exerts acute and genetic toxicity and cytotoxicity, and can even prevent several cancers. …” ³.

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Key Use ~ Oil of Soap Odor

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This work is sponsored and supported
by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

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photo of two bottles of different Litsea cubeba essential oil from PrimaFleurBotanicals

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Citations

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Litsea+cubeba

2.https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/959/1/012045/meta

3.Ethnopharmacological Properties and Medicinal Uses of Litsea cubeba. Y Heryati et al 2022 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 959 012045

4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6631214/

Bibliography

_____. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:

——. Respiratory Chart. 2002

Battaglia, Salvatore, The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd, 1995.

Herbal Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose, California: 1992

Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3^rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.

Rose, Jeanne, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Frog, 1999

Webb, Mark A. Bush Sense.2000

Williams David, The Chemistry of Essential Oils. Micelle Press, 1996.

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MASTIC

April 19, 2023April 26, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / Leave a comment

MASTIC EO & Tree Resin ~ Mastic EO & tree resin to understand the nature of Mastic, its description,

distillation methods, particular plant properties, uses, and science ~

MASTIC Essential Oil &/or Herb Resin Profile

By Jeanne Rose and other sources ~ 2023

INTRODUCTION ~ Mastic is a resin. I love the resins; I love to burn them for magic and ritual and, above all, use their essential oils in healing blends and via inhalation.

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COMMON NAME/LATIN BINOMIAL ~ Gum Mastic / (Pistacia lentiscus L.) is an oleoresin from a flowering shrub and contains very little oil. Other common names include Gum Mastic or Chios Mastic Gum in Greece. The word “masticate” comes from an ancient Greek word from the Greek practice of chewing this interestingly flavorful resin as gum in addition to freshening the breath and fighting tooth decay.

—-Family – Anacardiaceae is most often known as the cashew family; they are flowering plants with over 800 species, some of which produce an irritant called urushiol.

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MASTIC EO & the HERB RESIN is known from Greece but grows in Mediterranean Europe and Northern Africa, Algeria, Morocco, and the Canary Islands. Only the true Mastic tree, the variety chia, has the qualities that are desirable. This variety grows well only in this specific area that has the perfect terroir, that is, the southeast corner of the island of Chios, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea.

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ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ A tree called Mastic (species unknown) is considered critically endangered in the Cayman Islands. The Pistacia lentiscus is considered threatened and endangered.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ The Mastic tree, Pistacia lentiscus, is a flowering shrub with a strong smell of resin; it is a dioecious tree with separate male and female plants. It is an evergreen from 1 to 5 m high and grows in dry and rocky areas in Mediterranean Europe. The leaves are alternate, leathery, and compound with five or six pairs of deep-green leaflets but no terminal leaflet. It has very small flowers; the male flowers are vivid red with five stamens, and the female flowers are green with a 3-part style. The fruit is a drupe (a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed). It is first red and then black when ripe, about 4 mm. in diameter.

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PORTION OF THE PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, HOW DISTILLED, EXTRACTION METHODS, AND YIELDS ~ Mastic is an oleoresin containing a little oil. The oleoresin is produced primarily in the secretory tissues of the bark of stems and branches. “Mastic resin collecting is restricted to the southeastern corner of the island of Chios.
–––––– “The resin is collected by making small cuts made in the bark of the main branches and then allowing the trees to drip the sap onto the specially prepared ground below. The harvesting is done during the summer between July and October. After the Mastic is collected, it is washed manually and is set aside to dry, away from the sun, as it will start melting again.”³ The ground is prepared with fine white kaolin clay on spread on the ground and Mastic falls on it and keeps it clean.

______In Greece to get the Mastic from the Mastic tree is very precise work and takes all summer. First, the ground around the tree is cleaned, then the tree is carved with a special needle to a depth of about 3 mm. Now the Mastic flows slowly from the tree. The first Mastic is collected after fifteen days when it has become more solid.

_____YIELD is 0.7-1 and occasionally up to 3% EO.

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                                                         ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MASTIC oil
Color                          EO is pale yellow
Clarity                        Clear
Viscosity                     Very slightly viscous
Taste                           Bitter (We do not recommend ingestion-only chewing of the resin)
Intensity of odor        5

Intensity scale of odor ~ On a scale of 1-10, if Usnea is a 1, Lavender a 2, Tea Tree a 5, and Cinnamon or Massoia is 8; then Mastic is about 5-6 in intensity.

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Odor Description/ Aroma Assessment: The Mastic odor is green, with strong smoky, herbaceous, and fruity notes and hints of spice, citrus, conifer, wood, and leather. Excellent to use in a gentleman’s fragrance or for a brunette woman.

Sources ~ This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS OF MASTIC ~ The main components were α-pinene (58.86–77.10%), camphene (0.75–1.04%), β-pinene (1.26–2.46%), myrcene (0.23–12.27%), linalool (0.45–3.71%), and β-caryophyllene (0.70–1.47%).

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TASTE ~ I have chewed the gum and tasted this sweet with tea for years, yet I am at a loss to describe the taste of Mastic. I suggest that you give it a try as it is a very special savor, and most memorable. It starts out floral and slightly bitter and then smooths its way to a herbal and sweetish taste. Delicious!

GENERAL PROPERTIES of MASTIC

The essential oil is produced by steam distillation from the oleoresin or occasionally directly from the leaves and branches. It is considered antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, astringent, expectorant and stimulant. Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) resin and EO have a plethora of qualities and uses. The resin is said to absorb cholesterol when masticated, and is an antibacterial and, acts as an oral antiseptic, tightens the gums, helps digestion, heals wounds; and scientists recently discovered that when it is administrated in small doses over a period of time, it cures stomach ulcers.

The EO is used to heal external skin problems.

Mastic varnish has been in use for thousands of years and is primarily obtained from male trees and used to protect oil and watercolor paintings. The varnish is also used in lithography and cement for precious stones¹.

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PROPERTIES AND USES ~ Gum Mastic is used in medicine, pharmaceutical products like medical creams and dental toothpaste, and cures for ulcers; it is used in the paint industry, cosmetics, paint varnish, and artists use it both as an adhesive and to color oil. In the food industry, gum Mastic is used in liqueurs, ice cream, pure Mastic gum, chewing gum, and the most precious of all — Mastic EO.

After the oil is removed, a small, very durable, and pliable bit of chewing gum is left that lasts for a long time without disintegrating. This is the Olde Worlde chewing gum, while Spruce and Pine gums were traditionally chewed in the Newe Worlde of the USA and Canada.

It is suggested by Franchomme and Daniel Pénoël that Mastic EO can assist cardiovascular function. It also is useful as an inhalant for assisting bronchitis, coughs, and colds and application of muscular aches and pains. An interesting oil.

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APPLICATION/ SKINCARE: GUM MASTIC (Pistacia lentiscus) ~ Mastic is widely used in the preparation of ointments for skin afflictions like burns and eczema, frostbite, cancers, as well as other external skin afflictions, including the manufacture of plasters. Mastic EO is used in products as well, both for this effect and its scent.

Skin Care Recipe ___________________________________
A teaspoon of any unscented cleansing creams with a slight drop of Mastic EO works well in cleansing the skin. Apply a warm wet washcloth to warm the skin, and gently massage it into the skin for 10 seconds, then warm the skin again with the warm wet washcloth and gently wipe. This is great in the morning as a wake-up ritual. This is also considered to be rejuvenating.

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Other Uses: Mastic is found in varnishes.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION: Since Mastic oil is from a resinous material, it can be diffused by using a FanFuser on the scent disc but not from a glass-enclosed diffuser as the resin and will clog the diffuser. The scent should be used as an accessory odor, not the primary odor.

Fan Diffuser

EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC USE: Aleister Crowley considered Mastic to be pale yellow, energetically and clean, and free from prejudice, whether for or against any moral idea. It is used in a ritual blend to intensify them and quicken their rate of vibration. Mastic is used as incense for Pisces people.

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BLENDS AND PERFUMERY ~ I like to use Mastic EO & Herb resin in my Natural Perfumery class as a tincture and used as a fixative where it lends a subtle smoky note.

Blends Best ~ Citrus scents, Lavender-fern combos as a top note and in floral odors. I enjoy using Mastic in massage blends.

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Use the essential oils in moderation. Use the herb tea or resin when it is more appropriate.

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HERBAL USE OF MASTIC ~ The Mastic fruit (berries) can be crushed to obtain an oil that is used in liquor, or they can be used whole to flavor preserved meats and sausages. The leaf and stems of the plants are burned to smoke meats. Masticha is often prepared in a liquid form, mixed with honey or sugar, and spooned into cold water as the main flavor for a refreshing drink. “In Greece, it is mixed with sugar and water to form a thick white cream eaten by the spoonful with dark bitter coffee.” — 375 Essential Oils & Hydrosols.
Pistacia lentiscus is used occasionally as a chewing resin to improve breath, prevent tooth decay, and heal the gums.

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BATHING ~ Francis Bacon’s prescription for a bath is as follows, “First, before bathing, rub and anoint the Body with Oyle, and Salves, that the Bath’s moistening heate and virtue may penetrate into the Body, and not the liquor’s watery part: then sit 2 hours in the Bath; after Bathing wrap the Body in a seare-cloth made of Masticke, Myrrh, Pomander and Saffron, for staying the perspiration or breathing of the pores, until the softening of the Body, having layne thus in seare-cloth 24 hours, bee growne solid and hard. Lastly, with an oynment of Oyle, Salt and Saffron, the seare-cloth being taken off, anoint the Body.” (cited by Classen, Howes & Synnott)

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CULINARY USE ~ “One typical spoon sweet is from the island of Chios called the ‘ipovrichio’ or submarine. It can be flavored with Vanilla or is made from mastic resin, for which the Aegean island is famous. This is a sugary fondant to be served on a teaspoon and dipped into a glass of ice-cold water, thus why it is referred to as a submarine. Once you get your spoon submerged, the fondant softens, and you go to work licking the spoon like a fondant lollipop of sorts. During the summer, you will see people at the beach or cafeterias enjoying a submarine. This dessert is loved by children and adults alike. Although the typical flavors are Vanilla and Mastic, if you opt to make the sweet dessert at home, you can also add fresh berry juices to flavor and experience a glimpse of summertime traditions in Greece.”³

• Greece also makes a resinated white or rose wine that’s infused with sap from an Aleppo pine tree (Pinus halepensis). This wine is called Retsina and emerged from an ancient winemaking tradition that can be traced back as far back as the 2nd century BC.⁴ This wine has a unique flavor said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, the amphorae, with the resin of this tree.

Since antiquity, the resin of the Mastic tree that grows on the Greek island of Chios is also used to flavor wine and gives it a very special and surprising taste.

JEANNE ROSE TOMATO TALES – Mastic

Mastic is a translucent sticky substance similar to tree sap, and when combined with sugar, lemon juice, and water is served on a spoon immersed in cold water. This is a special treat called a spoon sweet. In Greece, this ‘spoon sweet’ specialty is called a Submarine. It is delicious!
In December 1993, I had a very formal 8-course meal for friends, and the 7^th course was a cheese course of Roquefort with Aromatherapy sweetmeats of Bergamot candied peels, Bitter Orange candied peels and Mastic sweet on Lavender Honey Thins with a delicious wine of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. It was a very successful meal.

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#2 – Mastic Tomato Tale

CHEWING MASTIC. In 2018 at a Resin Distillation Conference in Spokane, WA., I asked several well-known gum chewers if they wanted to try Mastic. “Yes, of course,” they said, but in fact, they were unable to learn to chew it or even try past 30 minutes. This is great gum and can be chewed for 4 hours without losing its eponymous taste, and it is good for the teeth.

And the occasional chewing of a Mastic ball will ease the pain of a tooth carie or cavity, act as a mouth antibacterial, and has in the past been used as a temporary tooth filling. Remember this when you travel out of the country to carry some Mastic resin with you, both to burn as a magical fragrant incense and also as a first aid remedy. Really, we are forgetting some of our simplest first-aid skills!

Mastic resin pieces are also delicious when chewed like American chewing gum. It has a mild taste that is not lost after hours of chewing, and it can be chewed for hours. The problem is that Mastic takes a few times to learn how to chew, as a small ball of resin needs to be soaked in the mouth first to get to perfect mastication texture. Then you need to roll it around in the mouth once in a while so that it doesn’t stick to your fillings.

Mastic is tasteless in a tasty way, and a small tear (piece) can be chewed for hours without seeming to melt away. Since it does not have a strong taste, it doesn’t get tiring to chew like American chewing gum. I put a small tear in my mouth when writing this part of the article, slowly let it soften in my mouth, and then chewed it a bit and still had it in my mouth three hours later. It was pleasant to chew. I also love Chicle but think I like Mastic more.

The taste is floral with a bitter edge. As you hold it in your mouth, saliva begins to flow, which softens the Mastic, chewing becomes easier, and the floral taste softens and becomes quite pleasant.

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MASTIC TOMATO TALES #3

AROMATHERAPY SALONS … Years ago, I would have meetings in my home with women that I called “Aromatherapy Salons.” We would discuss various aromatic subjects, aromatherapy, essential oils, and drink fragrant tea, have tea cookies and sweetmeats. (A sweetmeat is a delicacy prepared with sugar, honey, or the like, as preserves, candy, or, formerly, cakes or pastries. Usually, they are any sweet delicacy of the confectionery or candy kind, such as candied fruit, sugar-covered nuts, sugarplums, bonbons, or balls or sticks of candy) One of my favorites sweetmeats was to use the Mastic from Greece that came as a smooth sweet white cream; a small spoonful on a cookie with tea was delicious, but it was especially tasty with bitter coffee.

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HYDROSOL: I do not as yet know a source for the hydrosol or its use. However, I postulate that its hydrosol would make a good antibacterial mouthwash.

PLEASE NOTE ~ A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components; most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

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Key Use ~ Resin is a masticatory and is also used to burn to cleanse spaces and EO in skin care.

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HISTORICAL USES ~ The Mastic resin has been used for chewing since the time of Theophrastus, in relieving halitosis and as a filler for caries, and is also used in varnishes for oil pictures. It is also an ingredient in Ouzo. Ouzo is a high-proof drink whose production begins with distillation in copper stills of 96% alcohol by volume and herbs. Anise is added, sometimes with other flavorings such as Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Fennel, Mastic, and Star Anise.

“In January 1992, National Geographic mentioned that Columbus, sent by Genoese traders to cash in on the money-making crop of Mastic, visited Chios at least once”. — The Aromatherapy Book.
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INTERESTING INFORMATION ~ It is believed that the Sardinian warbler [a bird] is only found near fruiting shrubs of this species [Mastic].² The tear-shaped drops of Mastic gum are associated with Saint Isadoros, whose martyred body was dragged under a Mastic tree where it wept the resinous tears called Mastic.

Ancient Egyptians employed Mastic during their embalming procedures, while Biblical scholars believe that bakha—derived from the Hebrew term for weeping (and, thus, the tear-shaped pieces of Mastic gum)—was none other than the Mastic tree.

ABSTRACT/SCIENTIFIC DATA ABOUT THE GUM RESIN MASTIC ~

—–Researchers at Nottingham University Hospital and Barnet General Hospital have found that Chios Mastic is an effective treatment for ulcers. The findings showed that even in small doses of one gram a day for two weeks, Mastic gum could cure peptic ulcers.

—–In recent years, university researchers have provided scientific evidence for the medicinal properties of Mastic resin. A 1985 study by the University of Thessaloniki and by the Meikai University discovered that Mastic could reduce bacterial plaque in the mouth by 41.5%. A 1998 study by the University of Athens found that Mastic oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. A recent and extensive study showed that Mastic gum reduced H. pylori populations after an insoluble and sticky polymer (poly-β-myrcene) constituent of Mastic gum was removed and taken for a longer period of time. Further analysis showed the acid fraction was the most active antibacterial extract, and the most active pure compound was isomasticadienolic acid.

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CONTRAINDICATIONS ~ Side effects of taking Mastic gum may include nausea, diarrhea, and constipation.

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REFERENCES
Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. Arctander. 1960
Aromatherapy Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose, San Francisco, California, 1992
Dioscorides. The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides. Translated in 1655 by Goodyer and printed in 1933.
Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils. Krieger Publishing. Florida. 1976
¹Langenheim, Jean H. Plant Resins • Chemistry, Evolution, Ecology, Ethnobotany. Timber Press. 2003
²Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd., 1999
Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:
³Wikipedia – Mastic
4. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/retsina-wine-making-surprising-comeback/

Other References are included within the body of the work.

The Jeanne Rose Aromatherapy Studies Course carries these blog posts as well as much more information on the many aspects of essential oils, hydrosols, absolutes, and aromatic ingredients for health and skin care.

My latest analyses of Mastic using the Advanced Vocabulary of Odor – See Natural Perfumery Workbook to use.

~JR~

ORRIS ROOT – a profile

April 5, 2023April 22, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 5 Comments

Orris Root (Iris pallida, [Iris germanica]) is this Iris’s aged, peeled, and dried rhizome.

This Iris plant bursts into life in the spring in a variety of colors. The flower is fragrant

and has been named after the Rainbow Goddess, Iris.

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ORRIS ROOT PROFILE & USES

By Jeanne Rose

COMMON NAME/LATIN BINOMIAL/NAMING INFORMATION ~ Orris Root, Iris germanica, or I. pallida, and from the subgroup ‘florentina’ is the substance commonly called Orris root and is really the rhizome product of a particular Iris. The apothecary’s name is Rhizoma iridis. And other common names include Queen Elizabeth root and “eye of heaven.”

FAMILY ~ A perennial and hardy flowering plant of the family Iridaceae and grows from a rhizome, the modified main stem of a plant growing horizontally underground.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS ~ It is also called Iris florentina germanica, which means ‘of Germany.’ Florentina means ‘of Florence’ (Italy). This incredible ancient plant is native to the Mediterranean and used in Greece, Rome, and Macedonia in unguents and perfumes.

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HISTORICAL & INTERESTING INFORMATION ~ The plant was known, dried, and ground to powder, used for its violet scent, “to scent bedclothes in the 1480s and for flavoring certain gins. It has been used medicinally as a fixative in perfume, a fixative scent in potpourris, and for powdering wigs and hair in the 18th century. The flowers are possibly the origin of the ‘fleur-de-lis’ of France.”1. To the French, the flower is often used in ceremony, symbolically or natural; the three petals symbolize faith, wisdom, and valor.

It was possibly used to decorate the Sphinx and was known to Thutmose III of the era 1501-1447 BC. In the seventh century AD, the Slavic people used Iris germanica and other herbs in cosmetics.

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A Jeanne Rose Orris Root Tomato Tale

It was a lovely spring day in 1980, and I was traveling in Boulder, CO. I had come to visit friends, talk about bath herbs to other friends, and eat great food. They picked me up at the Denver, CO. airport, and we drove to Boulder, where I would stay for a few days. We were driving along and passed by a farm with row after row of Iris in flower in many colors and hues. I had already grown the Iris florentina at my home in San Francisco and was currently aging the root in my desk drawer. But this was a magnificent surprise to see such a lovely field and to be inundated with the astonishing sweet scent of the blooming Iris. I was surprised at the intensity of the odor that wafted into the car off the field; the scent was sublime, with a lush floral odor mixed with the spring breeze and the mountains nearby. Iris flowers are a wonder of nature that is appreciated for their exquisite beauty and fragrance. I believe the farm is still there in the middle of Boulder, called Longs Gardens, and is a great choice for a visit in May. (https://longsgardens.com/about/)

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From a copy in my personal library, The Romance of Perfume, illustrated by George Barbier and written by LeGalliene.

Madame Pompadour is attended to by a lady, powdering her enormous coiffure with Orris root, and on her dressing table are bottles of perfume. From a copy in my personal library, The Romance of Perfume, illustrated by George Barbier and written by LeGalliene.

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ENDANGERED OR NOT~ Some species of Iris are endangered. The leaves and roots can cause skin irritations and allergies in some people.

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Several plants of Iris germanical, that provide the Orris root.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ The color of this species of Iris flower that gives Orris root is white, and in its second year can grow as tall as a person. “The flower petals reach the height of their beauty by the second year, but the roots must age for 2 to 3 years before they reach full maturity when they contain the highest concentration of the desired irone compounds…. It is necessary for the ground where it grows to be carefully weeded and maintained throughout the period. It has been said that whole families assume this task, and when the plant has arrived at maturity, they tend to the long, labor-intensive pulling, cutting, peeling, and drying process.” – David Mark of Renaissance Aromas.

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Orris root smells just like powder

And it cannot get any louder

I love the scent Orris

With Rose is a chorus

Certainly not like clam chowder.

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Jeanne Rose home-grown Orris root from 2-year-old plants, and aged in a desk drawer for 3 years.

Planted in 1972, harvested in 1975, and aged in a desk drawer until 1978

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PORTION OF PLANT USED IN DISTILLATION, EXTRACTION METHODS, AND YIELD ~ Plant rhizomes, mainly from Morocco, are harvested, peeled, dried, and powdered, and are processed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction yielding 1- kilo of extract from around 34 kilos of raw material. It is also solvent extracted for an absolute as well as CO₂extracted.

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HOME DISTILLING ~ You peel these rhizomes first, that is, if you want peeled white Orris. After you have pulled the roots, washed, and peeled them, I will chop them coarsely, then let them dry in a warm place, in the shade, on trays. I used to frame up 2’ X 2’ fiberglass screening and lay the drying Orris root there for a week or so, and then put them into muslin bags and let them mature in a dry place for three years. They have to be protected from rodents and bugs. I have also taken perfectly shaped rhizomes and aged them in my desk drawer so that no creatures could find them and gnaw at them. After they have dried and the odor has has been obtained, you powder and use or distill.

If you decide to distill, I recommend soaking/macerating the chopped roots in the distillation waters for 24 hours before beginning the distillation in the same waters, hydro-distillation. It also should be a warm day when you start the soaking and the distillation. When I distill, I have a copper screen in the bottom of the pot that is supported on a short stand. I put the chopped roots on the screen along with the maceration waters. Go low and slow. [go low on heat and slow with the distillation] Don’t be in a hurry when you are distilling, and watch the pot constantly so that it does not overheat.

Benoit Roger says, “Steam can’t be used alone; it is usually hydrodistilled with continuous stirring. The rhizomes must be powdered and soaked overnight in hot water and then distilled for at least one day with cohobation. You must keep the condenser above 50-55 degrees C to allow the orris butter to come out of the condenser or raise the temperature to 60 degrees C periodically. I can’t tell you THE exact ratio of orris/water you need as it depends on the still, heating, agitation, or not, but it should be quite high (1/10 – 1/12, and some say more…) to not burn the plant material. Good luck”.

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ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of ORRIS SELECT ~

Color – pale ivory
Clarity – semi-clear
Viscosity – slightly viscous
Taste – powder-like taste, very somewhat bitter
Intensity of odor – 2
Tenacity – If used in enough quantity will add some tenacity to the odor – 5
Odor Description/ Aroma Assessment ~ The Iris pallida of Italy and China has floral, powder, and green notes; from Serbia and Morocco, it is floral, powder, fatty, and sweet woody; the Iris germanica often has a fruity note. This distinctive soft powdery, violet-like odor is simply luxurious, and with it comes an aura of romance and child-like happiness. Orris root blends well with florals of Champa, Neroli, Rose, and Rose Geranium and green notes of Violet leaf and Galbanum.
This is a fixative note: when added to a perfume, it holds, strengthens, and fixes the odor.

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SCENT SNAPSHOT OF ORRIS ROOT – 2010

5.Scent Snapshot is part of the Aromatherapy Studies Course,

https://jeannerose.net/courses.html

V•V

SOURCES ~ You can obtain the CO₂extract from www.PrimaFleur.com. Get it when you can as this lovely product so useful in perfumery is sometimes very difficult to obtain.

Use the oil in moderation in your work; sometimes, it is more appropriate to use the herb/plant for its therapeutic properties in a compress, tincture, or powder.

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I originally purchased my Iris plants (I. florentina) in 1972 and probably obtained them from Old House Gardens; see I. florentina, I. pallida at (https://oldhousegardens.com/display/?cat=iris). You may need to order now for fall planting and remember to order now to get some two years in the future. The true heirloom plants for old-time fragrance are getting harder and harder to find.

This work was sponsored and
supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

A small bottle of Prima Fleur Orris, Select from Iris pallida.

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GENERAL PROPERTIES of Orris root

Although Orris may have been used medicinally at one time, its chief uses now are in perfumery, soap making, and to flavor liquors, from gin to vermouth. The carbon dioxide extracts, CO₂, are closer in composition to the scent as it occurs in the botanical plant than those obtained by other techniques.

PROPERTIES AND USES ~ Orris root powder was used as a face or wig powder and mixed with talcum as a body powder. It is now primarily used as a concrete or CO₂extract in fine perfumery.

……….Diffuse/Diffusion ~ I love this scent, the flower, the aged root, and the Orris Select. But I admit to never using it in a diffuser as it is one of the more expensive oils, and I think putting it into a diffuser is wasteful.

……….Emotional/Energetic Use ~ Inhaling the scent of this plant or its oil, by itself or in a floral blend, is a soothing, relaxing way to calm your mind. It blends well with most florals and woods. The root powdered also has been frequently mentioned ritually as an ingredient in spells, particularly in love magic, protection, and in divination rituals.

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS of Orris root ~ oil of Orris (0.1–0.2%), a yellow-white mass containing myristic acid. The oil of orris is sometimes sold as orris butter. Other components include fat, resin, starch, mucilage, bitter extractive, and a glucoside called iridin or irisin. The root needs to be harvested and aged/cured before processing. “During this curing period, oxidative degradation of iridals to irons occurs (Brenna et al., 2003; Schütz et al., 2011). It is these irones (α‑irone, β‑irone, and γ‑irone) that are at the heart of the distinctive violet-like smell that has made it, along with its natural fixative properties, so popular in perfumery and also to the distiller (Krick et al., 1983)”.⁴

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Concrete of Iris pallida - Alberta-grown and CO2 extracted shown in a jar and diluted in a bottle.

Concrete of Iris pallida – Alberta-grown and CO₂extracted

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PERFUMERY & BLENDS ~ The CO₂ is from Serbia and Morocco and blends well with florals of Neroli, Rose, and Prima Fleur’s Malawi Geranium as well as green notes of Violet leaf and Galbanum. The distinctive violet-like odor is the definition of luxury and feels like a romantic indulgence. While the Iris pallida of Italy and China has distinct floral and green notes, the Iris germanica boasts fruitier, richer notes useful in more industries.

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MAKING A TINCTURE OF ORRIS – Here is a technique I use, and it might be useful to someone:

Place freshly ground powder of aged Orris root, Iris pallida, into a quart-size glass jar with a good-fitting lid. Use about a cup full of Orris. Cover by a scant inch with pure 95% grape spirits, I use http://www.organicalcohol.com. As the Orris takes up the alcohol, add more to keep the level at that scant inch. You can use less; just adjust the proportions. Shake vigorously by succussion, every day, as you would for a regular tincture. Store in a quiet, dark, dry place. It takes about 3-6 months for it to be ready. When ready, filter the liquid through a fine grade laboratory type filter paper or an ultra-fine silk cloth and then press the remainder through a tincture press into a new clean 1-pint bottle. Label the bottle. If possible, use the proper laboratory equipment. Let the liquid settle. There may be a fine powder that has settled to the bottom. I will then use this tincture as part of the diluent in a perfume or essential oil blend, and the powder can be kept for a new production of the tincture.

Some people will dry out the alcohol by pouring the liquid into a shallow glass dish, leaving it open in a safe place away from family and pets. There should be good ventilation. Check it regularly. The alcohol will evaporate, leaving a layer of a butter-like resinous substance that smells very good. Wait until all the alcohol is gone. This will depend on the amount and the surface area of the dish you have used. Use an immaculately clean stainless-steel spatula to scrape the buttery layer off the dish and place it in a separate container. Label and date it. This particular process can be tiring, and, in my opinion, I will always choose the actual tincture.

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TINCTURING PROCESS ~ Septimus Piesse says (page 134, The Art of Perfumery) that the classic perfume tincture for Orris root is 7 lbs. of aged crushed Orris root in 1 gallon of spirits to ‘stand together (be macerated) for one month before the extract is fit to take off.’ “It requires considerable time to drain away, and, to prevent loss, the remainder of the Orris should be placed in the tincture press.”

There is much information in this book as well as in Steffen Arctander’s book, regarding this substance.

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BLENDING WITH FORMULA ~ I have used Orris root Total from a wild source of Iris pallida. This wonderful perfume item was grown in Alberta, and CO₂ extracted for the aged root’s sweet, soft, floral scent. Delicious.

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Rose oil with Orris root is a classic scent combination, making a fantastic perfume. Rose Oil is a general tonic and powerful nervous system tonic when inhaled – historically known to be relaxing; the SD oil is used in skin care as a tonic astringent and gentle tonic to the skin. The two items together are quite lovely.

• § •

These two formulas are from my New Age Creations company,

with more in The Herbal Body Book.

Two formulas, one for sachet and one for potpourri using Orris root.

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HERBAL USES OF ORRIS ROOT ~ The dried root of the Iris florentina, Orris root, was used as a teething item for children. I used it for my second child. It has a pleasant violet smell and a pleasant taste. Then it was deemed allergenic, and one could no longer obtain the carved roots for teething.

When I first started my company in 1966, New Age Creations, it was all about my design in clothing for rock ‘n roll stars; in 1969, I switched to herbal products and made a tooth powder of equal proportions of chalk or baking soda and Orris root. This was considered an excellent dentifrice as long ago as 1854.

In the ‘30s, Orris root was given as a treatment for asthma, and on the other hand, people who have allergies are often sensitive to Orris root.

There are some wonderful herbal formulas for Orris root powder in the Jeanne Rose Herbal Body Book; see p. 314 for a sweet body powder.³

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#45 Milk Bath (1973) – from New Age Creations

1 lb. dry milk instant nonfat dry)
¼ lb. Oatmeal (meal or powder)
¼ lb. Oatmeal (meal or powder)
1 oz by vol Orris root – powder
1 oz by vol. Orange Peel – powder
1 oz by vol. Almond Meal – powder
½ oz by vol. Comfrey root – powder
Weigh and divide into 8 oz bottles (4 oz by weight)

This slightly brown/tan product is due to the Comfrey root and Almond meal. This milk/oat/Orris bath is healing, soothing, relaxing, and a tonic to the skin. I have a variety of recipes for this wonderful bath, and this is only one of them. Use about ½ cup per bath (or more).

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HYDROSOL ~ This is another one of those plants that should not be collected to distill. It takes a long time to start, two years to grow, and another three years to cure/age to develop the scent, so why waste your work throwing it into a pot with lots of water to distill?

HOWEVER, there is a recipe from 1779 for a distilled water, called Angelic Water, of a most agreeable scent, from the Toilet of Flora …

Angelic Water, Put into a large alembic the following ingredients, Benjamin of four ounces; Storax of two ounces; Yellow Sanders an ounce: Cloves two drachms; two or three bits of Florentine Orrice, half the Peel of a Lemon, two Nutmegs, half an ounce of Cinnamon, two quarts of Rose-water, a pint of Orange Flower-Water, and a pint of magisterial Balm-water. Put the whole into an alembic well-luted; distill in a water bath; and what you draw off will prove an exquisite Angelic Water.– “The Toilet of Flora” printed in London in 1779.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components; most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

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Key Use ~ Orris root Concrète and oil are best used in fine perfumery.

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Use the essential oils in moderation. Use the herb tea, juice, or resin when it is more appropriate.
Often, the herbal use is preferred over the distillate, oil, or hydrosol.

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A photo of Jeanne Rose collection of concrete, butter, dried roots and CO2 extract.

Jeanne Rose Collection of Orris Concrète and dried rhizome

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CONTRAINDICATIONS ~ Web MD states that Orris root may not be used freshly dug and eaten “as it is possibly unsafe to use the fresh plant juice or root. It can cause severe irritation of the mouth, as well as stomach pain, vomiting, and bloody stools.^2.”

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REFERENCES

1.Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3^rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.
2. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-645/orris
3.Rose, Jeanne. Herbal Body Book, published by www.jeannerose.net/books.html. P. 314.
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/orris-root

Anonis, Danute Pajaujis: Flower Oils and Floral Compounds in Perfumery, Perfumer and Flavorist. 1993.
Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin
Coombes, Allen J. Dictionary of Plant Names. Timber Press, Oregon, 1985
Piesse, Septimus. The Art of Perfumery. 1867
Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd., 1999
Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:
Rose, Jeanne. Herbal Studies Course. Jeanne Rose, California: 1992

MASSOIA

Featured / Jeanne Rose / Leave a comment

MASSOIA ESSENTIAL OIL PROFILE

A Compilation of Sources

COMMON NAME/NAMING INFORMATION ~ Cryptocarya massoia, Other Names include Massoy, Massoïa

Family ~ Lauraceae

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS ~ The genus Cryptocarya of the family Lauraceae is comprised of more than 350 species distributed throughout the tropics, subtropics, and temperate regions of the world. “Several species from this genus have been used extensively as traditional medicines in a number of ethnobotanical practices. The Massoia tree, C. massoy, is a species endemic to the island of New Guinea between 400 m and 1000 m altitude”.³

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ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ Some species of Cryptocarya are in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat. Massoia oil and massoia lactone, a creamy scent from the bark, has been largely superseded by a synthetic alternative because the extraction process is expensive and the process of removing the bark kills the tree.¹

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF Massoia tree HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ The Massoia tree, C. massoy, is a species that grows best in rainforests and is endemic to the island of New Guinea between 400 m and 1000 m altitude”.³It grows also in Sumatra. The aromatic bark from the tree has been an article of commerce for centuries.

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See #6 Reference.

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EXTRACTION ~ the BARK IS USED FOR BY CO₂ EXTRACTION OR DISTILLATION. ~ Massoia oil comes from the bark that has been dried for several days and then ground to a powder.

Massoia bark has a sweet, coconut-like aroma and is steam distilled or CO₂ extracted to yield Massoia bark oil. The bark is obtained by cutting the tree at the base, making circular incisions at one-meter intervals, lifting the bark off, and allowing it to dry. Each tree yields on average 65 kg of air-dried bark.

Robertet’ Massoia wood grows in Papua as well as Sumatra where seeds are imported. “The bark is dried for several days before being reduced to powder in order to be distilled. We were told that delightful chocolate, butter, and caramel notes are spread all over the factory each time a distillation is realized. As a result, essential oils, (occur) with pleasing milky coconut signature.”²

YIELD ~ A recent investigation by Rali et al. showed that exhaustive hydro-distillation of the bark; heartwood and fruits of the Massoia tree afford pale, yellow-colored oils in 0.7, 1.2, and 1.0 % yields,

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CAUTIONS ~ It is a slight stimulant but also can be an irritant to the skin. Use in moderation.

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SOURCE (S) ~ My favorite place to purchase quality essential oils and absolutes is Prima Fleur Botanicals in Petaluma. They have an excellent quality selection of skincare, haircare, body care, and aromatic therapy from true plant-based ingredients.

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ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of MASSOIA CO₂ ~ Organoleptic properties are aspects of these essential oils and absolutes as experienced by the senses including sight, taste, smell, touch, and texture. And I include both the intensity and tenacity of the odor. These properties include a way to discriminate and describe these substances. Another way to define the term organoleptic is what a person experiences via the senses. “Sensory Evaluation is a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret those responses to products that are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. The terms Organoleptic and Sensory were, historically, interchangeable.”⁵

Color – medium-yellow
Clarity – clear
Viscosity – non-viscous
Intensity of odor – 5-7
Tenacity of odor – 5-6

ODOR DESCRIPTION/ AROMA ASSESSMENT – MASSOIA CO₂ ~ Smells Like Coconut, some say creamy Chocolate, but I say Coconut. Massoia Bark essential oil is considered an oil for perfumery. It has a deep, rich, warm, buttery, intense aroma with coconut tones. This oil is high in lactones which gives Massoia its distinctive aromatic notes. In perfumery use it as a base or fixative.

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CHEMISTRY ~ Detailed chemical evaluation of these distillates using GC/MS revealed the major components in the bark and heartwood oils to be the C-10 Massoia lactone, or 5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one, (65-68 %), and the C-12 Massoia lactone, or 5,6-dihydro-6-heptyl-2H-pyran-2-one, (17-28 %), while the major fruit oil constituent was benzyl benzoate (68%).³

GENERAL PROPERTIES

PROPERTIES AND USES ~ The aromatic bark from the tree has been an article of commerce for centuries.

It has been used by Javanese and Balinese women to prepare a warming ointment, called bobory, and for some fair-skinned people, it causes a reddening of the skin from using this. Today the concentrated oil from Massoia bark is considered a skin irritant.

Caution ~ It is a slight stimulant but also can be an irritant. Use in moderation.

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ENERGETICS AND BY INHALATION ~ If you use Massoia bark in a relaxing inhalation blend, inhale but without letting the blend touch your nose. This oil can be a skin irritant. The Massoia scent itself is stress-relieving, relaxing, and calming. Try a blend with Bergamot, Hay, and Roman Chamomile, and use Coconut oil as a carrier.

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Diffuse/Diffusion ~ Not the best essence to use in a blend in a diffusor.

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Massoia CO2 oil showing color and clarity over a coconut, reminding you of its scent.

Smells like Coconut

BLENDING & PERFUMERY ~ Adds a coconut touch of scent to any perfume. Blend it with florals and woods such as Rose, Sandalwood, and Atlas Cedar. Combine with any fruity odors you might have such as Boronia, and possibly Davana, Owyhee, Raspberry seed extract, Osmanthus, Hay, and Roman chamomile.

It has a Coconut scent and works with Coconut oil and Coconut CO₂Extract, and has great tenacity in perfumery, and if diluted properly this is a good choice for scenting skin and for body care products.

[The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the family Arecaceae (palm family) and the only species of the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the whole coconut palm or the seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut.]

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This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

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HYDROSOL ~ I have never seen the hydrosol of Massoia Bark. If I had it, I would be very careful in my usage.

PLEASE NOTE: A true hydrosol should be specifically distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components most are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil, or by using dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a product by using plant material that is fresh.

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HERBAL USE ~ I personally have never had the Massoia bark in my hands or seen the tree with my own eyes, and thus am not comfortable recommending any particular herbal uses.

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KEY USE ~ The oil is used in perfumery.

Massoia oil smells like Coconut.
It doesn’t smell like Walnut.
It sort of bites.
But not like mites.
You can add to Perfume if in a deep rut.

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HISTORICAL USES ~ “Known in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as Massoy bark, Massoia essential oil was once widely used as a natural ‘coconut’ flavoring. [This aromatic bark from the tree has been an article of commerce for centuries.] Natural massoia lactone has been largely superseded by a synthetic alternative because the extraction process is expensive and the process of removing the bark kills the tree.”⁴

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INTERESTING INFORMATION ~ Massoia bark oil is used in the flavor industry as an additive in butter and milk flavors (international FEMA code 3744) under kosher guidelines. The Massoia lactones are rare essential oil components and have only been found in a few other plants.

ScentIndonesia.com harvests massoia barks from their own regrown Massoia trees that have been planted on the remote higher ground in Papua New Guinea. This is with the help of local farmers without endangering the area from deforestation.

The current global supply of Massoia bark oil comes from Indonesia, primarily from Irian Jaya which is the western half of New Guinea. Its main use is in the flavor industry. Its main lactone has also been identified in some flowers such as Tuberose.

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MASSOIA SCENT SNAPSHOT – 2009

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CAUTIONS

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massoia_lactone
Robertet_group FB page
https://bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massoia_lactone
Organoleptic Testing or Sensory Testing. Bob Baron, 4-1-21
https://ultranl.com/products/massoia-bark-oil-indonesia/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rose, Jeanne • Natural Botanical Perfumery. Published by http://www.jeannerose.net/books.html
Ultra National Indonesia Products.

Champaca

March 12, 2023May 8, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / Leave a comment

CHAMPA – a profile

Champaca oil, CO2 extracted on a bed of yellow cashmere and black silk scarf.

By Jeanne Rose ~ 2023

CHAMPACA, Magnolia champaca, also seen as M. aurantiaca and Michelia alba, has many common names including all forms of Champa, Shamba, and more.

Family ~ Michelia is one of the most popular flowering trees and the genus is now called Magnolia. It belongs to one of the ancient families of the plant kingdom having existed for 95 million years. This family Magnoliaceae of flowering plants with many species most of which have bisexual flowers.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS ~ Champaca tree is native to South Asia, Indochina, and southern China. The CO2-extracted oil comes from India.

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ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ The species, Magnolia champaca, is famous for its lush aromatic flower and is included in IUCN red list species as threatened in its geographical distribution range.2 Champaca flowers are often used during festivals as necklaces or hair bands.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH MICHELIA CHAMPACA is a large evergreen tree used as a timber tree. It is a hardwood with a long straight trunk with a close tapering crown. It is a medium-growing tree, attaining a height of 33 m or more, and can attain a size of 2-4 m around its middle. The bark is light gray and smooth, and the leaves are generally long and wide, shining above, hairless on the other side; the old leaves are yellow. In general, it grows in moist, deep, well-drained, good-quality soil. It grows in deep valleys, and some grow best in foothills In its natural habitat, M. champaca grows in areas where temperatures are up to 47.5°C and annual rainfall is 100 inches or more. It thrives in a damp climate.

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CHAMPACA flowers are usually not distilled, but CO₂ extracted ~ It is picked fresh, and then semi-dried and sent to the extraction plant. Extraction of the fresh flowers of Michelia champaca L. with liquid CO₂ provides a floral extract with a yield of 1.0 ± 0.04 wt.%. ⁴

Yield ~ solvent-free supercritical CO₂ extraction of flowers had a higher yield than the essential oil, and in one study the yield of the concrete was 1.5 ± 0.05% vs. essential oil in 0.03% yield.³

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CHAMPACA FLOWERS ARE USED ~ for the extraction of the scent by carbon dioxide extraction for an absolute.

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ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of Champaca CO²

Color – dark brown with a yellowish cast
Clarity – Opaque
Viscosity – semi-viscous
Intensity of odor – 4
Tenacity of odor – 5
Taste – bitter

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ODOR DESCRIPTION/ AROMA ASSESSMENT ~ The scent is deeply floral and wood with many sub-notes that include hay, leather, and powder.

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SCENT SNAPSHOT

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“Magnolia champaca, is rare and has a strong perfume, and is used – for example in hair it is worn singly or as a small corsage but rarely as a whole garland, and for bridal beds, it is most often with Jasmine and Roses and in bowls of water to be placed around rooms for colorful decoration and for the perfumed flowers.”

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I have Champa that I use as perfume.

It comes from flowers abloom.

In the bedroom, it seems

When my heart is abeam

Champa blooms and then there’s perfume, I assume.

2020

This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals

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GENERAL PROPERTIES of Champa

The extract from the flowers is used in the preparation of perfume. Medicinally, the tree has wide applications; the bark is used to prepare a tonic and as a fever reducer, the leaves to feed silkworms and make tea, the wood cut into boards for tea boxes and furniture, the oil extracted from flowers is used for perfumery, whole plant extracts used to treat coughs and arthritis, and for relieving eye troubles and gout.

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Properties and Uses ~ The plant is scientifically stated to exhibit antipyretic, anti-inflammatory^,, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, and analgesicactivities.⁶

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SKINCARE WITH CHAMPA OIL ~ Champa is a somewhat drying oil, useful for normal to oily skin. Mixed with carrier oil and other skin-loving scents and oils, it absorbs quickly into the skin leaving it smooth, hydrated, and silky.

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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION ~ Champa works very well when used in a blend with citrus oils, or with Lavender oil. It will soften the bright scent of the citrus and floral notes, and when diffused is very pleasant in a room, particularly the living room or bedrooms.

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EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC USE ~ “Champa is considered a sacred incense that purifies personal space, clearing out stagnant or negative energy and filling your space with positive vibrations. It is known for its calming powers reducing stress and anxiety. Cleanse, purify, and protect your energy with a blend that includes Champa.

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Champa Limerick

Champa is the oil of the day.
It is sweet and reminds you of hay.
When the morning is over
I feel like I’m in Clover
Rolling in Champa until May

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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ~ “M. champaca is famous for the sweet odor of its blossoms. The flower possesses a scent that can be described as a fresh, floral and strong sweet jasmine-like scent. Most of the aromatic compounds encountered have rather strong odors, and especially the esters are regarded as possessing floral notes. Methyl benzoate (heavy-sweet, deep-floral), indole (floral character highly reminiscent of jasmine and orange blossom), and 1,8-cineole (fresh, camphoraceous) are contributing significantly to the fragrance of M. champaca flowers.” ^5.

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PERFUMERY with Champa ~ The tree flowers were traditionally used to make fragrant hair and massage oils. The vernacular name “Joy perfume tree” comes from this. Many perfumers are using Champaca Absolute as single-note fragrances or in blends for perfumery.

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Blends Best with florals, woods, Lavender, and citrus type of odors.

CHAMPA PERFUME

Fun Day Champaca Perfume from 2013

Top Note is composed of
25 drops Grapefruit (pink or white)
15 drops Bergamot

Bridge: 1 drop Cardamom
2 drops Litsea cubeba

Heart Note is composed of
10 drops Neroli
10 drops Ylang-ylang
15 drops Petitgrain
5 drops Champaca.

Bridge Note: Amber or Amber complex

Base Note is composed of
20 drops Champaca
20 drops Vanilla Abs

Make and succuss each note individually and allow it to age for at least a week. Then add your neutral spirits. I prefer neutral grape spirits from Organicalcohol.com. 240 drops of neutral grape spirits. Succuss again and age for at least two weeks to let the scents incorporate. You will now have 33% active perfume ingredients.

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CHAMPACA SOLID WAX is left after the absolute is removed making an excellent base for a solid perfume. This floral wax has all the properties for good skin care and it smells delightful. Floral waxes are created as a result of solvent extraction that is used on delicate flowers whose scent would be destroyed by steam distillation. Floral waxes are available to add scent and texture to skincare products as well as the incredible moisturizing capability for the skin. Champaca helps to moisturize, soothe and soften, it is a free radical scavenger, is skin-protective, and is recommended for products to restore the skin to a smoother surface.

Formula for solid perfume using champaca

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HYDROSOL ~ I have never had a real bottle of Champaca hydrosol to use. And thus, do not have any experience with it. There are some who pick the flowers, soak them in water for a few hours to extract some scent, and then hydro/steam-distilled with that extraction water, with low heat and slowly, for the hydrosol.

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HERBAL USES OF CHAMPA ~ The flowers are used in South Asia for several purposes. In India, they are primarily used for worship at temples, and in the home, and are generally worn in the hair by girls and women for beauty and as a natural perfume. You can float the flowers in bowls of water to scent the room, weave them together in garlands, or as a fragrant decoration for bridal beds.

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HISTORICAL/RELIGIOUS USES ~ Michelia champaca is also known as Champa, Yellow Champa, Golden Campa, or Fragrant Champa. It is highly revered by the followers of Hinduism and Buddhism who use Michelia flowers during religious ceremonies. Tibetans believe that the Buddha will find enlightenment under the white flower canopy of the champaca tree.

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INTERESTING INFORMATION ~ The extract from the flowers of Michelia (Magnolia) alba is used in the preparation for the famous ‘Joy’ perfume.

The civet of Sri Lanka, Paradoxurus montanus is said to have a very pleasant odor that is somewhat similar to Champaca flowers. This is unlike other civets that have a urinous odor.

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ABSTRACT/SCIENTIFIC DATA from 2008 ~ Results ~ M. champaca was studied and the ethanolic extract exhibited significant antihyperglycemic activity but did not produce hypoglycemia in fasted normal rats. Apart from this extract, the crude aqueous and petroleum ether extracts were found active only at the end of the first hour. Treatment of diabetic rats with ethanolic extract of this plant restored the elevated biochemical parameters significantly … and the activity was found dose-dependent.
Conclusion: This study supports the traditional claim that the ethanolic extract of this plant could be added to traditional preparations for the ailment of various diabetes-associated complications.¹

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KEY USE ~ This is a fine scent that is useful in perfumery and in your yoga or meditative practice.

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Resources ~

This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals

A single bottle of Champaca scent from India - courtesy of Prima Fleur Botanicals

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REFERENCES ~

Jarald E, Joshi S B, Jain D C. Antidiabetic activity of flower buds of Michelia champaca Linn. Indian J Pharmacol [serial online] 2008 [cited 2023 Feb 2];40:256-60
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2021.02.003
Composition of the concrete, absolute, headspace and essential oil of the flowers of Michelia champaca Linn. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.1742
Liquid CO₂ extraction of flowers and fractionation of floral concrete of Michelia champaca Linn by Prasant K. Rout, Satyanarayan Naik, Y. Ramachandra Rao.

5.Volatiles from Michelia champaca Flower: Comparative analysis by Simultaneous Distillation-Extraction and Solid Phase Microextraction. Disnelys Báeza , Diego Moralesa and Jorge A. Pinob.

6. Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of Michelia champaca in gut, airways, and cardiovascular disorders by Fatima Saqib, et all : Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2018, Volume 11, issue 4, pages 292-296.

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BOOKS REFERRED.

Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3^rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.

Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd., 1999

Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:

Herbal Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose & Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1992

Source: Aromatherapy Course – Home & Family

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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

USNEA

February 24, 2023March 14, 2023 / Jeanne Rose / 3 Comments

USNEA – A Lichen

By Jeanne Rose ~ 2-28-23

Usnea Lichen, Usnea barbata grows all over the world. It is very sensitive to air pollution and might even be a pollution indicator plant.

It is a cultivated lichen/herb, and the CO2 is extracted in Germany. Usnea herb is an extremely useful antimicrobial, and antifungal, is used internally and externally, and the herb and its tincture are effective on the lungs and used in skincare. It is often used to treat bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Usnea is somewhat anti-inflammatory and analgesic. The plant itself is also used to create attractive dyes.

The oil is an interesting deep non-volatile note and rich deep low-intensity, high-tenacity odor for perfume blends and acts as a fixative in a blend or perfume.

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USNEA LICHEN (Usnea barbata) is the common name and the Latin binomial of a commonly seen ‘moss’ that hangs in the trees. Other common names include Old Man’s Beard, Beard Lichen, Beard Moss, Moose Moss, and Tree Moss (although it is NOT a moss). This lichen, (a symbiotic combination of algae and a fungus) belongs to the Family ~ of Parmeliaceae. The common names pretty well describe the appearance of Usnea. It resembles Spanish Moss, however, the two are not related.

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COUNTRIES OF ORIGINS ~ commonly known, the medicinal herb Usnea barbata is indigenous to the northern hemisphere; there are over 300 species of Usnea.

ENDANGERED OR NOT ~ Some species are now extinct or threatened in Europe. U. barbata is extinct in Finland and threatened in the Czech Republic.

CONTRAINDICATIONS ~ It is suggested that Usnea not be used as a food or dietary supplement because of liver toxicity related to the content of usnic acid.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PLANT HABITAT AND GROWTH ~ Lichens grow on trees that look like a single plant but are, in fact primarily algae and fungi. Usnea is a genus of mostly pale grayish-green fruticose (having often branched thallus) lichens that are without leaves, with tassel-like ‘threads’ that anchor on the bark or the tree twigs.

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Golden Gate Park Arboretum showing a branch covered with lichen and moss

Pine lichen and moss – Golden Gate Park

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PORTION OF PLANT USED FOR EXTRACTION, EXTRACTION METHODS ~ The entire plant is harvested and extracted by CO₂ in Germany. Flaking and cutting + grinding of the lichen enabled the highest extraction yield.¹

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Source ~ This work is sponsored and supported by Prima Fleur Botanicals.

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ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS of Usnea

Color ………………….. greenish-gray

Clarity ……………….. Opaque

Viscosity ……………. Semi-viscous

Intensity of odor ……….1

Tenacity …………….. 5-6

Intensity scale guide to gauge the Intensity of odor: On a scale of 1-10 if Usnea is a 1, Lavender a 2, Tea Tree a 5, Mastic about 5-6, and Cinnamon or Massoia is 8.

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Odor Description/ Aroma Assessment ~ I have completed several odor profiles and odor snapshots of Usnea (one is at the end of this piece) and truly enjoy this soft, woody, floral, and somewhat fatty odor. It works well in any perfume to enhance the woody and floral notes.

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GENERAL PROPERTIES of Usnea

Usnea barbata has been used in cosmetic products for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties as a preservative and deodorant. Usnea is a useful antimicrobial in both internal and external applications, especially effective on the lungs and skin. Included in products to treat bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. All of my resources stress its antibacterial properties.

It is reported to be an effective treatment for pneumonia, bronchitis, staph, strep, tuberculosis, and urinary tract infections. I have successfully used it to prevent and treat colds and flu. It boosts the immune system and can be used like echinacea. Another great thing about Usnea is that it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

Properties and Uses ~ Medical claims.

According to Paul Bergner, Author of Medical Herbalism. “The usnic acid in Usnea is effective against gram-positive bacteria such as Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, making Usnea a valuable addition to herbal formulas for sore throats and skin infections. It is also effective against a bacterium that commonly causes pneumonia”. There is reason to believe that in high concentrations, Usnea could possess some toxicity.

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COSMETICS & SKIN CARE ~ Usnea barbata has been used in cosmetic and personal-care products for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties as it is a co-preservative and deodorant. Use only a preservative-free Usnea, preferably one that you have made yourself for your products, lotions, creams, or salves. It has strong anti-microbe effects and can be used in products against body odor, hair products for dandruff or scruffy scalp, and in applications for skin blemishes.

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Diffuse/Diffusion ~ Emotional/Energetic Use ~ The mystery of aromatherapy —Get to know the elusive essence that can create such a variety of emotional and physical changes.

BLENDING & PERFUMERY Usnea Lichen is cultivated from Usnea barbata, and the CO2 is extracted in Germany. It is an attractive deep non-volatile note and rich deep odor for perfume blends. Acts as a fixative in a combination or perfume.

OTHER lichens used in Perfumery are

OAKMOSS: Evernia prunastri (Usneaceae). Oakmoss is solvent extracted, light Brown in color, opaque, medium viscous, and often used in Perfumery as a Base. It is a rich, earthy, woody scent that adds to the smell of the forest with its woody odor. Despite its name, Oakmoss is not a moss but a lichen, somewhat resinous, growing on the bark of deciduous and coniferous trees. Baskets filled with it have been found in the ancient royal tombs of Egypt, but whether it was intended for perfume is unknown.

TREEMOSS (Mousse d’arbre) Treemoss derivatives (concretes, absolutes) are mainly prepared from the lichen species Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf. with Usnea barbata and other species often co-gathered in. These tree lichens can be found living on the barks of firs and pines in Southern and Central Europe, including and France and Morocco, & Balkan countries, including former Yugoslavia. Fragrant Treemoss products are prepared similarly to the practice of Oakmoss. Tree moss products are generally considered inferior to Oakmoss products and are often lower in price.

USNEA blends best with florals and woody odors as it is tenacious in a perfume but of low intensity. It deepens floral odors.

Here is one Floral Perfume using Usnea in the base note.

A floral, green Usnea lichen perfume formula

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HYDROSOL: Do not make a hydrosol of this plant, as too much must be picked for an effective distillation. This is a plant that should be used in its pure herbal form.

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HERBAL USES OF USNEA ~ Usnea herb is used to prevent or treat infections. I have taken 8-10 drops of the tincture (made with neutral grain spirits) and diluted it in 2 X water and take this two to three times daily. I have also added Usnea to herbal mixtures to make teas, and cough drops.

To be effective, Usnea tincture should be macerated*/soaked in slowly warmed alcohol. Stuff a sturdy wide-mouth glass canning jar/container with Usnea lichen and then fill it with 75% neutral-grain alcohol**. Close the jar. Some people suggest that the jar be closed tightly. Alcohol can be dangerous to use, and you don’t want to place it directly on the stove. Put the jar into a deep container and place both in the sink. [you are making a bain marie, but in a sink]. Now macerate the Usnea for up to 48 hours. Do this by filling the larger container with hot water from the tap and keep changing out the water and keep refilling with ever hotter water until you can use water that has been heated on the stove. This will allow the Usnea-filled canning jar to warm up slowly. Add some hot water every few minutes until you can cover the jar to above-the-jars-shoulder with hot water. Now let the Usnea macerate** (soak and warm up slowly) in the now warm-to-hot alcohol. Let it sit until the water has cooled naturally or at least 24 hours. When it is totally cool, remove the jar from the outer container. Check the tincture organoleptically for the strength of color, scent, and taste. Label this tincture bottle, with the plant used, date started and finished, and use. See also reference #2

*I macerate/soak herbs in alcohol to create tinctures; I also percolate ‑ both maceration and percolation can be called tincturing, and this is also called extracting by some. Any use of external heat for maceration requires care with your equipment.

Macerate, Use a clean metal or porcelain pan; use the type of flowers/plants required for the odor wanted and that are carefully picked (fresh). Place in the hot alcohol or liquid fat or add to the fat or alcohol and allow to remain from twelve to forty-eight hours; fat has a particular affinity or attraction for the oil (scent) of flowers, and thus, as it were, draws it out of them, and becomes itself, by their aid, highly perfumed and alcohol has an affinity for the plant’s therapeutic values.

** Source: https://organicalcohol.com/

USNEA INFORMATION

Lung abscess treatment by Ryan Drum 2000

1. Watch mucous for any changes by spitting onto white tissue or cloth.

2. Establish good nutrition and restful sleep.

3. Use the following herbs daily:

a. Usnea :1 tablespoon of previously hot (120 degrees F) Usnea-infused oil in salad dressing for salads of fresh wild greens, dandelion, wild carrot, wild mustard, chickweed, and goldenrod tips.

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• Herbal uses of Usnea ~ Dyes

Usnea species have been used to create orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple dyes for textiles. Usnea lichen was once used for silk and wool dyes. Some blue and purple hues are still obtained from the species of Usnea.

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•Combustible – Usnea barbata is highly flammable and often used as a firestarter when dry.

CULINARY USES OF USNEA ~ Usnea as Food

Usnea is very high in Vitamin C and is a carbohydrate. Before eating, Usnea should be soaked in several changes of water. Usnic acid can be very irritating to the digestive system. In the book, “Tanaina Plantlore,” Priscilla R. Kari states that the Inland Dena’ina Natives of Alaska sometimes eat Usnea as an emergency or camp food after boiling it in water.

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DO NOT take for weight loss. Modify what you eat and how to live, and exercise more and better. Don’t rape the planet of its plants because you have bad habits.

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a bottle of Usnea on a background of a lichen-covered tree

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INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT LICHENS ~ And litmus and archil* are still obtained from species of lichens. Litmus is used in chemistry to determine if a solution is acid or basic and will turn blue when exposed to basic and red if exposed to an acid. Litmus paper is paper with litmus on it.

*Archil is a violet dye obtained from some lichens.

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KEY USE ~ The oil of Perfumery.

SCENT SNAPSHOT of USNEA

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0896844613000211?via%3Dihub

2. https://www.outdoorapothecary.com/usnea-tincture-recipe/

And Herbalist Stephen Buhner, the author of Herbal Antibiotics, says that Usnea tinctures best in a combination of water and alcohol (1:5 in 50%) and that a hot extraction method will yield better results (Buhner, 1999).

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Bibliography

Mabberley, D. J. Mabberley’s Plant-Book, 3^rd edition, 2014 printing, Cambridge University Press.

Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. Berkeley, California: Frog, Ltd., 1999

Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book: Applications & Inhalations. San Francisco, California:

Herbal Studies Course/ Jeanne Rose & Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1992

SOME CAUTIONS TO REMEMBER for all Plants and their Parts.

Patch Test: If applying a new essential oil to your skin, always perform a patch test on the inner arm (after diluting the EO in a vegetable carrier oil). —Wash an area of your forearm about the size of a quarter and dry carefully. Apply a diluted drop (1 drop EO + 1 drop carrier) to the area. Then apply a loose band-aid and wait 24 hours. If there is no reaction, then go ahead and use the oil in your formulas.—The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations, p. 64

DISCLAIMER: This work is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. Dosages are often not given, as that matters between you and your healthcare provider. The author is neither a chemist nor a medical doctor. The content herein is the product of research and personal and practical experience. Institute of Aromatic & Herbal Studies – Jeanne Rose©

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MAY CHANG – Litsea cubeba

MASTIC

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MASSOIA

Champaca

USNEA

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