Resins collected from the bark of the tree called boswellia carteri are used to produce this ancient scent. The resin, as it is collected, is in hard, pebble-like droplets. To produce the oil, these bits of resin are steamed, thereby producing the essential product.
Continue reading Aromatherapy: Properties of Frankincense Oil
Visions of childhood years of running along the hedges abundantly starred with the sweet white and yellow flowers—awaken with the scent of honey-suckle. The taste of the tiny blossoms’ sweet nectar is not unlike the sweetness of the fragrance they carry.
Continue reading Aromatherapy: Properties of Honeysuckle Oil
While heliotrope in its own right exudes a marvelous blend of scents, a true essential is not easily obtainable. The fragrance of heliotrope seems some-what woody, somewhat fruity, and with a hint of vanilla. Unfortunately, it does not lend itself to easy distillation. There are, however, some synthetic oils available that are very true to the spirit of the natural fragrance of the plant.
From Grandma’s perfume to Mother’s garden, the scent of gardenias is common to many of us. It is a common flower, plentiful, and a longtime favorite of perfumers everywhere.
The scent of jasmine is a meeting of east and west. Originally considered a blossom of the Orient, the fragrance has found a home in the American South, favored by the belles of New Orleans. Its odor is a fascinating mixture of scented tones, sweet and mysterious as well as musky in nature.
According to Greek myth, Hyacinthus was a youth dearly loved but accidentally killed by the god Apollo. To preserve his memory, Apollo caused the flower we now know as the hyacinth to sprout from the blood of the beloved youth. It is a flower favored for its fragrance in many gardens and survives as a lasting tribute to the ill-fated youth of the ancient myth.
Manufactured from the plant of the same name, this essential has a scent of fresh lemon mixed with herbs. In addition to its magical and therapeutic applications, lemon verbena oil is popular in shampoos and other cosmetic body preparations.
Continue reading Aromatherapy: Properties of Lemon Verbena Oil
Another familiar friend, lavender originates from the Mediterranean lands but has been cultivated widely for its fragrant flowers. While it is a common add-ition to the repertoire of the magickal aromatherapist, it has also been an enduring favorite of cosmetic perfumery.
Most often seen in essential oil form, this extract from the fruit of the juniper shrub is a cousin of the evergreen clan found growing throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Juniper berries enjoy a wide usage and have earned a place through history in the hands of the culinary technician as well as the herbologist and the aromatherapist.
Another common scent in many gardens, lilac has been utilized in every type of commercial product from perfume to shampoo to chewing gum. In the 1960s or 1970s there was even a candy produced that used the petals of this fragrant blossom.