What we expect when we buy Copal When most of us think of Copal, we have an image of a sacred, fragrant resin used for ritual and ceremony in ancient and modern Mesoamerican cultures. A traditional offering, raised to the Gods and ancestors on a pillar of smoke....
A question I get a lot in the shop is ,”I’m new at this and I don’t know which Frankincense type to start with. Can you help me?” Well, since you asked, in my opinion, the best way to get acquainted with the Boswellia, AKA Frankincense family...
Leave a Comment / Apothecary / By Dan Riegler Suhul Myrrh, Somalia. A aggregate of tiny fragrant tears. A gift from the tree. Every once in a while I receive a shipment of a very special kind of Myrrh resin called “Suhul Myrrh”-I ooh and ahh, croon and swoon over it...
5 years after my first visit with the Samburu Frankincense harvesters in Northern Kenya, things are finally coming together. We now have 2 groups of Samburu women harvesters who need to sell their Frankincense neglecta resins and 2 special wholesalers/importers...
Around the world, we are losing our medicinal and aromatic plants at an ever-increasing pace while our demand for essential oils, aromatic, cosmetic and therapeutic plant materials continues to grow. We are caught in a loop of unsustainable practices and poor resource...
This is an edit of a post I wrote 2 years ago after coming across some lovely Ferula tingitana, (Ammoniacum) resin. Recently, I finally got my hands on the other Ammoniacum, Dorema ammoniacum which you will now find in the shop. For most intents and purposes the two...
I have finally put together an Animalic/Musk sampler. The interest in animal-sourced musk samples has grown steadily in the shop and the release of this new product is a perfect opportunity to continue my discourse on the ethical issues inherent in Civet and other...
We have relied on the aromatic sap of trees for comfort and healing since the dawn of time. Pine, Spruce, Fir, Frankincense, Myrrh, Elemi, and many, many more provide us with a wide range of therapeutic properties and applications. Tree saps provide an impressive list...
Castoreum-A classic perfume ingredient & fixative Castoreum is highly valued as a perfume ingredient lending warmth, sensuality and tenacity to perfume blends. A google search will reveal an extensive list of popular perfumes that contain Beaver Castoreum....
Frankincense and Myrrh are becoming better known and integrated with our Western lives as interest in the healing power of plants grows. Though we often learn of these resins through the popularity of their essential oils , their greatest therapeutic gifts lie in...
Frankincense tea, also known as a Frankincense infusion, is a time-honoured remedy in many cultures and medical systems. Some of its traditional medicinal uses have been researched in recent years and I am surprised to see that many of the classic therapeutic...
Also known as “Floating Gold” and Whale vomit, Ambergris is one of the rarest & most precious gifts of Nature. Coveted since ancient times for it’s value in perfumery, incense making and traditional medicine. Considered an aphrodisiac since time...