Bushman’s Balm. Made with Sarcocaulon Mossemedes wax, with no added colours, fragrances or preservatives. Simple is often best and with only 3 ingredients, this Bushman’s Candle-Lip Balm really shines. The Amber scent of the wax blends beautifully with...
Visiting the collectors of Frankincense and Myrrh in the Somali Region of Ethiopia February 2019 February 2019 brought a visit with the Camel and Goat herders of the Somali region of Ethiopia. What was once called the “Ogaden”. They are the collectors of...
Another home-made still Continuing with the theme of DIY and home distillation, this is my latest easy-to-make distillation unit showcasing today’s distillation of Frankincense Dalzielii from Nigeria. A gorgeous looking resin that yielded a superb essential oil....
This is an updated and revised version of my “Medicinal Frankincense FAQ” from 2 years ago. You can find the original here. Since I have spent the past few years studying and working with Frankincense resin, essential oils, extracts, trees and harvesters,...
Over time I get many of the same questions from customers about the products I sell in the shop. I love helping people and end up spending quite a bit of time answering them individually which isn’t the most efficient use of my time. So, I’m going to get...
I have been told on occasion my instructions here could be clearer. Though I’ve been meaning to rewrite some of them or do video tutorials, I just haven’t found the time. Luckily, my Aromatherapist friend Robin Schiller-Kessler took the initiative, built...
Botany for the distiller. A workshop series at the Bozarth Mansion in Spokane WA 12-14 June 2017 Distilling essential oils is a simple process that echoes the evaporation and condensation of water in Nature. We load the still with aromatic material and collect...
I usually don’t post shop listings on the blog and make an effort to keep the sales pitch to a bare minimum here. However, there is a lot of important information in this particular shop listing and I don’t want to write it all again for the blog. Not so...
Civet paste is a rare, ancient and highly esteemed perfume ingredient as well as a traditional medicine in the East. Collected bi-monthly from the perineal gland of the adult Ethiopian Civet, it is still used in mainstream perfumery but mostly via black market back...
We have relied on Frankincense resin for centuries to treat Arthritis, inflammation of joints, the urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, pain, ulcers, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and colds, cuts, and wounds. It is traditionally used to improve memory and brain...
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Madagascar and its Vanilla capital Sambava, was witnessing the hand pollination of (Vanilla planifolia-Bourbon Vanilla flowers. Originally from Mexico and central America, their natural pollinator, a species of Melipona bee,...
This rather lengthy video demonstrates how one can make a simple and effective distillation apparatus with easily found parts. With an understanding of the underlying principles of distillation, many common household vessels can be used to distill essential oils from...