Mexican Copal Powder

Imported powders can often contain adulterants, fillers and unsellable sifting from the bottom of the bags. Often the retailers we buy them from have no idea what their powders contain and simply assume the powder is fresh and pure. For this reason, I have started making my own powders from the highest quality material I have in the shop. These are the powders I use to make my tinctures, extracts, absolutes and skincare products and I am happy to share them with my customers. There is no doubt they are more expensive than the run-of-the-mill powders found in one's local herb shop, but, the difference in quality is unmistakable.

Mexican Copal is a golden-coloured, translucent, semi-fossilized resin. It is extremely hard, fractures like flint or Obsidian, and has no scent until it is burned. It is collected sustainably, and dug up from the ground where it fell eons ago.

Mexican Copal Powder creates a sweet, soft and thick cleansing smoke on the coal. it makes wonderful incense on its own or blended with other aromatics.

Collected from the ground beneath ancient groves of Hymenea courbaril trees along riverbanks in southern Mexico.

This is a fallen resin that has accumulated for thousands of years under the trees. No trees were tapped or harmed in any way to yield this product.

Mexican Copal has a gorgeous golden colour dusted with a white bloom, this resin breaks like obsidian or glass to reveal a crystal-clear transparent interior. A window into the past.

Mexican Copal Powder makes a beautiful incense with a thick, dry woody scent wrapped in a sweet, light, Vanilla Amber glow. it reminds me somewhat of a gently flavoured Vanilla confection. It acts as a perfect backdrop for a pinch of Frankincense powder or a drop of your favourite essential oil. The powder is perfect for loose incense, cones, sticks and pastilles. It seems to blend well with most other aromatics.

The smoke of Mexican Copal is thick, soft and easy on the lungs. I find it very grounding and seems to cleanse not only the aura but the entire room.
It dissolves completely on the charcoal and has no charred afternote as some types of Frankincense and Myrrh.

Because of its hardness and clarity, it is an excellent material for making high-grade, durable lacquers and varnishes. It dissolves in pure alcohol and Turpentine.

The word Copal truly is generic. It is used in Central and South America to describe incense. Of any type. Thus we will find resins from very different species, with very different physical and aromatic traits, all referred to locally as Copal.

The other use of the word Copal is the reference to any hard, pure resin devoid of gum and essential oil that can be dissolved in a solvent such as alcohol or turpentine to produce a hard protective coating such as varnishes, lacquers and other industrial finishes.

Dan

Materials: oleoresin, Copal, Hymenea Coubari, Gold Copal.