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 yields a superb essential oil.
Frankincense essential oil is no more anti-cancer than many other essential oils. Frankincense resin, however, contains Boswellic acids which show broad anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity in the laboratory and have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
Labdanum, like many other resins, acts as a perming agent and when applied to the hair will set it and keep it in the desired style long after the resin is gone.
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 my “Magical Couscousiere” still, and recorded the process step by step. I named it the […]
Visually and aromatically similar to Boswellia or Frankincense neglecta and often mixed in with it, Commiphora confusa stands out as a unique aromatic material deserving a market of its own.
While we fashion our tools and equipment by mimicking Nature’s processes and rhythms, the art and artistry of a thing is drawn from within us, independent of the tools we work with.
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 much lazy as I seem […]
I have Civet farmers and exporters ready to move forward with this project. What we need now is participation from the West to take it to the next level.
Though all essential oils have therapeutic properties, you will not harness the full therapeutic potential of Frankincense unless you work with the whole oleo gum resin or the oleoresin portion.
The act is completed with a kiss of fingers as the flower is pressed firmly to ensure full contact and fertilization. Flowers must be pollinated within 12 hours of opening so there is an underlying sense of urgency to the act.
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 aromatic plant material. The Moroccan “Couscousierre” is likely my favourite kitchen pot to work with […]
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