Description
Bushman’s Candle lip Balm. Made with Sarcocaulon Mossemedes bark, No added colours, fragrances or preservatives.
Simple is often best and with only 3 ingredients, the Bushman’s Candle Wax really shines. The Amber scent of the wax blends perfectly with the sweet tones of the unrefined Ontario Beeswax and creates a beautiful natural scent.
Sarcocaulon Mossemedense is a flowering succulent shrub of the Geranium family that thrives in the hot, harsh and dry Namib desert. The soft interior of the plant is preserved and protected by a thick waxy, resinous bark which endures on the parched desert floor for many years after the plant’s demise and can be utilized in various skin-care products, especially those that preserve and protect the skin.
The fallen bark is collected by members of the Himba tribe and most often processed into a resin extract for the perfume industry. Collecting the fallen bark provides an extra income to members of the tribe.
However, besides the aromatic resinous material, there is a natural wax present in the bark which is discarded as waste after removing the resin portion.
Utilizing this fragrant wax is a simple process and if a market can be created for it, this value-added product could generate extra income for the tribe.
This amber scented wax is perfect for cosmetics, candles moustache waxes and therapeutic skin healing formulas.
Both the wax and the resin extract can be prepared from the same material, doubling its usefulness and value as a sustainably collected harvest.
I have described the formulas and processes for producing both products below.
Bushman’s candle resin extract and wax share a beautiful Amber scent that is rich, sweet, warm, woody and tenacious.
It is fairly easy to extract 2 separate products from the raw bark, the alcohol extract for perfume and incense and a wax which can be used in candles and cosmetic/therapeutic preparations.
HOW TO PREPARE A 25% EXTRACT OF BUSHMAN’S CANDLE
-Coarsely grind 100 grams of Bushman’s Candle bark.
-In a sealed glass vessel, cover with 300 grams 94% to 96% Ethanol.
-Let sit in a warmish, (30 degrees Centigrade), place for 6 weeks, stirring or shaking periodically.
-Filter through a paper coffee filter and bottle in hermetic glass bottles.
-A 50% extract can be made in the same manner but with 100 grams alcohol instead of 300 grams.
-A resin extract or absolute can be prepared by evaporating the alcohol from either extract at room temperature.
HOW TO EXTRACT THE WAX FROM BUSHMAN’S CANDLE
-Collect the spent material left over after the resin extract of Bushman’s Candle.
-Dry thoroughly.
-When the material is bone dry place in a glass vessel and cover with an equal weight of Fractionated Coconut oil or a carrier oil of your choice.
-Place in a water-bath and bring the bath to a boil.
-Maintain the temperature of the bath for 2 hours.
-Filter the material hot, through a metal mesh coffee filter or through paper in a vacuum filter.
If you would like to make your own resinoid and wax extractions of Sarcocaulon mossemedense, you can find the unprocessed bark in the shop here-https://www.etsy.com/listing/671100242/bushmans-candle-a-unique-aromatic-from
Dan
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