Prima Fleur Essential Oil: MYRRH

Myrrh is a resin extract, and one of the most ancient extracts used in medicine, ritual, ceremony, and sacrament, dating back as far as 4500 B.C.E. The Egyptians used this precious oil for embalming the dead as well as for beautifying practices. One of the Twelve Oils of Ancient Scripture, myrrh is mentioned in the Bible dozens of times, most often as a gift or the base oil in ointments and salves. In fact, it was so commonly used during the time of Christ that the Greek word for “ointment” and the Greek word for “myrrh” were the same: muron. It is known that Chinese, Egyptian, and Indian herbalists used myrrh as an inhalant and for religious sacrament more than 4,000 years ago. Today, myrrh is still considered special and is used in meditation, massage, and perfumery.

Our Myrrh Essential Oil [Prima Fleur, No. 196] is from Ethiopia obtained from “tears” of resin exuding from incisions made in the bark of a small tree of the Burseraceae family that is native to Yemen, Somalia and eastern parts of Ethiopia.  It is extracted by supercritical fluid extraction with natural carbon dioxide. It takes 11 to 16 kilos of raw material to yield 1 kilo of product. When soil, elevation, temperature, and rainfall conditions are conducive, testing the viscosity and stickiness of freshly exposed sap predicts the resulting resin’s quality.

 

In perfumery, myrrh is a rich deep base note adding dry, woody, balsamic properties. It is also a fixative, and extends the scent qualities of any other oils with which it is combined. Myrrh has been used to treat many conditions and is said to strengthen the immune system, fight viruses and bacterial infections, and act as an anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal. Skilled herbalists, Ayurvedic practitioners, and Chinese doctors use Myrrh for winter-related conditions, including cracked skin, colds, coughs, sore throats, and chest infections as Myrrh is soothing, drying, and restorative. 

 

Myrrh is best blended with lavender, frankincense, sandalwood, geranium, sage and citrus oils. It is an excellent base in exotic, spicy blends with evergreens, patchouli, spice oils, and heavy florals. 

 

For more information on how to order from our Premier Product line, please visit our website. For questions, or to explore custom development with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact sales@primafleur.com  or call (415) 455-0957.
 

Prima Fleur Essential Oil: VETIVER

Native to South India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, vetiver is of the Poacceae family that includes grasses and plants characterized by their elegant underground root systems. The two-year wait time for the roots to mature,  plus the arduous work of planting, pulling up the roots by hand, and washing, cleaning, parsing, and drying them before the steam distillation procedure can even begin is testament to vetiver essential oil’s value. Our Vetiveria zizanioides ~ Prima Fleur Vetiver Essential Oil [No. 218] ~ is from Java, where the plant is called akar wangi, meaning “fragrant root.” Good quality, mature dried Javanese vetiver root yields from 1.5 to 2% essential oil. Oils derived from older roots have higher specific gravities and optical rotations than younger roots and produce a richer and fuller quality of oil.  

Adaptable and sturdy, the vetiver plant is widely used to make fragrant blinds, shielding the sun’s rays and infusing homes with earthy notes. Fans formed from the roots and embellished with embroidery are dipped in water and wafted in front of the face to provide blissful relief from Southern Asia’s heat. For more substantial needs, the plant can be used as material to make thatched huts and floor mats. Vetiver also provides excellent protection from soil erosion. 

Yet the true treasure of this tufted grass is the essential oil derived from the root. In folklore, vetiver oil is used to increase financial abundance. In more common ritual, inhaling the oil is said to protect the body from menacing energies, including physical illness. Vetiver is employed in massage and aromatherapy for its grounding influence, to calm the central nervous system of one who feels “uprooted.” When used by a skilled practitioner, vetiver can be prescribed to increase blood flow and reduce muscle pain. Vetiver essential oil acts as a moisturizing humectant for dry, irritated skin and is found in cosmetics, soaps, and natural perfumes as a fixative. 

The main constituents of vetiver essential oil are vetiverone (bitter earthiness), vetiverol (sweet woody odor), and zizanol, an insect repellent. The oil blends well with lemongrass, grapefruit, evergreens, frankincense, myrrh, rose, and sandalwood, and is used primarily as a base note with tenacity and a richly distinctive masculinity.

For information on our Premier Products and pricing, please visit our website. For questions and to explore custom development with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact sales@primafleur.com or call (415) 455-0957.

 

 

Prima Fleur Absolute: WHITE LOTUS

Our White Lotus essential oil (Nelumbo nucifera) No. 373 is solvent-extracted from flowers in India. Deeply floral, woody and spicy with a red color, this pure and delicious ingredient can be used in your natural botanical perfumes and body blends.

Throughout many cultures over time, the white lotus has been a powerful image and a spiritual symbol, and in some eastern religions it is considered a sacred flower. Medicinal properties include astringent, antiseptic, and aphrodisiac.

For more information on products and ingredient lists, please visit our website. To place an order, please call (415) 455-0957.

Prima Fleur Essential Oil: JUNIPER BERRY

Juniper berry essential oil is an expectorant and antiseptic. This evergreen essential oil from the Juniperus communis can be used externally to treat rheumatism. Prima Fleur Essential Oil No. 137 from France is sweet and fruity, No. 220 from Croatia is woody and resourceful.

This essential oil is an ingredient in Prima Fleur Lymphatic Detoxifying Seaweed Gel for Wraps and Massage [No. 1041] - this mineral-rich gel from the sea is packed with potential herbal extracts that penetrate deeply to hydrate, soften and provide nutrition to the skin.

For information on our Premier Products and pricing, please visit our website. For questions and to explore custom development with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact sales@primafleur.com or call (415) 455-0957.

Prima Fleur Essential Oil: CANDEIA

Candeia Essential Oil [Prima Fleur No. 368] is from the bark of a Brazilian tree. The bark produces a clear oil containing over 95% alpha-bisabolol, a component that has long been used in medicine to fight inflammation, and is well known for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-viral properties.

In cosmetics, a-bisabolol is present in many products due to its soothing properties. For the natural perfumer, the soft floral, fruity, woody aroma with a slow dry-down would be a good bridge or binder note.

For information on our Premier Products and pricing, please visit our website. For questions and to explore custom development with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact sales@primafleur.com or call (415) 455-0957.

 

Prima Fleur CO2 Extract: ORRIS ROOT

Orris root (Iris germanica) is the aged and dried rhizome of the cherished iris flower. Named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods, Iris. The flower bursts to life each spring from the rhizome in a variety of vibrant hues, including yellow, salmon-pink, white, and the deep violet-blue so perfectly depicted in Vincent Van Gogh’s stunning painting, Irises (1889).

To the French, the three petals of the flower symbolize faith, wisdom and valor. The flower itself is often used symbolically in ceremony. This “eye of heaven,” as it has been called, is a wonder of nature appreciated for its beauty, exquisiteness, and fragrance.

 

The sweet scent of iris flowers is indeed heavenly, but it is the root where we find the luscious scent of violets and woods that characterize the extract called Orris root. The rhizome (root) contains the highest concentration of the desired irones compounds. Though the flower petals reach the height of their beauty by the second year, the roots must age for two to three years before they reach full maturity. During this time, the slow oxidation of triterpenoid creates the active ingredients and odorants.

In the final year, the plant can grow as tall as a person. It is necessary for the ground to be carefully weeded and maintained throughout this period. Often,  whole families assume this task and, when the plant has arrived at maturity, they tend to the long, labor-intensive pulling, cutting and drying process.

 

Prima Fleur's Orris Root Extract [No. 244] is of the Iris germanica variety, and is used for perfumery, and for food and flavoring. This variety of sword lily iris is also known as “Orris of Verona” whose flowers are deep violet-blue. Plant material, mainly from Morocco, is processed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, yielding 1 kilo of extract from around 34 kilos of raw material.

 

Although orris may have been used medicinally at one time, its chief uses are in perfumery, soap making, and to flavor liquors, from vermouth to gin. While the Iris pallida of Italy and China has direct floral and green notes, the Iris germanica boasts fruitier, richer, strong berry notes suited for these multiple industries. The distinctive violet-like odor is the definition of luxury and of an era of romantic indulgence. Orris root blends well with florals of neroli, rose, and geranium, as well as green notes of violet leaf and galbanum.

 

For more information on how to order from our Premier Product line, please visit our website. For questions, or to explore custom development with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact sales@primafleur.com  or call (415) 455-0957.