Prima Fleur Essential Oil: SPIKENARD

Spikenard is a deep dark oil both in color and depth; an aromatic rhizome. The botanical name has its roots in the Hindu word “jatamansi” which means: lock of hair. Its use goes back in several cultures and religions. Medicinally, it is part of the Ayurveda, and is considered to calm the nerves and promote awareness and strengthen the mind. 

Spikenard is a perennial herb of the valerian family native to the Himalayan region around Nepal and Bhutan. Also called Indian root or wild licorice, spikenard is a very warm and wet herb that lifts the spirits and clears the airways. The balsamifarus smell is an immediate indicator that it helps the lungs. It is anti-inflammatory, astringent, anti-spasmodic, antiseptic, expectorant, carminative, antibiotic, and anti-sclerotic. 

Our wonderfully intense Spikenard Essential Oil is used in skin and body care products to rejuvenate the skin. We offer Prima Fleur No. 390 from the cultivated root in Tibet, or Prima Fleur No. 392 from Nepal.

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: 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 Blend: SOLALEVA

An exclusive blend of palmarosa, lavender, sandalwood, bisabolol, geranium, neroli, roman chamomile, sarsaparilla ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6059.

Ingredients in bold are certified organic. For information on our Premier Products and pricing, please visit our website. For questions and to explore custom formulation with exquisite botanicals from our extensive library of raw materials, please contact:  sales@primafleur.com ~ or call (415) 455-0957.

 

Prima Fleur Essential Oil Blend: REJUVENATION

An exclusive blend of neroli, rose, and lavender developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6038.

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.

 

CO2 Extraction: A Primer

Carbon dioxide, which gives sparkling water its bubbles, is also used in extracting volatile compounds ~ antioxidants, essential oils, and fatty oils ~ from plants. The process is known as supercritical CO₂ extraction. Because this process subjects raw materials to high pressure instead of high temperatures, these extracts more closely resemble the original plant material in smell, taste, and constituents, lending the resulting oils the plant’s properties, including in some cases antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits. The sophistication of the supercritical extraction process means that extracts can be standardized for quality. The process is gentle and leaves no chemical solvent residues. Produced without oxygen, the resulting extracts are also sterile and need no preservation.
CO₂ extracts are categorized in two ways, as “select” and “total”:

• Extracted at lower pressures, Select extracts contain only the volatile compounds that are CO₂ soluble. Waxes, resins, and compounds that lend color remain in the plant material. Selects are often thick but pourable, with an appearance similar to steam-distilled essential oils, though some of the volatile compounds they contain will not be found in a steam-distilled version of the oil.
• A Total CO₂ extract, on the other hand, does contain both volatile and non-volatile CO₂ soluble compounds. This means total extracts tend to be thick like paste, though they will solubilize in vegetable oils with little or no warming necessary. More similar to the plant themselves, totals are extracted at higher pressure and include some of the plant waxes and resins.

by Marianne Griffeth ©2013

Prima Fleur Essential Oil Blend: PURIFYING

An exclusive blend of cypress, ylang ylang, and lavender ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6032.

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 Blend: SENSITIVE

An exclusive blend of Rosa damascena, ylang ylang, lavender, spikenard essential oils ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6031.

Ingredients in bold are certified organic. 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 Blend: FLEUR DE L'ORANGE

An exclusive certified-organic blend of neroli, lemon myrtle, pink grapefruit, orange ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6079.

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 Blend: DEEP PORE

An exclusive blend of myrtle, lavender, and carrot seed ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6030.

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 Blend: BESO DEL LUNA

An exclusive blend of geranium, lavender, tanancetum annum, and sandalwood ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6081.

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 Blend: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

An exclusive blend of blue chamomile, calendula, rose, and sandalwood ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6049.

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 Blend: ANTI-ACNE

An exclusive blend of tea tree, niaouli, lavender, and blue chamomile ~ developed specifically for use in skin care. Only from Prima Fleur, No. 6043.

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: PATCHOULI

Sourced from Sumatra, the scent of Prima Fleur Patchouli Essential Oil [No. 173] is said to help relieve depression and anxiety. The oil has diuretic properties and helps diminish the appearance of cellulite, strengthening the supporting cellular network of the skin. By stimulating the regeneration of skin cells, it is useful to speed up healing and prevent ugly scars from forming when wounds heal.

Patchouli essential oil could be added to Prima Fleur Premier Products like our unscented Nourishing Body Emulsion [No. 1001], Shea Butter Body Lotion [No. 1061], and our Cleansing & Softening Bath Soak Powder [No. 1103], among many others!

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.