Kathi KevilleThought to have originated in Syria, angelica was one of the few aromatics exported to the Orient. The oil was a common flavoring and apothecary drug, and magical powers were attributed to it as the “root of the Holy Ghost.” The way...
One of the most expensive of the flower oils, this intensely fragrant Mexican flower has found international fame in perfumes such as White Shoulders and Chloe. The Aztecs prized tuberose for medicine. Hawaiian leis are often made with it. The name...
This common herb is found in temperate climates around the world. The blue calming azulene is created during distillation, although some yarrow oils lack azulene and, therefore, the color. Family: Asteraceae (Compositae) Extraction: Distilled from...
This tropical flower, an orchid, is a Mexican native grown in Tahiti, Java and Madagascar. Orchids are considered the most highly evolved flowers, and this is the only one with an edible fruit. When first transplanted in R‚union, vanilla...
Ylang-ylang means “flower of flowers.” The trees, bearing fragrant drooping yellow flowers, are grown for the perfume trade in R‚union. The oil varies greatly because of climatic and botanical differences. The four commercial grades are:...
A common Australian tree-also called by the less poetic name “black wattle”-mimosa is grown in Africa, Europe and warmer sections of the United States. It is used mostly in perfume. Family: Mimosaceae Extraction: Absolute, concrete. The...
The familiar sweet orange comes from Sicily, Israel, Spain and the United States, each offering a slightly different characteristic. Chu-lu, the first monograph describing the various citruses, was written in China in 1178. Extraction: Cold-pressed...
One of the many stories about this plant is that neroli was named after the 16th-century Italian princess of Nerola, who loved its scent. The oil comes from the blossom of the bitter orange, not the sweet orange that produces orange oil. An...
Originally from the Middle East and northeast African, Myrrh has been an important trade item for more than a thousand years. Myrrh still has many medicinal, cosmetic, and emotional benefits.
Because the scent is developed by oxidation, the succulent leaves of this pretty East Indian bush carry little indication of their potential. The leaves are aged before being distilled, which takes up to 24 hours. Even then, the oil is harsh. As it...
