Our unique distiller specializes in the hydro-distillation of the fresh oleo-gum resins of Frankincense. This is very rare to have frankincense essential oil distilled with material from the fresh harvest – this creates a rich frankincense with a wide range of incredible top notes and heart notes.
“And so he would now study perfumes and the secrets of their manufacture, distilling heavily scented oils and burning odorous gums from the East. He saw that there was no mood of the mind that had not its counterpart in the sensuous life, and set himself to discover their true relations, wondering what there was in frankincense that made one mystical…” - Oscar Wilde, Picture of Dorian Grey
“Frankincense strengthens the wit and understanding” - Avicenna
Liquid pearls from the tree of life, frankincense essential oil, Boswellia carterii, are from the sap of the frankincense tree. The resin forms droplets known as 'tears' or 'pearls', our frankincense has a fresh top note with an ancient deep, warm, rich balsamic undertone. Our frankincense essential oil comes from Somaliland where the highest quality of gums whose origins lie in the most ancient plantations rooted in antiquity: the Dhallo valley, heart of frankincense country. Our distiller describes his first visit to the ancient grove: “I was standing on the edge of the escarpment over-looking the Gulf coastline and the ancient groves of frankincense trees, Boswellia carterii. As we ascended the pass we entered into the ancient groves of frankincense trees that had been owned and harvested tribally for millennia. Thousands, of the carterii variety with their bulbous-based trunks grow out of solid conglomerates. With their flaking and thick stems, I thought I was he standing in a perfumed garden of delights and that it was probably the very garden-grove that yielded the gum that became a gift of the Magi for the baby Jesus”.
Our unique distiller specializes in the hydro-distillation of the fresh oleo-gum resins of Frankincense. This is very rare to have frankincense distilled with material from the fresh harvest – this creates a rich frankincense with a wide range of incredible top notes and heart notes.
Frankincense essential oil is a fortifying tonic that been used reverently for thousands of years for medicinal, religious, ceremonial purposes, and in ablutions to beautify the body. Cross-culturally and trans-historically the aroma of frankincense is “Life” and different cultures have mixed frankincense with oil to anoint new-borns and people considered to be moving into new phases of their spiritual lives have anointed their pineal glands. Frankincense oil has the power to uplift awareness by freeing the nerves from excessive tension, allowing us to focus on our deep connection to life. Frankincense deepens and revitalizes mental perception, the breath perfecting prayer, meditation and yoga. Add 4-6 drops of Frankincense essential oil to your diffuser to be used during meditation. Ancient Egypt used Frankincense in rejuvenating masks, cosmetics and perfume. In skin care, frankincense oil reveals its balsamic nature through its miraculous wound healing properties for scars, wounds and wrinkles. Astringent and anti-inflammatory, it is traditionally used to treat scar tissue and skin ulcers, and nourishes dry and prematurely aging skin. Excellent immunostimulant properties; anti-depressant, euphoric qualities are used in aromatherapy to treat anxiety & nervous tension. Apply externally to the affected area for joint conditions. For immune support, massage into the tops of the feet and lymph-node areas dilute with jojoba or Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever.
Frankincense essential oil has traditionally used as an anti-asthmatic, strengthening the immune system (immunostimulant). It has been found to have anti-c effects. Frankincense contains boswellic acids, which may be helpful in arthritic conditions where inflammation is indicated, asthma, depression. Active ingredients of frankincense have been reported in recent science journals to be sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpenes, diterpenes and boswellic acids. Frankincense has been noted as a potent immunostimulant and anti-c. Agent in a variety of scientific studies, the essential oil has been shown to stimulate lymphocyte transformation. It has also been shown to be tumoricidal, and helpful for asthma. Compounds of frankincense have been found to exhibit in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and immunomodualtory properties.
Frankincense has been used to support oral health for thousands of years in Middle Eastern areas. It is common for Arabian people to place the resin in their mouths and chew it to strengthen teeth and gums. Known for its antimicrobial properties, it is also used to assist with infection of the teeth and gums.
Asthma: Similar to arthritis, asthma is an inflammatory-caused illness. A 2006 paper from the University of Tuebingen, Germany indicates that boswellic acid, an active component of frankincense, has shown to act as an anti-inflammatory agent in preliminary studies. The paper further states that boswellic acid inhibits 5-lipoxygenase as well as cytokines and thus promising for treatment of asthma without the side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Blends beautifully with: cape chamomile rose otto, grapefruit, Greenland moss, Douglas fir, myrrh, Palo Santo, cedar, black spruce, cardamom, ylang and sandalwood.
"Frankincense oil is a mobile liquid, pale yellow or pale amber-greenish in color. Its odor is strongly diffusive, fresh terpeney, almost green-lemon-like or reminiscent of green, unripe apples (peel) but not terebinthinate. A certain pepperiness is mellowed with a rich, sweet-woody, balsamic undertone. Depending on the method of distillation of the oil (time, vapor pressure, etc) the odor is more or less tenacious with an almost citrus-like, ambre-like, balsamic dryout note. Frankincense oil is used in fine perfumery… It gives delightful effects in citrus colognes where it modifies the sweetness of bergamot and orange oils. A similar effect is obtained in rather difficult "fresh" perfume notes such as verbena, citrus, etc where Frankincense and citral form useful bases for further modifying work. Frankincense in itself is a base for all "incense" or "Frankincense" type perfumes and specialties, and it is an important ingredient in many spice-bases, ambres, "powder type perfumes, floral perfumes, citrus colognes, spice blends, violet perfumes, "men's" fragrances…” - Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin
The Ethics of Unadorned Essentials
If you have enjoyed the sweet aroma of the rose, the invigorating scent of peppermint, or the verdancy of coriander, then you know essential oils.
Essential oils are a liquid concentrate of the unadorned aromatic molecules of a plant. These oils have the distinctive aroma and flavor of the plant of origin. This nourishing liquid enthusiastically absorbs through the membrane of our skin to bless mood, mind, and body. Sincere, generous, and immeasurable plant life!
Purity
All Libations' botanicals are authentic and pure and distilled only from the named plant matter. We call our essential oils Hi-Fi oils due to the distillers' faithful and accurate adherence to the master plant. All of our Hi-Fi oils are distilled from either wild crafted or organically grown plants. Our wild crafted plant matter is collected from the plants' natural habitat in lieu of a farm. We avoid offering botanicals from rare or threatened species of plants growing in the wild to discourage their disruption and disappearance. Our organic oils originate from plants cultivated without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides.
To amplify the potency of the aromatic essence in the plant being distilled, our harvesters gather the part of the plant needed for the oil at the ideal time of day for each plant. An ancient and artful distillation method further ensures that the maximum amount of compounds and trace elements are captured in every drop. Most of our oils are distilled with nothing more than pure water.
Our ‘absolute’ oils are a unique type of extraction used required by a few plants that that need a solvent to liberate the aromatic molecules from the plant’s cellulose. The solvent is cleanly removed after distillation.
Singles, Carriers and DIY Advice
Some people prefer to blend their own botanicals, and we offer single note essences and carrier oils to empower creative mixing. We are happy to offer good-mixing tips and encourage wise experimentation. Most of our Libation bottles and lids can easily be washed and reused to contain your own creations before they are recycled.
Better than Good: Libations’ Manufacturing Quality Assurance
The FDA maintains a quality assurance recommendations check-list for the food, drug, and cosmetics industries called the Good Manufacturing Practice. The GMP check-list includes guidance on all areas of business: record keeping and controls, manufacturing facility suitability, equipment appropriateness, personnel and training, processing standards, laboratory hygiene, the storage and handling of products and ingredients, and customer service administration. Participation in the GMP is voluntary, and Living Libations adheres to its industry recommendations and our quality control exceeds the recommendations.
Living Libations' Legitimate Labeling
We practice legitimate labeling, and we put the ingredients list right on the front of the bottle as an invitation to be read. We make each formula with care and attention, and we want Libations lovers to easily find and understand what is in each product.
Free from artificial and synthetic colors, preservatives, fragrances, and petrochemicals, every component of a Libation is an active ingredient. We preserve purity, space, and resources by offering full potency products without fillers or diluters. Our essential oils and supercritical extracts are highly concentrated, and with some of our botanicals, a whole plant is required to create a single drop of oil.
As a family and as the creators of Libations, we are totally gluten free. All Libations are gluten-free. Oat straw (Avena sativa) is also known as milky oats. Our certified gluten-free oat straw is an herbal infusion of the green, unripe stem or straw of the oat plant, and the seeds, which are the cereal grain, are not included in the infusion.
Our Libations creations are as raw as possible. All of our fatty oils are cold pressed and completely unheated. There is no such thing as a raw essential oil because they are produced by steam distilling plant matter. Libations’ oils are produced using a long and slow distillation at the lowest temperature possible.
Discern What's Real
All essential oils are not equal. Due diligence is needed if you want only really pure and authentic botanical oils. Many distributers and marketers use terms such as “Grade A,” “therapeutic grade,” and “aroma-therapeutic grade” to describe their oils. Yet, these are words without meaning. No organization, association, or commission monitors the purity or quality of essential oils, and there is no universal essential oil grading system in place. Be aware.
Each essential oil has specific components that make it distinctive and authentic, and there are published standards defining these profiles. Various countries, including the US, have published pharmacopoeias that outline exacting chemical and physical standards for hundreds of botanical oils. There is also a universal standard for most botanicals maintained by the International Standards Organization (ISO).
The ISO and the pharmacopoeias are not regulating bodies or purity-police. No one holds distillers or distributers to the published standards or monitors for quality. It is very important to know your source.
Global Responsibility is a popular marketing trend and for this we are deeply grateful. Living Libations' rigorous standard of purity honors the health and preservation of forests, lakes and rivers, farms, the people who cultivate and distill for us, our families, our neighbors, and our clients.
For over 20 years we have nurtured personal relationships with artisan distillers and family farmers around the globe so that we may secure authentic oils and extracts that are purely and fairly produced. Many of the highest quality plants and flowers used in plant oils are indigenous to the developing world, and the people native to those regions learned from their families the ancient craft of distillation. We can track the source of our oils from the plant growing in the field to the oil arriving on our doorway. It is our pleasure to observe fair trade practices so that our skilled farmers, harvesters, and distillers are safe and earn a fair wage for their labor and goods.
Essential oil yields vary from year to year depending on weather patterns, plant growth and health, and even political stability in some regions. As with wine, some years are just better than others. All of these factors influence the availability and the price of the botanicals we use.
Animal Attraction
Almost all Libations are vegan. There are a few products that include ethically harvested and produced beeswax: the lip glosses and balms, the perfume balms, Maidenfern Blushing Balm, and Jai Baby Balm. Sundew Transdermal Vitamin D Crème contains vitamin D from lanolin, which occurs naturally on the wool of woolly animals, such as sheep.
Animal Testing is and always has been a non-issue for Libations creations. Botanical oils have blessed and benefited humans for all of recorded history, and this is copious proof of their safety and effectiveness.
Our Living Ethic of Nature, Beauty, and Being
Beauty is everyone’s birthright as a blessing of nature. It is the effervescent insignia of the divinity in our souls. Beauty endures with time. It cannot be pursued, purchased, or put on. Tending to Beauty is simple; step into it and liberate it from vogue inclinations, marketing madness, and artificial facades.
Every Libations creation presents itself to reignite one’s being. Our creations kaleidoscope nature’s essence from a web wider than wonder and invite the cosmic intelligence of botanicals into an outpouring of delight.
Our Libations proclaim, "Let light pour through the door of every parched and perked pore. Engage with the pure plant poetry that sparks your cellular effervescence.
Revivified, our cells dance diamonds on a sunlit lake.
Attentive awareness grew our creations, mixed with a dash of play! Libations is here to enchant: to enhance the ambiance, to flora the aura, and to mist, bathe, infuse, diffuse, amuse, and shower sweet-selves with blessings bestowed from rhythms of nature. Nature knows divine.
