With Christmas only a handful of advent calendar windows away and the present buying frenzy in full flow, we trace our thoughts back to the original gift bearers of the season and the precious offerings of old.
From our first nativity play at infant school we are told the story of how the three wise men from the East brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the new born king. Whilst gold remains a symbol of indulgence and treasure, frankincense and myrrh were abandoned alongside the pile of old tea-towels tied to our little heads and left to the story books.
Not within the world of aromatherapy, however. These ancient oils are still considered to hold prized qualities befitting a king and their use in not just aromatherapy, but skincare and fragrance remain as popular today as in days of old.
The word frankincense comes from the term “franc encens,” which means quality incense in old French. It originates from the Middle East and Africa and is one of the most famous of the ‘oleo-resins’, a pale gum that oozes from the bark of the Boswellia shrub.
Ground to a powder the resin has a sweet, warm, balsamic aroma and is a key ingredient in incense. The essential oil is steam distilled from frankincense resin and smells sweeter, cleaner and fresher than the resin.
In ancient times, it was considered a pathway between the earthly and divine worlds and in aromatherapy today, it is used to promote relaxation, bringing inner peace and calm.
Whereas frankincense has become an increasingly popular ingredient in wellbeing, skincare and fragrance products, less is known of its humble sidekick. In fact, myrrh is by no means the poorer cousin of the two.
Myrrh is an essential oil with a wide and interesting history. This modest shrub has appeared in numerous historical records, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Popular throughout ancient Egypt, myrrh was an expensive spice used in an array of cosmetic and medicinal processes, from the embalming of mummies to the preparation of skincare treatments for affluent women.
The Greeks also reveled in myrrh’s cooling and healing properties, using it in fragrance blends and applying it to wounds to help inflammation and prevent infection.
In order to distil the essential oil used today, the bark of the myrrh shrub, also known as Commiphora myrrha, is pierced causing a fragrant gum to seep from its branches. This is steam distilled, creating a wonderfully versatile and beneficial oil.
In modern aromatherapy, myrrh can be used to treat a host of physical and emotional ailments. Applied in a compress, the oil has been known to help draw out infection from a wound. Blended with floral oils or frankincense in a diffuser, myrrh is said to relax the mind, calm the spirit and dissolve negative feelings.
It transpires those wise men of long ago certainly knew how to pick the perfect Christmas present. Luckily, you don’t have to be a king or a wise man nowadays to appreciate the benefits of these precious oils; you don’t even have to wait until Christmas.