Amber Organic Aroma Balm This aromatherapy balm is not made from the fossilized tree resin from 45 million years ago, because that amber is rare, limited in supply, and has very little aroma due to the fact that over the millions of years most of the aromatic components have dispersed. So, whilst there is an oil made from fossilized amber, this balm is not it.

Most popular perfumes that are sold under the name of Amber in places such as Morocco and India are actually based on a combination of Benzoin tree resin, Labdanum and Vanilla Absolute or Oleoresin.

After months of experiments, I am excited to finally have a Nature Deva version of AMBER. This balm is recommended for those who feel like they need some sweet earthy comfort and grounding. This organic aroma balm makes me want to snuggle into it, and it feels like it gives some insulation and protection from the outside world. Let’s look at the ingredients.

Cistus Labdanum can be found all over the Mediterranean coast. The Rockrose (Cistus ladaniferus) is a typical plant from the Mediterranean basin that can reach 2 meters in height, has long stems that have bright green leaves. The flowers pictured above, don’t actually produce the aroma, instead it comes from the leaves and stems of these bushes.

It is a fast-growing plant that in its youth has a greater abundance of the sticky substance in its leaves called Labdanum. This particular species of cistus is remarkable for the gum it produces in the summer which has been used in perfumery for over 3000 years. Up until the 1920’s the gum was collected directly from the plant and made into balls or bars. Originally it was collected by the shepherds from Crete or Cyprus from the fleece of goats covered in gum by wandering in the cistus fields.

Later on, the gum was collected by whipping the twigs with a large rake called a Ladanisterion, which was made of strips of leather from which the gum was scrapped with a knife.

The aroma of Labdanum is balsam like, with woody, earthy, smoky, and even marshy undertones. Some even describe it as ambergris-like, or leathery and honeylike with hints of plum or oakmoss after a rain. To me it has a sweet yet slightly animalistic aroma, I can almost smell the goats that grazed amongst the cistus fields for thousands of years getting covered in the resin from the leaves and branches, and in turn infusing some of their goaty smell into the rock rose bushes.

Benzoin Resin Oil is derived from the bark of the Styrax Benzoin tree. This large tree’s fragrant exudation, benzoin gum, is what is harvested. Production of this resin is artificially stimulated by making incisions in the trunk of a mature tree. Several incisions are made on the same tree; a tree can produce for two to three years. The incision in the bark is in the shape of a “V” or a rectangle, so that the precious resin accumulates between the flap of bark and the trunk. Benzoin flows down the trunk in brittle, white tears a few weeks after the initial tapping. The year’s one harvest takes place in January and February. The benzoin tears are then cleaned and sorted by size and color to be given different grades. This fresh resin is then ready to use.

This sweet, warm, and resinous aroma has luscious notes of vanilla, wood, and subtly spicy undertones. It’s hugely popular in the perfume-making industry, due to its sweet aroma, as well as its ability to act as an effective scent fixative.

Resinous oils like benzoin have emotionally balancing and calming properties. It has a warm and welcoming aroma when blended into solid perfume. Due to its warm, creamy fragrance and cheering characteristics, benzoin is comforting if you feel anxious, stressed, tense, worried or lonely. The Austrian Biochemist Madame Maury summed up the comforting action benzoin has on the emotional system when she wrote ‘This essence creates a kind of euphoria; it interposes a padded zone between us and events.

Vanilla Beans are one of the world’s favourite flavor ingredients, but it is also a very popular aroma. Our organic Vanilla Pure Oleoresin is obtained from Vanilla planifolia, an orchid which is native to the countries of Mexico, Madagascar and Tahiti. The pods are usually hand pollinated, and then once the pods of this orchid become ripe and cured, they will then extract the absolute. This is different from the flavor extracts you buy from the supermarket, which usually contain glycerin which sweetens the taste and alcohol. Vanilla Oleoresin has all the potency of true vanilla without the artificially sweet high note found in extracts and synthetically produced vanillin.

Combined in this balm the vanilla notes ease nervous tension, frustration and irritation, promote restful sleep and induce relaxation. Its nostalgic scent promotes self-confidence, sensuality and restful dreams.

Other ingredients in this balm include *Jojoba Oil, *Cocoa Butter, *Beeswax, *Carnauba (Plant Wax) & Natural Vitamin E.

* Denotes Organic

To use

Apply to pulse points as needed.

Please be aware that resins don’t easily blend into waxes, butters and oils, unless you use alcohol to dissolve them. This balm is alcohol free so please note that temperature changes may alter the texture of this balm, but once you rub it into your skin, and it reaches body temperature any irregularities in the texture will smoothe out.

Most commercial perfumes are alcohol based, (and full of artificial synthetic ingredients) because alcohol disperses the ingredients quickly into the atmosphere, advertising the smell of the perfume to everyone around them. Alcohol isn’t my favourite aroma, think hand sanitiser and I find it drying on the skin which is why I prefer the more natural, life giving oils, butters and waxes of my organic balms.

Nature Deva’s balms are more for the wearer to enjoy. We absorb the balms ingredients through the skin and into the blood stream, which gives us both a mind and body aromatherapy treatment. Inhaling natural and safe ingredients directly through the nose enables instant therapy, as essential oils cross the blood brain barrier and reach straight into our brain via our olfactory bulb thus stimulating our memory, pituitary glands, hormones and cognitive function very quickly. The application of the balm to the skin is a slower way to take the aroma ingredients into the body and soul. See the introduction to perfume balms for more information.

Enjoy!