Finally, it's here and curing. Frankincense and Myrrh and with the price of the essential oils, this will only be sold for Christmas, therefore, like the Lilac, and Lily of the Valley, seasonal soap and premium priced.
Before I go into the history of this beautiful scent, I made two versions, one colored with Cocoa swirled and the other plain. I do this with new soaps because sometimes essential oils alone color soap and the essential oil when mixed, produced an amber color, so I was hesitant on if I should add in a brown color. I think the brown swirl works just fine.
Cocoa powder is made from cacao beans and is loaded with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins A and E which repair damage done by free radicals, which are molecules that break down healthy skin cells. Cocoa powder also is anti-inflammatory and improves blood circulation, improves skin elasticity and prevent sagging. I use this powder in a couple different soaps like Cinnamon Oatmeal, Lavender & Patchouli and Sandalwood.
Frankincense & Myrrh is truly a traditional holiday soap and has been used for thousands of years. The mere word of Frankincense is derived from the French word meaning quality incense and has been used for ceremonies, and aromatherapy. Known as olibanum, an oil extracted from the inner bark of the Boswellia Tree which grows in the Middle East and Africa. Since two essential oils are in this soap, I’ll break down the benefits of each.
Frankincense oil has numerous benefits, and I’d be writing for a couple days if I explained each one. So, to keep this article short, I’ll focus on skin and body benefits only and leave you to research all the benefits on your own time. This oil fights acne, eczema, tones skin, reduces wrinkles, helps with arthritis pain and joints, regenerates new and healthy skin cells, reduces redness from dermatitis and destroys bacteria.
Myrrh is the other oil that truly makes Frankincense stand out. Warm, woody and sweet describes this oil and the benefits are equal to Frankincense. Again, used often in aroma therapy, Myrrh is extracted from the resin of the Commiphora Myrrha tree, native to northeast Africa and the Middle East. In biblical text, Myrrh was used as perfume, medicine and incense.
The benefit of this oil is plentiful to say the least. From internal to hair, but also that for skin health which I’ll focus on here. The scent alone aids in improving one's mood, thus uplifting your spirits, is a natural pain relief for sore muscles, heals wounds because of its anti-inflammatory properties, reduces stress, soothes irritated skin and promotes healing, prevents infections and neutralizes free radicals. Again, I am just focusing on the skin treatments, but this oil can be used internally as well.
