7/12/2013 0 Comments Three Rosemary DistillationsFirst of all I am so excited that my roomie just asked me for some Rosemary to take with her on a road trip. She knows [from living with me] that you can put it in your water (for flavor and cell wall strengthening) and spray it on for mental clarity and refreshment! YES! ITS WORKING some people are listening! We went into the lab and I busted out all three of my Rosemary distillates that I have done over the last year and a half. This was great because I had not smelled them side by side before! Starting from the jug on the left in the picture: * Rosemary officinales var. San Francisco - My friend Rabekah gave me a whole long-leaved bushes worth of cuttings in January of 2012. I distilled the flowers and leaves, it came out very camphoraceous yet crisply green, indicating most likely high amounts of Cineol. I have used this in masks for oily skin and drink it in my water for cell wall strengthening. * Rosemary officinales var. Oakland - Over in Oakland at the Henhouse Preservation Society soon to be coolest hair salon / healing zone ever, Celia & I distilled her short-leaved Rosemary bush in March of 2012. It was less camphoraceous then the SF Rosemary distillate, but it was still very camphoraceous with more of a spicy floral back note. It is stellar to clean with, just add 2% Orange essential oil in a 12oz spritzer bottle, fill with Rosemary distillate, and you get what I call FINAL SWIPE, and I spot clean and use it as the final swipe after cleaning surfaces. Clears the grease and the air! Rosemary officinales var. Santa Cruz - Distilled at Amy and David's place in Soquel, CA on Passover 2013 (March 26). Their bush was in full purple flower mode and it was long leaved. It came out so green, floral and citrus-like that it makes me hopeful it is due to the presence of Verbenone. Verbenone is a ketone found in some Rosemary that grows here in Northern California. This distillate is fabulous for skin care, it is found in our Rosemary Verbena Skin Tonic, one of my favorite toners ever made. It is available now!
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7/10/2013 7 Comments Power to the Artemisia!The picture is a leaf from all five Artemisias in my garden at the moment. Starting from the bottom left up then up and over, I humbly introduce to you: * Artemisia absinthum - Most well known due to the fact that it is used in the making of the famed spirit, Absinthe. It contains an aromatic ketone called Thujone that IF OVERUSED can be neurotoxic, it is good to note but you would REALLY have to over do it to intake that much. Note: Thujone is also responsible for the PARASITE killing properties of many Artemisias. * Artemisia douglasiana - NATIVE to NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. It contains Matricin which converts upon distillation into Azulene, which is a beautiful deep blue color, and is a well known Anti-inflammatory agent that is now synthesized and widely used. I am in love with this plant right now. * Artemisia ludoviciana + douglasiana + sukdorfii = SILVER SURFER. I distilled it's leaves in the practice still to see if it would be blue but it was not the right time or plant part. The scent was fresh green, herbaceous, and fruity/floral. It is about to flower, perhaps I shall repeat my experiment! * Artemisia arborescens - Jeanne Rose has a huge bush of this in her backyard, and we have distilled it in her distillation classes she teaches in June. It came out a brilliant blue (also due to Azulene) and intensely herbaceous to smell. It has been indicated for use on skin cancers and is a very special potent medicine. This was recently planted and it is expanding already! * Artemisia ?? - This plant was already in the yard when I moved in. The leaves are a different color and thinner than the Artemisia arborescens or the absinthum. Let us know if you know what it is (bottom right of picture). Artemisia ludoviciana var. Nutt is the one I want to grow for distillation, it is native of northern California and the essential oil is more anti-inflammatory then Roman Chamomile!! It can be found currently in our Honey Creme Cleanser, and is often used in treatments and skin detoxes. It is definitely always in my back bar and within close reach at home. |