Canarium commune steam distilled from resin in the Philippines.
Aroma: A middle note with a medium aroma, elemi has a spicy, incense-like scent that is soft and somewhat balsamic. Elemi is surprisingly fresh and clean, sometimes compared to a dill pickle with citrus notes.
Description: Closely related to the trees that give us Frankincense and Myrrh, Elemi exudes an exotic, fragrant resin when its leaves are sprouting. This yellow resin, similar to Frankincense and Muhuhu, has a strong woody scent, which solidifies when it comes into contact with the air. Elemi is known locally as pili, and the gum is exported from the Philippines. It has been used as a substitute for Frankincense, which has been used throughout the civilized world since ancient times.
Common uses: Elemi is highly regarded for reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, skin support, and for soothing muscles after exercise. Europe has used Elemi to rejuvenate the skin, common as an ingredient in ointments for hundreds of years!
"The name Elemi is derived from an Arabic phrase meaning 'above and below', an abbreviation of 'As above, so below' and this tells us something about its action on the emotional and spiritual planes." Sometimes called "poor man's frankincense", Elemi oil is said to bring balance to both the spiritual and emotional planes. It is traditionally used to align the chakras and relieves stress to the body. It is used for meditation and to help those who are depleted emotionally.
Main Constituents:
limonene: 58.74%, a-phellandrene 12-18%, elemol 5-10%, p-menth-1-en-8-ol 1.01-5%.
Description / Colour / Consistency: A thin, clear, colourless to pale yellow liquid.
Blends With: Elemi Essential Oil blends well with Clary Sage, Frankincense, Rosemary, Myrrh and Lavender.
Cautions: Dilute before use; for external use only. May cause skin irritation in some individuals; a skin test is recommended prior to use. Contact with the eyes should be avoided. Toxic to cats!
Photo thanks to Wikimedia Commons. "Baumharz resin cherry". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baumharz_resin_cherry.jpg#/media...
