If I could bring only one skin care product with me on a winter retreat, you would find me in a pretty serene state with this little jar of pure comfort in my luggage. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to winter must-haves: it's rich in essential nutrients and antioxidants for dry winter skin, and has a high concentration of unrefined shea butter to protect against the ravages of chill winds and heated environments. To top it all off, it has a beautiful warming fragrance that will lift your mood on a cold, overcast day. But the fragrance may be doing more than simply lifting your spirits.
Frankincense has been around a long time for a good reason
We are quietly unsurprised that so many of our customers have fallen in love with this product for its fragrance alone. The certified organic frankincense essential oil we add to this cream is as precious today as it has been for thousands of years. It was traditionally used in religious ceremonies by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Israelites, where frankincense was burned to create smoke with a deep, resinous fragrance. Today, aromatherapists know that frankincense essential oil can ease anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression. At the same time it helps to slow and deepen the breath and promotes meditation. Clearly, our ancestors knew that it created the perfect atmosphere for religious contemplation.
The ancient cultures were also aware of the medicinal properties of frankincense. It was an essential component of the medical practitioner's arsenal, where it was used to treat hypertension, nausea, chest infections and to aid recovery from childbirth. Today, western medicine is discovering the basis for its medicinal use, with the discovery of some remarkable benefits to health. Firstly, it is a good antiseptic against bacteria and viruses, and also stimulates the immune system. What's more it appears to have anti-cancer properties in tissue culture studies, and work in this area is ongoing. It has anti-inflammatory effects that can soothe inflamed skin and possibly help with skin scarring and stretch marks, and has been shown to help other inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and Crohn's disease.
The other component of the fragrance to this cream is sweet orange essential oil. Sweet orange creates the uplifting counterbalance to the gravity of frankincense, and aromatherapy states that, like frankincense, it can relieve anxiety and depression while promoting relaxation. Together, these essential oils create an uplifting aroma that instantly soothes the mind and lingers subtly on the skin.
The benefits of Frankincense & Orange Body Cream
We have blended frankincense and orange essential oils with shea butter and a range of other healing oils to create this cream, including camellia, baobab, jojoba, sesame, macadamia, hemp and coconut. They were selected to deliver a healthy dose of essential fatty acids to rebuild the skin's barrier function, together with saturated fatty acids to form a protective layer on the skin. The result is a cream that is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and other phytonutrients that nourish and protect the skin. Like all our skin care, it is made with 100% certified organic ingredients, and is free of emulsifiers (read about the potentially damaging effects of emulsifiers here) and preservatives (read about how preservatives can damage your skin's microbiome here and why your skin's microbiome is crucial here). Made without water, this cream is very concentrated, so it will last you a long time - a lot longer than that winter retreat I hope you manage to squeeze into your schedule soon. I'm not going anywhere without mine! You can find it in our shop here.
Leave a comment