Essential Oils
Opoponax (Sweet Myrrh).
Sweet myrrh, steam-distilled from wildcrafted Commiphora guidotti resin from Kenya: a soft, sweetly resinous base note that lingers long into the evening.
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About this product
Old temples, old perfumes, a curl of resin smoke: Opoponax carries all of them. It is the sweeter, softer cousin of classic Myrrh, and it stays on the air far longer.
Steam-distilled from wildcrafted Commiphora guidotti resin, this sweet myrrh is most likely the myrrh spoken of in the Song of Solomon, and it has been a part of incense and perfume since Biblical times. Where Myrrh is sharp and fresh, Opoponax is sweet, soft and resinous, a long-lasting base note. In the drydown it reveals a quiet resemblance to Oud.
Details
- Botanical name: Commiphora guidotti
- Source: wildcrafted resin
- Method: steam distillation
- Origin: Kenya
- Shelf life: about 3 to 4 years after opening
- Blends with: Orange, Lemon and other citrus oils, Frankincense, Neroli, Patchouli, Sandalwood
How to use
Use it as a base note in perfume blends, where its sweetness anchors brighter oils. It is a possible sensitizer: if you are sensitized to Peru Balsam, avoid using it on your skin. It is also a photosensitizer, so avoid ultraviolet light, sunlight included, while wearing it. Dilute it before use, keep it out of reach of children, and store it in the dark, refrigerated if you can, decanting a half-empty bottle into a smaller, full one.
A resin with a long memory, for blends meant to linger.
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Opoponax (Sweet Myrrh)
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