Myrrh

Myrrh

Commiphora myrrha

Distilled from organically grown Somali gum

Myrrh is a oleo-gum-resin exudate, in the same manner as frankincense. It’s one of the oldest known aromatics and we can find it mentioned nearly 4000 years ago. Although myrrh resin contains a high percentage of essential oil, the majority, over two thirds, is water soluble. This is the reason we don’t see myrrh hydrosol very often. Since the essential oil is far more valuble and easier to ship, every effort is made to extract and separate out the most essential oil possible, from the water. To do this, usually a distiller will add something to the water, maybe even salt, to change the weight of the water so the essential oil separates. Of course the water is then an adulterated mess, but it makes financial sense I suppose.

NB—at Enfleurage Middle East, we distill our myrrh gum with frankincense resin, figuring that since opposites attract, we will get more myrrh molecules if they have a chance to bind with the frankincense. We also have the hydrosol. You can see it here

Frankincense & Myrrh Oil

Frankincense & Myrrh Hydrosol

Song of Solomon

A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

Gift to infant Jesus

And when they came into the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him; and when they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Upon death of Christ

…and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes; about hundred pound. Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Scent of Camphor and Myrrh

Scent of camphor and myrrh
Issuing
From Earth
There be
With us
A human rights activist
He’s willing
To shed his blood
And
More

A Poet-Seer
And
I think
His blood will soon
Be shed in martyrdom
That’s why
Earth be already
Preparing for his
Parting.

Emmanuel George Cefai

Of Myrrh and Memories

I like the smell of Myrrh,
The Scent of Hao Fong;
Masculine, and Warm
Like Chinese silk wrapped
Sweetly in brown paper

It is the smell of a man,
A smoky scent; of wood fires,
Dark forests,
And the fragrance that men make

During love.

In my mind's eye,
I wake to see, his soft hair
Lying on my pillow book
A sable cloud of dark fur
I breathe in our scent
From the night before.

And the smell of Myrrh,
On cherry colored silk
Wafts from my bamboo mat,
As Arms entwined
I gaze upon my friend

Dosvedanya Rashia

Arctander says

Myrrh oil is a pale yellow to pale orange or amber-colored, oily, but not very viscous liquid. It’s odor is warm-spicy, often showing a very peculiar, sharp balsamic, slightly medicinal top-note with a delightful lift, free from any terebinthinate notes. The sweetness increases to a deep warm-spicy and aromatic dry-out which is quite unique and difficult to replicate. The tenacity is not very outstanding unless the myrrh also contains myrrh extract! The flavor of myrrh oil is warm, somewhat pungent, but very rich and pleasantly aromatic.

Myrrh oil is used in small amounts in perfumes of the heavy-floral type, heavy-Oriental type, woody-balsamic bases, etc and is excellent in high-class forest notes, moss notes, etc modified with cypress oil, juniperberry oil, mandarin petitgrain oil, etc.

Battaglia says

Skincare—used in preparations against wrinkles and for ageing, sun-damaged skin, with a cool aspect, so perfect for hot weather. Also, we can go further to note that myrrh has traditional been used for wound healing

Actions supported by clinical studies includes uses as an

Antimicrobial

Anti-septic

Cicatrisant

Expectorant

Vulnerary

Salvatore Battaglia has a lot to say about myrrh and you can find his book here.

The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy.