Benzoin Essential Oil

Benzoin essential oil 

Benzoin has been used for thousands of years in the East as a medicine and as incense, similar to the use of Frankincense. The essential oil has a warming and intensely rich, sweet-balsamic odour which can produce feelings of tranquilty and of being safe. 

Benzoin is an unusual essential oil. It comes from from a balsamic resin exudate which is harvested from the Styrax tree, native to Indonesia. Upon exposure to air and sunlight the treacle-like resin becomes hard and solid. This means the essential oil must be extracted with an alcohol solvent as it cannot be extracted by the usual methods of steam distillation or cold-expressing. After extraction the alcohol is removed by evaporation. The thick oil is then made pourable by adding a slip agent, dipropylene glycol.

Benzoin essential oil has excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial effects. This makes it useful as an ingedient in products for, amongst others,  chapped, sore or irritated skin as in acne, eczema and rosacea, for healing cuts, for reducing scars and for soothing an inflamed scalp.

Benzoin also calms the digestive system, warms and tones the circulatory system and can help decongest blocked airways. These properties make it a key ingredient in creams, ointments or balms for belly and chest rubs.

Benefits of Benzoin essential oil:

Gives a warm and comforting scent to perfumes, skincare, and aromatherapy products.
Has soothing properties that can help reduce scalp irritation and inflammation when added to hair-care formulations.
Has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties - useful as part of a treatment for acne, eczema, rosacea as well for inflamed joints.

Ingredients: 

Dipropylene glycol*, Styrax benzoin resin extract

*a colorless and odorless slip agent' used for thinning resinous aromatic extracts, and so making them easier to pour and measure.
The independent Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has ruled dipropylene glycol is safe as used in cosmetics. It is a common ingredient in perfumery products.

Options:

Benzoin essential oil is available in 10ml, 30ml or 100ml brown glass bottle with dropper cap. (Larger sizes available on request)

Benzoin is a key ingredient in our Blooming Naturals Abundance essential oil synergy

Precautions:

Benzoin essential oil can cause sensitization in some individuals. We recommend a sensitivity (patch) test before using it in any new skincare preparation. As with virtually all essential oils it should not be used neat on the skin nor be taken internally!

If you are not familiar with the use of essential oils please read our Essential Oils - Important Safety Points. which includes information on how to do a simple patch test.

How to use: 

1) In a diffuser (because this oil is thick and sticky we do not recommend using it in an electric diffuser. 3 or 4 drops are better added to an aromaburner. 

2) In a bath: first, in a glass bowl, add 5 - 20 drops of Benzoin essential oil to a dessertspoon of base oil such sweet almond or to a bath oil, or shower gel and mix well. Fill the bath with hot water and then add the mixture. Before getting into the bath circulate the water to thoroughly disperse the oil.

3) For use on the skin, such as a perfume or for massage: dilute the mixture in a base oil, such as sweet almond oil (for massage) or MCT or Jojoba oil (for perfume): Use at a dosage of 1%-2%. For example, 99ml base oil and 1ml (25 drops) or 2ml (50 drops) Benzoin essential oil.

Benzoin essential oil:

Technical information for professsional formulators:

INCI: Dipropylene glycol, Styrax benzoin resin extract         Method of extraction: solvent extraction     

Origin: Indonesia

CAS number: 110-98-5 / 25265-71-8 & 84929-79-3      EINECS number: 203-821-4 / 246-770-3 & 284-557-7

MSDS, TDS, Allergen declaration and IFRA declaration available on request for business customers.