Siam Wood essential oil, also known as Pemou, Po Mu, Fujian Cypress, Coffin Wood, and Bois de Siam, is a precious wood oil from the evergreen conifer Fokienia hodginsii. This newly sourced organic essential oil is deeper aromatically than our previous wildcrafted oil and exudes a sensuous, warm, creamy, sweetly balsamic aroma some find similar to Sandalwood but with nuances of Rosewood and faint Cypress back notes.
This not well known, and not often used essential oil in Western aromatherapy, surely deserves consideration in natural perfume and spiritual blend creations. It has an extremely calming and pleasant aroma for use as a base note in natural perfume and is a less costly alternative to Sandalwood. Siam Wood essential oil is grounding and clearly a must have for spiritual blends. It melds beautifully with Frankincense for a wonderful meditation blend for regaining a new positive, or transitional, perspective.
Siam Wood is native to Asia and recognized as a single genus; the only one living species classified in the subfamily Cupressoideae within the family Cuprressaceae. The aromatic quality of this precious wood peaks after a tree matures to a height of 80-100 feet. Exploitation as a durable fragrant wood resource for furniture and handcrafts in Vietnam caused indiscriminate harvesting. Thankfully sound ecological replanting practices were started hopefully saving the Fokienia h. tree from similar over harvesting situations seen with Rosewood, Sandalwood and other precious woods. Interestingly, the trunk and roots abandoned by loggers as worthless for timber are where the highest concentration of Fokienol is located and from where this natural essential oil is distilled. The main contents of this essential oil consists of over 32% Fokienol and 30% trans-nerolidol.
During a trip to Vietnam, outside of Da Nang on China Beach, night fall brought out huge (and I DO mean huge!) mosquitoes. The spa at the resort suggested a 1% dilution of Siam Wood essential oil to smooth over my legs and arms. That was the first time smelling this oil and found it to be extremely pleasing considering I'm a big Sandalwood fan and it shared a similar aroma. They also provided a small candle oil diffuser for diffusing this essential oil in my room...both worked superbly, for me anyway. As a matter of fact, this oil was more effective than Citronella. The small tiny black sand flies that hosted on my legs during previous walks on the beach did not like this oil at all!
Siam Wood was once used in Asia to build coffins since the wood demonstrates high resistance to degradation by insects and moisture. Perhaps this characteristic inherent with this precious wood is why Siam Wood essential oil is an effective natural insect repellent, particularly against mosquitoes, and documented in scientific research performed on essential oils with high sesquiterpene content. Research source:
Page 48, Chapter 2.
Always intrigued with how diffusing essential oil can profoundly effect mood and emotions, especially essential oil with little Western aromatherapy documentation led to my discovery of
Dr. Bruce Berkowsky, N.M.D., M.H., NCTMB, a master practitioner, and one of the world's preeminent teachers of deep psycho-spiritual work with essential oils who writes that:
In Vietnam the Pemou (Po Mu) tree is believed to bring eternal life and is used aroma-therapeutically in many parts of SE Asia as an antiseptic, rheumatic anti-inflammatory, in therapeutic massage to enhance vitality, reduce muscle and skin inflammation. It is also diffused in an oil diffuser to help kill bacteria, purify and disinfect the air, and an effective mosquito and insect repellent.
Batch specific GC/MS analysis for this essential oil is available by clicking on the green tab above.
Aromatherapy use: Ambient diffusing may aid adrenal fatigue, low testosterone, depression, grief, stress, improve mental clarity
General uses: Diffuse in oil diffuser; precious woody base note fixative in natural perfume, meditation, chanting, spiritual blends, natural insect repellent
Contraindications: Avoid if pregnant, breastfeeding, with infants or children. Possible skin irritant, use in moderation.
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