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Myrrh Essential Oil

Myrrh is a tree resin that has been used and valued since ancient times for its medicinal, cosmetic, aromatic and spiritual applications. In Christianity, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh were the gifts given to the baby Jesus by the three wise men.

Myrrh Essential Oil is used most often for spiritual and incense /room fragrancing applications, and it is heralded for its contribution to oral health. You can find toothpastes, mouth rinses and other natural oral care products that contain Myrrh Essential Oil and/or the powderized resin.

Myrrh Oil is steam distilled directly from myrrh resin. Myrrh Essential Oil smells more pleasant than the resin, but I still find the aroma of the oil to be a bit harsh on its own. The aroma of Frankincense Oil helps to round out and freshen the aroma Myrrh Essential Oil. The aroma is woody, earthy and a bit balsmic. It is a wonderful base note to include in blends intended for spiritual, meditative and Christmas room fragrancing applications.

Emotionally, Myrrh Oil is grounding and helps to mellow out the emotions.

Read below for more information and for important safety information.

Myrrh Oil

Botanical Name: Commiphora myrrha Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distilled Color: Golden Yellow/Brown Consistency: Medium Perfumery Note: Base Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium - Strong

Aromatic Description: Warm, earthy, woody, balsamic.

	Myrrh Resin

Myrrh Oil Uses: Amenorrhea, athlete's foot, bronchitis, chapped skin, dysmenorrhea, gums, halitosis, hemorrhoids, itching, mouth, ringworm, toothache. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 56-65.]

Constituents: Heerabolene, limonene, dipentene, pinene, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, cuminaldehyde, cadinene. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 125.]

Safety Information: Myrrh Oil is mildly toxic when taken internally (no essential oil should be taken internally without the guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner). [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 208.]

Lawless reports that Myrrh Oil may be toxic in high concentration and that it should be avoided during pregnancy. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 125.]

Important Note: The essential oil information provided within the Essential Oil Properties & Profiles area is intended for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

General Safety Information: Do not take any essential oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use essential oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and give children only the gentlest oils at extremely low doses. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using essential oils with children. A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an essential oil that you've never used before. Instructions on conducting a skin patch test and more safety information can be found by visiting the Essential Oil Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on essential oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs. 

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	Own Detailed Profiles on 160 Essential Oils The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless contains 160 detailed essential oil profiles complete with beautiful color photos.  Read a review of this book or purchase this book through Amazon.com. Also consider... Aromatherapy Science: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals In addition to the eight main chapters contained within the book, Aromatherapy Science: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals also includes over 65 detailed oil monographs (profiles) and over 30 appendices.  Read a review of this book or purchase this book through Amazon.com.