Deschampsia Library

AbsolutesAromatic extracts refined with ethanol to separate much of the plant wax.Concentrated aromatic extracts→ Apricot Kernel OilApricot kernel oil comes from the seed inside an apricot stone and is valued for its oleic-rich emollient character.Prunus armeniaca · Rosaceae · Oil from the kernel inside the fruit's stone→ BakuchiolWhat bakuchiol is, the bakuchi plant it comes from, how purified bakuchiol differs from seed oil, and what the retinol comparison tells us.Plant-derived cosmetic active · Bakuchi (Cullen corylifolium)→ Balsam Poplar (Black Cottonwood)The fragrant spring buds of black cottonwood yield a warm, honeyed resin with a long history in herbal preparations and natural perfumery.Populus trichocarpa · Willow family (Salicaceae)→ BeeswaxHow bees produce wax, why beeswax is occlusive in balms, and the difference between large supply chains and regional apiaries.Honeybee-produced wax · Cera flava / Cera alba · Apis species→ CalendulaA cheerful orange and yellow garden flower with a long place in herbal skin preparations, known for its distinctive triterpenoids and colorful petals.Calendula officinalis · Aster family (Asteraceae)→ CedarCedar is a shared name for several fragrant evergreen trees, not a single species. Knowing which cedar—and which part of the tree—helps distinguish the woods, oils and botanical waters.Western red cedar, Port Orford cedar, Atlas cedar and other aromatic conifers→ ChamomileDelicate, apple-scented flower heads used for generations in herbal teas, aromatic baths, and preparations for the skin.German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla · Aster family (Asteraceae)→ CO₂ extractsBotanical extracts made with pressurized carbon dioxide, from aromatic concentrates to fatty oils.Extraction with pressurized carbon dioxide→ DistillationHow vapor and condensation separate and collect aromatic plant constituents.Vapor, condensation and aromatic extraction→ Douglas FirFrom bright, citruslike spring tips to fragrant resin, Douglas fir has a rich history in herbalism, practical craft, and perfumery.Pseudotsuga menziesii · Pine family (Pinaceae)→ Essential oilsComplex volatile extracts, their ecological roles and their place in body care and perfumery.Volatile botanical extracts→ Extraction & solubilityHow extraction media and methods gather different portions of a plant’s chemistry.Extraction principles→ FireweedA tall, pink-flowered native herb that thrives in open landscapes, with a long history as food, fiber, and an astringent herbal preparation.Chamaenerion angustifolium · Evening primrose family (Onagraceae)→ Grape Seed OilGrape seed oil is a linoleic-rich botanical oil whose fatty-acid composition makes it useful in skincare.Vitis vinifera · Vitaceae · Oil from grape seeds→ HorsetailAn ancient, spore-bearing plant with jointed stems rich in silica, a history of practical uses, and a place in traditional hair and skin preparations.Equisetum species · Horsetail family (Equisetaceae)→ Hydration & moisturizingA concise guide to hydration, moisturizing, humectants, emollients and occlusives—and why beeswax makes balms more occlusive than facial oils.Water in the skin, softness and water loss→ HydrosolsAromatic waters with their own composition, uses and relationship to essential oils.Aromatic botanical water→ JojobaDiscover jojoba, a desert shrub whose liquid seed wax has a distinctive wax-ester composition and skincare uses.Simmondsia chinensis · Simmondsiaceae · Liquid wax from jojoba seeds→ LavenderLavender is an aromatic, flowering shrub known for its purple flower spikes, herbal traditions, and fragrant preparations. The species used matters.Lavandula species · Mint family (Lamiaceae)→ MarshmallowMarshmallow is a soft-leaved perennial herb with pale flowers and mucilage-rich roots long used in traditional herbal preparations.Althaea officinalis · Mallow family (Malvaceae)→ MugwortAn aromatic herb with a long history in food, herbal medicine and ceremonial practices.Artemisia species · Aster family (Asteraceae)→ Natural PerfumeryAn introduction to natural perfumery, the aromatic materials it uses, different fragrance formats, and traditions that inform the craft.Fragrance composed from aromatic materials of natural origin→ Notes, Accords & Dry-downLearn how top, heart and base notes, fragrance accords, and dry-down describe the development of a perfume made with complex aromatic materials.How a fragrance is composed and changes while worn→ Oil infusionsBotanical constituents gathered into an oil that remains part of the finished preparation.Botanicals extracted into oil→ Pumpkin Seed OilPumpkin seed oil contains linoleic and oleic acids, tocopherols and phytosterols; learn how these relate to skincare.Cucurbita pepo and related Cucurbita species · Cucurbitaceae · Oil from pumpkin seeds→ ResinoidsSolvent extracts that gather aromatic and heavier constituents from dried botanical materials.Solvent extracts of dried aromatic materials→ RoseRose petals have a long history in skin preparations and perfumery. Infusions, hydrosols, essential oils, and absolutes each reveal a different aspect of the flower.Rosa species · Rose family (Rosaceae)→ RosehipRose hips are the colorful fruits that develop after roses flower. They are valued in herbal preparations and as sources of fruit powders and skin-conditioning oils.Rose hips and rosehip oil · Rosa species · Rose family (Rosaceae)→ Sea BuckthornMeet sea buckthorn, the orange-fruited shrub whose fruit-pulp and seed oils have distinctly different compositions and uses.Hippophae rhamnoides · Elaeagnaceae→ Sillage, Projection & LongevityHow sillage, projection, and longevity describe a perfume’s trail, reach, and duration—and how natural materials and carriers affect them.How a perfume moves through space and time→ Skin barrierA concise guide to the stratum corneum, natural moisturizing factor, the acid mantle and transepidermal water loss.Stratum corneum, acid mantle and water loss→ Stinging NettleA familiar spring green with a long history as a nourishing food, gathered herb, and ingredient in traditional hair care.Urtica species · Nettle family (Urticaceae)→ TincturesAlcohol-and-water preparations whose solvent proportions help shape the extract.Alcohol and water extracts→ Vitamin EVitamin E is an antioxidant family whose tocopherols help protect skin lipids and slow oxidation in oil-based skincare.Oil-soluble antioxidant family · Tocopherols and tocotrienols→ Water infusions & decoctionsSteeping and simmering herbs in water to make teas and other botanical preparations.Tea and water preparations→ Western Red CedarWestern red cedar is a long-lived Pacific Northwest evergreen valued for its fragrant foliage, workable wood, fibrous bark, and deep cultural significance.Thuja plicata · Cypress family (Cupressaceae)→ YarrowAn aromatic meadow herb with feathery leaves, delicate flowers, and a long history in herbal preparations for the skin.Achillea millefolium · Aster family (Asteraceae)→