Spruce (Excelsa Spruce) organic

Picea excelsa and Picea abies are listed as if they were two trees. They are one. Excelsa is the older botanical name for Norway spruce, still current in the trade. The oil is the common spruce of the European forest.

01 · Origin

A tall conifer of the pine family, native from the Alps and Carpathians to Scandinavia. This oil is distilled in Italy from the needles and twigs of wild-crafted trees, certified organic.

02 · Chemistry

A monoterpene oil. Limonene, alpha- and beta-pinene and camphene form the bulk. Bornyl acetate is the ester that matters: it supplies the sweet, balsamic note that separates a good spruce from a flat, turpentine-like one.

03 · In Practice

Clean, green and resinous, with a soft balsamic tail. A top to middle note. Diffusion, sauna and bath preparations, massage blends and forest accords in natural perfumery. Sets well beside Spruce, Black (No. 1465) for a study of how one genus varies across continents. Blends with fir, pine, juniper, lemon, cedarwood, lavender and frankincense.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.