An excellent fixative, elemi is used to add a fresh, lemony note to woody, spicy and zesty fragrances. Its bright notes blend well with deeper, peppery facets, creating unique accords that balance sparklingly bright notes with warmer scents. Hints of pine and lemon add interesting character to an otherwise woody, balsamic ingredient.
Elemi is a natural gum resin derived from the luzonicum Canarium, a tall tree native to the Philippines. Once cut, the trees “cry”, producing a sort of resin that hardens once touched by air. The gum is primarily manufactured in France, where it is then steam distilled to obtain its coveted essence, or manipulated to produce resinoid using volatile solvents.
With its myriad of medicinal and olfactory benefits, elemi has found its way into the everyday lives of humankind for millennia. In ancient Egypt, the sticky gum was ritualistically added to complex concoctions mixed for the sole purpose of embalming the deceased during mummification. The esteemed substance made its next debut during the Middle Ages, when it was popularly used in salves to heal wounds and respiratory ailments.
Philippines
