Our Peppermint & Lavender Essential Oil

For the longest time we've been trying to find the best source of Lavender and Peppermint Essential Oils in the Philippines. Really, we didn't want the ones available locally 8 years ago. They're affordable, they smell good, but those are not the ones we're looking for. Almost every Lavender and Peppermint we've taken a whiff at smells narcotic, seems to have a little too much of some fragrance notes, and generally, feels "incomplete."

Back then, who cares about real essential oils? Who would really know what real Lavender Essential Oil or real Peppermint Oil smell like and what difference does it make? Well, we did and we still care enough to keep talking about how different the real ones are.

In the supermarket aisles at the home section or at body care section, there's a lot of products using lavender. There's car freshener, home spray, fabric softener, body wash...the list is seemingly endless. Is it possible they use lavender essential oil? Possibly not. The cost of real lavender essential oil is too expensive to be in mass-produced and mass-priced consumables. So they use fragrance oils, composed by perfumers, "inspired" by real essential oils. This is the reason why not a lot of Filipinos don't know what real lavender smells like. All we're familiar with are the lavender fragrances from fragrance factories. Most of us have never even smelled fresh or dried lavender plants at all.

Elemi Essential Oil: The Things to Know

nwitimes report

The Philippines is the world's major producer of Elemi. From the resin of the Canarium luzonicum, Elemi essential oil is extracted, and this tree is abundant in the Philippines, particularly in the island of Luzon. For many years, it has been a popular ingredient in a lot of mainstream perfumes and has been regarded highly for its exotic scent and rarity.

Called as the "poor man's frankincense," the elemi shares characteristics similar to frankincense and myrrh. The scent of elemi essential oil is fresh, spicy and lemony, perfect as a middle note for perfumes. It is a natural analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. Used by countless people to help soothe muscles, calm nerves and aid minor respiratory problems but perhaps the biggest claim to fame of elemi essential oil is its contribution to reduction of wrinkles and rejuvenation of skin.

From Sylvia T. Ramos blog

In a book published by the International Genetic Resources Institute written by Dr. Roberto Coronel, the Canarium luzonicum and its relatives are indigenous to the Philippines. Locally called "malapili" because of its Pili-like qualities, the Canarium luzonicum are of low value to farmers before the resin has been discovered to contain desirable properties for extraction of essential oils. This tree bears fruit like Pili, although inferior. Historically, the resin from C. luzonicum is being used as an ingredient in making plasters, oinments, paints, lacquers, varnishes and inks. Forest dwellers use the elemi resin as torches, rolling it in leaves and lighting it up to serve as their fragrant light for the night.

From PNA Legazpi Bureau

As disclosed by the local farmers of Sorsogon (a province in the Bicol region where a lot of Canarium grows), they only tap the "malapili" trees in the past because they're quite expendable and the extraction of resin eventually kills the tree. In a study published in a Philippine Journal of Science in 1945, among the reasons why the C. luzonicum became the source of elemi is because it gives out sufficient quantities for profitable collection. After collection of the resin from the trees, these are shipped out to Europe for the extraction of Elemi essential oil.

Fast-forward to present times, several innovative individuals began to maximize the commercial potentials of the Pili tree (Canarium ovatum). From just producing pili nuts, other products like pulp oil and essential oil has been extracted. Due to good attention of some agriculturists and plant scientists, farmers were able to devise a way to properly "tap" a Canarium tree for resin without killing it. With this advancement in farming technology, the more common pili tree (C. ovatum) became a good source of elemi and with further processing, become elemi essential oil.

This new development, the production of elemi essential oil may prospectively look good since the sources have more than doubled. The world market may soon be enjoying a bigger supply of the essential oil.

Below is the analysis of the chemical composition of Elemi essential oil. It was done using GC and GC MS analysis.

Components of Elemi Essential Oil

Sources:
Gloria Manalo, Agustus West, Analysis and Composition of Manila Elemi, The Philippine Journal of Science, 1943
Author Unknown, Promising Fruits of the Philippines
Roberto E. Coronel, Pili Nut Canarium ovatum engl., International Plant Genetic Resources Institute

Think Before Ingesting Essential Oils

From EssentialOilUS site

A big part of Casa de Lorenzo Organic Products is essential oils. We see it as a great way to make our soaps alive, in fact, it gives amazing definition and distinction to our castile soaps. Another reason is the long list of benefits it gives to people, among of which are relaxation, lowering stress levels, antibacterial action, and bad odor removal. Essential oils also allows us to help local farming communities and patronize their produce. Maybe not just big...its huge for us.

So why are we writing this? We just want people to be aware. Ingesting essential oils is simply dangerous and we're gonna tell you why.

Image from Suzanner Banks site

High chance of using too much. Because of the highly concentrated nature of essential oils, its always easy to go overboard when ingesting. Keep in mind, to be able to extract essential oils, one would need a lot of plant material. About one to two kilos of plant material can produce only 1mL of EO more or less. Higher concentration of substances means difficulty in administrating small doses. Half drop of EO vs 1 drop is a huge difference.

Essential oil tolerance of the body. Drinking citrus fruits, especially the ones prepared at home contains some essential oils in minute amounts. Way less than 1 drop per serving, and its all the body is used to. Imagine ingesting 3 or 5 drops of any citrus essential oil. That is the same as eating the rind of around 1 kilo of citrus fruits. And you know that adverse effects happen when the body takes in anything excessive.

Some essential oils can cause irritation. If essential oils can cause irritation on the skin at pure strength, getting a drop or two in your throat or digestive system will ultimately lead to some sort of discomfort.

Action of essential oils is different when ingested vs used in aromatherapy. Our digestive system is a wonderful set of organs designed to break down organic components for the body to use. It utilizes self-produced chemicals and mechanical action to do so, and this changes the actual property of any substance drank or eaten. This means the essential oil components are either changed or broken down, and when this happens, the results aren't exactly predictable. Essential oils have a better chance of reaching the bloodstream via inhalation or absorption on the skin and getting its full benefits. Whereas when taken in, we're not sure anymore what gets absorbed in the digestive system.

Children and pets are put at risk. It happens all the time. Whatever parents use or consume, some give to their children and pets as well. Small amounts to adults may be tolerable, but for young people and animals, the tolerance may not be the same. It can lead to a long list of serious reactions.

Not all essential oils are made using food grade equipment. Because essential oils are mostly used on cosmetic and aesthetic purposes, the processing quality and the equipment used in extracting are not exactly food grade. Although bacterial and viral risks are eliminated because generally, all essential oils have a certain degree of antiseptic qualities, ingesting them may expose people to heavy metals and the likes.

Not all "essential oils" are pure. Sometimes, that bottle of essential oil you get may have been adulterated and mixed with cheaper aromatic chemicals resembling essential oil components. There's no fool-proof way for a consumer to know if what the labels say are true. Even if one has access to expensive analytical instruments like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the results can be so diverse, even the experts can have a hard time proving the purity of an essential oil.

If you are still persistent about wanting to ingest essential oils, why not try extracting it yourself. Its easy to do for citrus fruits, just press the rind and you can get essential oils there. But for other plant materials, its never easy. Even if you trust the essential oil brand you're buying, we still suggest using the nose or your skin to play on the safe side. Perhaps when there's more study or credible resources that can be used as basis for ingesting essential oils, that's probably the time eating or drinking EO can be seriously considered. Its your choice still, although know that being adventurous has its drawbacks and risks.

Loving Skin Naturally with Castile Soaps

Every bath using Casa de Lorenzo Castile Soaps brings you closer to nature, literally.

We take pride in using ingredients from nature to make the best possible natural clean for your skin. Our goal is to keep it simple and natural. Fundamentally, Casa de Lorenzo Castile Soaps contain only water, oils and essential oils. The oils undergo saponification, where they turn into soaps through the aid of alkali, water and heat. This is the traditional way of making soaps, as has been done centuries ago.

The natural ingredients of our soaps and our blending expertise ensures the perfect natural clean for your skin type without drying your skin. Our Moisturizing Castile Soap is very gentle and absolutely moisturizing, its perfect for babies and those with sensitive skin. The Cleansing Castile Soap strikes an amazing balance between cleaning and moisturizing your skin, perfect for everyday use. Our Dark Castile Soap is like the Cleansing variant, only this one has coffee scrubs and real coffee that cleans, energizes and tightens skin. The Manila Castile Soap is made to match the demands of Filipino skin experiencing the tropical heat, Philippine traffic and the effects of daily commute.

Our essential oils mixed with the soaps provide a pleasant experience to the senses as well as its added benefits to your skin and well-being. These are concentrated plant extracts that give distinct benefits other than just smell.

By using our soaps, not only will you be using a biodegradable and earth-friendly product. You are also letting nature care and pamper for your skin.

Season End Sale

We're welcoming 2016 and ending the holiday season with a huge sale! Its a chance for everyone to enjoy huge savings and while going natural at the same time. For those who haven't used Casa de Lorenzo products yet, now is the best time to try especially our soaps.

All purchases amounting or exceeding 2,016.00 pesos from January 4 to 8, 2016 automatically qualify, and the following discounts will be applied:

Castile Soaps : 50% OFF

Essential Oils: 30% OFF

Carrier Oils: 30% OFF

 For example, the order is 1 gallon unscented Moisturizing Castile Soap, 10mL Tea Tree Oil and 10mL Ginger Essential Oil, the original prices are as follows:

1 Gallon Unscented Moisturizing Castile Soap - 1,900.00 Php
10mL Tea Tree Oil - 365.00 Php
10mL Ginger Essential Oil - 455.00 Php
Total: 2,720.00 Php + Shipping

But since the total is above 2,016.00 Php, see again the price when the discount is applied:

1 Gallon Unscented Moisturizing Castile Soap - (50% Discount) 950.00 Php
10mL Tea Tree Oil - (30% Discount) 255.50 Php
10mL Ginger Essential Oil - (30% Discount) 318.00 Php
Total: 1,523.00 Php + Shipping

Just a few things to note, the DIY Castile Soap bundle is not  part of the promo. Shipping costs are not covered by the promo. For any additional questions, just contact us at  0939-919-2916 (Smart) / 0917-608-1219 (Globe) or email at order@thecasadelorenzo.com

Our Fascination with Natural Soaps

Cheesy may it sound, our soaps come from a deep respect and fascination of nature. Many would not understand how real soaps are made, all that everyone sees is an amber bottle labeled castile soap from us. To the ones who enjoy our products, we'd like you to know more about it. For the ones who are still pondering to try, read on, you might see a good reason why.

Our castile soaps are made from oils. Not added with oils, but made from oils. All fatty substances can be made into soap, and depending on the oils used, a soap can either be highly moisturizing, bubbly or a highly cleansing one. Olive Oil soap can condition the skin, Coconut Oil soap is very cleansing to the point it can dry out the skin, and Palm Oil soap can be a very boring one on its own. However, mixing them together in the right amounts, you get something wonderful. We stick around with what Mother Nature offers and stay close to it. Casa de Lorenzo Castile Soaps itself are proof of this.

Benefits of Calamansi Essential Oil

Image from Elaynam

This is one tough article to make since there's not much that can be said about Calamansi Essential Oil. There is little research about the oil and its fairly unappreciated yet.

We all know about Calamansi. Its what we use in making juices, cooking, cleaning and laundry. From the supermarkets to the little sari-sari store by the street, Calamansi is available. It is just an essential part of a Filipino's life. Like Lemon and other citrus fruits, Calamansi produces essential oils from its skin.

What are its benefits? First, its scent. Calamansi Essential Oil has the capacity to help deodorize any bad odor. It eliminates the unwanted odors by overpowering other scent molecules in the air since the human nose is a lot more sensitive and appreciative to citrus smells. Making a linen spray of Calamansi Essential Oil will definitely keep your room or any area of your house smelling fresh and wonderful.

Secondly, smelling Calamansi Essential Oil can affect behavior. Studies gave indications that Calamansi Essential Oil have anti-anxiety effects. Just by smelling it, one can feel relaxed and refreshed, some even feeling a tingling effect while smelling.

Third, Calamansi Essential Oil has antimicrobial properties. It is not only astringent, but it can inhibit the growth of bacteria. Adding it on the stuff that you use when cleaning the sink or your bathroom not only deodorizes, but helps eliminate bad bacteria present in those surfaces. Although there are other stronger antiseptic essential oils than calamansi, it can still do the job pretty well.

Image from Assbach

Fourth, it can help relieve symptoms of respiratory ailments. Best if combined with Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils. Place boiling water on a huge bowl and place a few drops of Calamansi, Peppermint and Eucalyptus and start inhaling the steam.

Fifth, mouthwash. Place a few drops of Calamansi essential oil in a glass of water and stir. Begin to gargle with the solution. It helps elimate bad breath and disinfects your mouth.

Its pretty wonderful to know that there's something local and very Filipino that can be used like Lemon. Since we are the world's largest producer of Calamansi, we should take advantage of the abundant supply here in the country.

Check out Casa de Lorenzo's Calamansi Essential Oil

Using Citrus Oils on Natural Soaps

Citrus Oils are known to be phototoxic, especially Bergamot and Lime Essential Oils. Phototoxic means when the essential oil is placed on the skin and exposed to the sun, a chemical reaction is triggered and can cause severe burns. Since Citrus Oils are believed to be phototoxic, people avoid using them on skin products. 

On Using Antibacterial Soaps

Today we live in a world where aggressive bacteria and viruses are abound. Everywhere we go, every object we touch, every person we interact with increases the risk of contracting sickness. So scientists came up with antibiotics and antibacterial stuff that aggressively eliminate the threats to us and the lives of our loved ones. By killing these bacteria and viruses, we are safe.

Well, its not completely true. Many people are beginning to think that it is otherwise.

Lemongrass and Citronella Differences

Almost everyone is familiar with Citronella. Its strong citrusy scent repels mosquitoes and works as an antiseptic on a variety of uses. It is in candles, potpourri, lotions and many others to help ward off insects. Almost everyone is also familiar with Lemongrass, which are used in grilled or roasted Filipino foods like lechon. Lemongrass is also a favorite herb of Philippine Traditional Healing for its efficacy in helping digestive problems.

Citronella and Lemongrass are cousins. They almost look the same, they grow the same way, and as essential oils, they are processed the same manner. But do you know how to distinguish Citronella from Lemongrass while they're still plants?

Actually its very easy.

Natural Liquid Soaps Cash On Delivery

Great news! We are now offering Cash-On-Delivery basis for our Natural Liquid Soaps. Actually it applies to all products of Casa de Lorenzo. If you haven't had any experience using credit cards, GCash, Smart Money, Bank Deposit Payments, or PayPal, but still want to buy our products, you can pay when you get your orders. Available only to Metro Manila and Metro Cebu deliveries.

Making Your Own Natural Liquid Soaps

What's the best thing that can happen to your bath products? Its when you begin using natural stuff. But it gets better if you can make your own right at your own home right? Well, this is exactly what this article is about, being able to make your own natural liquid soaps.

To make your own natural liquid soaps at home, there are 4 things you need. These are natural liquid soap, additives, scents and bottles. Putting them together is really easy, you won't break a sweat in your brow, but you need to familiarize yourself with your materials before proceeding.

Patchouli in the Philippines

Here's an herb that is native in Southeast Asia, and also here in the Philippines. Locally known as "Kabling," this plant has been utilized since time immemorial as relief from arthritis and rheumatism when leaves are pounded and applied to the afflicted area. It is also used as diuretic for scanty urination when leaves are boiled in water and drank as tea.

Castile Soap in the Philippines

Ask Filipinos about Castile Soap, chances are that might the first time they've heard of it. The most luxurious and the most famous soap in the world remains virtually unknown even up to now in the Philippines. History, unfortunately, does not reveal much why. We can always speculate but one thing is sure, soaps such as Castile are quite rare and apparently expensive in the past. Their supply is limited only to the upper-class Spaniards and Filipinos.

Essential Oils for the Rainy Days

Its the typhoon and rainy season again in the country. The Philippines being in the tropical part of the world, we experience a lot of rainfall per year. With the rains come plenty of things that can threaten our health and those of our loved ones. But a lot of these can be helped and managed by essential oils. Here's a list of stuff you might encounter during the monsoon season and how you can use of essential oils as home remedies on such situations. One big reminder though, most essential oils are not recommended to pregnant and babies under 3 months old so avoid using it on them. Also, these home remedies are only effective if what you are using are real essential oils.

Keep Bugs Away with Essential Oils

Its no secret that essential oils have the capability of keeping insects and other undesirable pests away. All essential oils does, to a certain extent, but some are more effective than others. Right now, during the rainy season in the Philippines, the rise of insect-borne diseases like dengue is on the rise. One may opt to use kerosene based insecticides, they are effective, no doubt about that. But research has proven that these insecticides are poisonous and destructive also to pets, humans and the environment.

Nature has its own arsenal,  and when used correctly, these effectively control if not eliminate the threats. It is therefore important to know what essential oils can protect you naturally from becoming victims these pests. Prevention is better than cure, right? Although nature also has provided us with cure for almost any type of sickness or ailment, it is still best not to get sick especially from bug bite. Here's a list of known natural bug fighters.

Using Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is one of the most well-known and the most consumed essential oil in the world. Found almost in all bath and body products, the scent is very familiar. Although Lavender is not cultivated locally in the Philippines, Lavender essential oils are still available in the country. One has to be careful though, where to buy because many still don't know the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils as only real essential oils have healing properties. Lavender is extremely useful because of its antiseptic, antidepressant, and other properties that help the human body. It is generally safe and has no restrictions in usage, thus every home should keep a bottle of Lavender essential oil. Here are some of the ways you can use Lavender Essential Oil. Please note that these recommendations are tried and tested home remedies, but consulting a health professional is advised especially in severe and special cases.

Essential Oils in the Philippines

Is it hard to get Essential Oils in the Philippines? It appears it don't. When you do a search on the internet using "essential oil philippines" you'll get over 2,000,000 results. Potentially, 2 million sources of essential oils in the country. But what's the real deal? Are you getting the real essential oil?

One has to be very careful about buying essential oils. Real essential oils are extracted from plants through distillation or solvent extraction, but the cost of this process is high. Sometimes, its much cheaper to reconstruct the essential oils using raw chemical materials. Many fragrance manufacturers who have access to the technology can synthesize "essential oils" in their own laboratories, then mass produce them resulting in cheaper but acceptable products.