Re: Choya Loban is from Benzoin

[Guest guest]

>>

>>> Choya Loban (traditional distillation)

>>

>> This, too. I have Choya Nakh, described as toasted seashells

>> distilled into

>> sandalwood, but the sandalwood is completely overwhelmed by the

>> smoke. I've

>> read that choya loban is distilled into frankincense. I'd prefer

>> this over

>> the nakh, if it means saving sandalwood trees.

>>

>> Anya

Hi Anya and all,

I have been off-group and not getting any emails from Natural

Perfumery since about 8 April. I am back, I think, -- this email will

also be a test to see if I am truly back on...

About the CHOYA LOBAN:

Choya Loban is made from Benzoin Resin, not incense although if

you google it, it is being sold everywhere as the destructive

distillation of incense (Boswellia serrata).

I emailed the traditional maker of the Choya Loban and here is the

reply:

" We are very pleased to answer you questions. According to your

question " Will you please confirm if it is made with incense or

Benzoin? " . We collect Benzoin gum from the trees and then process it

and after that we collect the 100% pure Essential Oil of Styrax

Benzoin (Choya Loban) which is blended with nothing. As you know that

purest form of Styrax Benzoin essential oil is very theraptic and

useful in nature. Again, We don't collecting it in any base. We

prepare the pure essential oil of Styrax Benzoin. If you would like

then you can blend it with any of soluble base. "

Please note that he says Essential Oil of Styrax Benzoin, but it is

not really an essential oil as we know it. Destructive distillation

is one way to say what they do to make it although it is a

traditional Indian technique and the process does not fit into

anything that we are used to in the west.

As far as the incense vs. Benzoin goes. I believe this person

who is actually making the stuff. Also, of White Lotus

relates that it is made from Benzoin and so between the 2 of them I

am pretty comfortable with that, even if it contradicts 100 websites

that are selling Choya Loban as being from incense.

Will Lapaz

Eden Botanicals

[Guest guest]

At 08:13 PM 4/15/2006, you wrote:

>Hi Anya and all,

>

>I have been off-group and not getting any emails from Natural

>Perfumery since about 8 April. I am back, I think, -- this email will

>also be a test to see if I am truly back on...

>

>About the CHOYA LOBAN:

>

>Choya Loban is made from Benzoin Resin, not incense although if

>you google it, it is being sold everywhere as the destructive

>distillation of incense (Boswellia serrata).

OK, so I can make another joke about going all EU on you? Love the way that

rhymes.. ;-)

I have seen the " destructive distillation " quote so often, probably just

parrotted from one vendor to the other, without documentation.

>I emailed the traditional maker of the Choya Loban and here is the

>reply:

>

> " We are very pleased to answer you questions. According to your

>question " Will you please confirm if it is made with incense or

>Benzoin? " . We collect Benzoin gum from the trees and then process it

>and after that we collect the 100% pure Essential Oil of Styrax

>Benzoin (Choya Loban) which is blended with nothing. As you know that

>purest form of Styrax Benzoin essential oil is very theraptic and

>useful in nature. Again, We don't collecting it in any base. We

>prepare the pure essential oil of Styrax Benzoin. If you would like

>then you can blend it with any of soluble base. "

Where's the seashells? Isn't Choya Loban supposed to smell much like Choya

Nakh, which is toasted seashells? Does the Choya Loban have a *really*

smokey scent, Will? I'll have to get some and see for myself.

>Please note that he says Essential Oil of Styrax Benzoin, but it is

>not really an essential oil as we know it. Destructive distillation

>is one way to say what they do to make it although it is a

>traditional Indian technique and the process does not fit into

>anything that we are used to in the west.

I wonder if it means they cook it to carmalization, burnt sugar style? lol

>As far as the incense vs. Benzoin goes. I believe this person

>who is actually making the stuff. Also, of White Lotus

>relates that it is made from Benzoin and so between the 2 of them I

>am pretty comfortable with that, even if it contradicts 100 websites

>that are selling Choya Loban as being from incense.

Amazing how stuff gets repeated erroneously, and we all fall for it, one

time or another, until somebody like you really does the research. Thanks!

Anya

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[Guest guest]

Hi Anya,

>> We prepare the pure essential oil of Styrax Benzoin. If you would

>> like

>> then you can blend it with any of soluble base. "

>

> Where's the seashells? Isn't Choya Loban supposed to smell much

> like Choya

> Nakh, which is toasted seashells? Does the Choya Loban have a *really*

> smokey scent, Will? I'll have to get some and see for myself.

Choya Nakkha or Choya Nakh or however it gets spelled is the Choya

that is made from sea shells. It has a powerful smokey aroma. I hear

there are several different Choya oils but Choya Loban and Choya

Nakkha are the more common ones. Remember that these things are made

mostly by perfume and attar making families. And each family develops

their own experience and so methods and ingredients can vary. The

attar maker that I am corresponding with said that the Choya Nakkha

can be distilled into Sandalwood oil but it doesn't have to be.

It is a trick to make an oil out of a sea shell! This is where (I

think) the term destructive distillation comes from, because

destructive distillation can get oil out of a non oil substance if

that make sense... I think I got that from an article by Tony

Blurfield on Amber oil from Baltic Amber, which is also made by

destructive distillation (although a different process than they use

in India).

The Choya Loban is not so smokey, it is more refined than the Choya

Nakkha. If I remember, I will send you a sample...(remind me).

>> Please note that he says Essential Oil of Styrax Benzoin, but it is

>> not really an essential oil as we know it. Destructive distillation

>> is one way to say what they do to make it although it is a

>> traditional Indian technique and the process does not fit into

>> anything that we are used to in the west.

>

> I wonder if it means they cook it to carmalization, burnt sugar

> style? lol

Yes, It must get really, really cooked to break down all of the

molecular bonds. It is alchemy. Or at least it is alchemy for us who

do not understand the process. Going to have to go see how it is done...

>

>

>> As far as the incense vs. Benzoin goes. I believe this person

>> who is actually making the stuff. Also, of White Lotus

>> relates that it is made from Benzoin and so between the 2 of them I

>> am pretty comfortable with that, even if it contradicts 100 websites

>> that are selling Choya Loban as being from incense.

>

> Amazing how stuff gets repeated erroneously, and we all fall for

> it, one

> time or another, until somebody like you really does the research.

> Thanks!

Your welcome. We are all learning, and we all tend to believe what we

read...

Will

Eden Botanicals