Palo Santo Essential Oil - Peru

Steam distillation passes pressurised steam through ground palo santo heartwood; the volatile compounds vaporise with the steam and condense back into an aromatic oil. The yield from Bursera graveolens is low - typically 1–2% of the wood mass - which makes the oil substantially more concentrated than what burning the wood releases into a room. The dominant compounds are limonene (often above 60%), α-terpineol, and menthofuran. The high limonene fraction explains the oil's distinctly citric opening - limonene is the same terpene that dominates citrus peel chemistry, here arrived at by a different botanical route. Peruvian sourcing follows the same naturally fallen wood requirement as the raw stick supply.

1. Diffuser: 2–3 drops in an ultrasonic diffuser water reservoir. The oil is concentrated; a small number of drops fills a room.
2. Topical (diluted): 1–2 drops in 10 ml of carrier oil (coconut or almond are the supplier's recommendations) before skin application.
3. Mist: 1–2 drops mixed with water in a spray bottle; shake well before each use to redistribute the oil through the water.
4. Perfumery base: dilute into carrier; palo santo holds well as a base note in resinous compositions.
5. Never apply undiluted to skin. Essential oils at full concentration can cause irritation or sensitisation.

Store in a cool place with the cap tightly sealed to prevent oxidation. Dark glass extends shelf life; the oil deepens slowly with age when properly stored.

• Botanical: Bursera graveolens
• Origin: Peruvian dry forests · naturally aged wood
• Extraction: Steam distillation
• Concentration: 100% pure essential oil · undiluted
• Volume: 10 mL
• Dominant compounds: Limonene (60%+) · α-terpineol · menthofuran
• Aromatic profile: Citric · woody · resinous · warm
• Diffuser dose: 2–3 drops in water reservoir
• Mist preparation: 1–2 drops in spray-bottle water · shake before use
• Dilution for skin: 1–2 drops per 10 ml carrier oil (coconut, almond)
• Storage: Cool · tightly sealed · away from direct light

The oil and the wood don't smell identical. Steam distillation captures the volatile fraction efficiently - the citric-resinous opening of the wood reads cleanly in the oil - but loses some of the slower-developing notes that emerge only as the wood burns and decomposes. The oil is sharper, brighter, more limonene-forward. The wood is fuller, slower, more layered. They complement each other rather than substitute. A few drops of the oil in a diffuser delivers the citric-resinous top notes of palo santo in seconds; burning the wood delivers them in a slower, more complete aromatic arc over minutes.