Agarwood Species

Here is a partial list of some of the agarwood species:

1. A. Beccariana van Tiegh


2. A. Hirta Ridl.


3. A. Microcarpa Baill


4. A Cumingiana (Decne) Ridl.


5. A. Filaria (Oken) Merr.


6. A. Brachyantha (Merr.) Hall. F.


7. A. Urdanetensis (Elmer) Hall. F.


8. A. Citrinaecarpa (Elmer) Hall F.


9. A. Apiculata Elmer


10. A. Malaccensis

Aetoxylon Sympetalum

Aetoxylon Sympetalum is an agarwood tree that can grow anywhere from 40m tall to 60cm wide. It is known as gaharu Buaya in Indonesia and its a fairly cheap agarwood commodity.

Its widespread, unthreatened (according to some resources) and smells great. Aetoxylon is also used in agarwood blends to help meet demands on other existing ouds which are more expensive.

Its colours (in oil form) can range from a nice light honey to a dark blackish/brownish colour depending on its quality. It has a light smell thats very sweet and woodsy. This scent is found in Aquilaria Malaccensis and Agallocha after all the animalistic notes have faded away, yet it is still much, much sweeter.

Oil viscosity is thick and rubs on smoothly.

For more Aetoxylon please purchase some directly from Olive Aura.

Olive Oil: Massage

Here is a website that I just love: http://www.healthymuslim.com It is a Muslim based website with traditional Prophetic Medicines and contemporary information. Once I found this website, I got hooked.

Here is a link on Olive Oil benefits: http://www.healthymuslim.com/articles/ipyru-ibn-al-qayyim-the-benefits-of-olive-oil.cfm

My Topic: Olive Oil & Body Massage

Warming olive oil and using it for a deep body-massage may potentially have great benefits. People, especially those enduring hard physical stress on their body, should use it. Using it for a complete body massage is also great, provided its done after a sauna and then in a hot-humid room followed by a nice cold or semi-cold shower.

When using it in a body massage, especially for the back, make sure the one servicing you is an expert in massage therapy and that they heat the oil to a warm temperature.

Olive oil massages serves multiple purposes when using it as a massage: therapeutic, hygienic, and cosmetic. Whoever has given an olive oil massage will know. Lots of dirt and dead skin will be released when olive oil is used as a massage, so its a good idea to keep at least a cup of it by you just to massage the back. Wipe off the used olive oil and keep repeating the massage. Your skin should come out clean, your muscles relaxed in addition to its beautifying properties. Upon completion of the massage, keep the body a little bit warm for about 15mins and then shower.

It is noted in history that olive oil was an essential part of a gladiator's diet, hygiene and medication. This cherished oil was dubbed "liquid-gold" and I can see why it still is today.

For more information on Olive Oil please visit : http://www.mediterraneandiet.gr/oliveoilhealth.html & http://www.oliveoilonly.org/

Herbal Baths

Herbal baths can be great if you can get the right mixture of ingredients with healing and cleansing properties along with some aroma therapy.

Some great herbals bath recipes below:

Honey-Rose

• 1/3rd Cup liquid honey


• Earl Grey tea bags (as many as you'd like)

For twists to this bath, add orange or lemon-peels to add to the aroma or a touch valencia orange essential oil.

Mint-Tea Bath

• Fresh or dried mint leaves (about one handful)


• Tea (of any kind you like)

Herbal Mix

• 2 Earl Grey Tea bag


• 2 Tablespoons dried thyme


• 3 Tablespoons dried hibiscus


• 1 Tablespoon Sage


• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Camomile


• 1 1/4 tablespoons Anise


• Pinch of dried mint leaves

This is a great herbal tea bath. You can also play with the ingredients to your likings. Adding bits of rose, orange blossom petals, lavendar, and other sweet smelling herbs and flowering plants is a great thing to do.

Natural Hair Dye

A beautiful natural hair dye to use is HENNA. The hair dye colours (after application) can range from a bright blonde to a beautiful dark red. It can also be used for dye on the skin.

Please beware of any "black henna" or "neutral henna" which may contain synthetic chemicals which are VERY harmful to the body.

To use henna for temporary body art, mix henna powder into a muddy consistency with some water and apply generous amounts to the body. Let the henna completely dry and become a crust. After henna becomes a crust, leave it on for anywhere upto half-hour to approx 4 hours to get a really strong dye.

Henna paste may also be use to help ease foot-pain by applying henna to the soles' of your feet and letting it dry as recommended.

Black Seed

This is the most under-rated, unspoken about, hidden, unknown seed in the world. It should be deemed an "ultra-super seed." Black seed, or Nigella sativa, is a wonder seed that has so many remedies, I cannot even list them.

It is extremely useful as a detox, immune strengthener, and sexual enhancer.

You can search articles about blackseed from sites like http://www.healthymuslim.com where many devout muslims use it as a traditional medicine. You may also find Far East people from India to Indonesia using it. It is also used in Egypt and Turkey.

If anyone has any other links about blackseed to share, please feel free to forward them to info@oliveaura.com

Milk Bath

Taking a milk bath may help exfoliate the body's dead skin and apparently people have been taking milk baths for quite some time now, so we're assuming its good for you?

Some people love taking milk baths, I think its a great idea even though I've never tried it before.

My recommendations for taking a milk bath would be to use powdered milk, lavendar and rose buds. Another type of milk bath which may have you leaving smelling like sweet roses would be to add rose or orange-blossom water to your milk baths.

Here is my recipe:

• 1 cup or less orange-blossom or rose water


• 3 cups or more powdered milk

It's a good idea to use a nice soft loofa and some olive-oil based soap with a neutral smell to wash with firstly. After rinsing off, fill the bathtub with hot water and add the ingredients. If you don't wish to add the rose/orange-blossom water you can always add some dry botanicals like lavendar buds.

Mix the water and powdered milk thoroughly, rest in the tub and enjoy!

Make sure you rinse your body off properly once done with your milk bath!