Did you know that at Liquide Femme Beauty, we invest research and time into using only ethical and sustainable natural beauty ingredients. We do no use plastics and make sure all our ingredients are sourced ethically and sustainably.
One of our key ingredients we use is sustainably sourced Boswellia Rivae (Frankincense). Where Frankincense has trended upwards recently as a commercial commodity in skin care, it is also putting great strain on the continued viability of it's use.
There are 12 different types of Frankincense and the most popularly used worldwide is the Somalian Boswellia Carterri and Boswellia Sacra. These are used in perfumery, incense, scents for the sacramental chrism for Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches almost every service for the most part and then across the cometic industry. The Conservation status of B. Sacra is currently dire, listed as near threatened in the IUCN Red list for Oman, Somalia and Yemen.
To collect these resins, incisions are made in the trunks of the tress to produce exuded gum, which appears as milk like resin. The resin then hardens into orange-brown gum resin known as Frankincense.
The increasing amount of tapping irrespective of tree size is causing decreased tree sexual reproduction. So, we are seeing tapping results in limited flower and fruit production, and low production of mainly non-viable seeds. Consequently, the current tapping regime will cause tree exhaustion and eventually a decline in vitality. Tapping may potentially reduce natural regeneration of the species which would be devastating. Dutch scientists who modelled the trends in the wild Boswellia stocks predicted that, within 50 years, the tree populations will be decimated - so frankincense production is doomed if things continue as they are.
So, what's different about Boswellia Rivae?
Boswellia trees are not actively tapped, so resin collection has a neutral impact on the health of the trees., and resin production is unaffected by drought. Consequently, collecting resins acts as a key income supplementing livestock herding, as well as a safety net protecting pastoral communities from the severe negative effects of climate change- exacerbated drought on livestock. Therefore, Ethiopian Boswellia Rivae is well positioned chemically, ecologically and socially to support expanded trade.
It was the wise intentions of Queen Hatshepsut (see our other blogs) of Egypt in 1495 who organized early expeditions to the Land of Punt (now Somalia) to collect living specimens of the Frankincense and Myrrh trees with fragrant resin. She bought 31 trees back to be planted in the temple garden at Thebes.
At Liquide Femme Beauty, we pay homage to the dedication of Hatshepsut in establishing these powerful and magical resources we are using to this day and seek to sustain the longevity of these divinely powerful trees well into the future for the benefits of our health.