Benzoin Powder Herb
Herbs & Spices
Benzoin Powder comes from a tree native to the East India islands. The bark, after having been cut on the tree, exudes a juice that is very fragrant, and which slowly dries into whitish, grey or brown tears. These are then ground into a fine powder.
On his voyage in the late 1400's around the Cape of Good Hope to India, the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama was given a gift of this resin, benzoin, a substance highly valued by the Indians. Because of its appealing vanilla like aroma, they chose benzoin for an incense in their temples. Medicinally, they used benzoin gum to relieve shingles, ringworm, and a number of other skin disorders. In other parts of southern Asia, benzoin was employed to mend sores on the feet and was traditionally applied to heal the wound made by circumcision.
Benzoin resin is a common ingredient in skin-protective products, where it aids the healing of chapped or blistered skin. Benzoin's preservative qualities make it much in demand by the cosmetic industry for use as a scent fixative in soaps, perfumes, and creams. Small amounts of benzoin are added to many foods, from beverages to baked goods, as a flavoring.
Benzoin is used in pharmaceutical preparations, food flavorings and in fragrances. And often used in soap manufacturing when preservatives and/or fixatives are required, ie. when fruit (lemon, orange slices) is added to the soap.
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Ingredients