natural perfumery ingredients and notes

Radical Transparency. The Living Palette.
Welcome to my active botanical dictionary. For thousands of years, perfumery was considered a fine art, a quiet luxury created from nature and afforded exclusively by the rich and noble. In the past one hundred years, perfume became highly accessible to the masses, but this industrial shift led the way to mass-produced synthetic and petrochemical-based fragrances. While these cheap aroma-chemicals are inexpensive to manufacture, they stay in our environment forever and interact directly with our hormones, acting as known endocrine disruptors with long-term implications we still do not fully understand.
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True botanical perfumery is now a rare, dedicated niche—a small global group of artisan perfumers devoted to using only 100% natural ingredients. I carry that artform forward with respect and admiration for the craft and art, but also add aromatherapy to the mix, selecting and layering these ingredients for their chemistry, uses, and impact on our brain. In my studio, I partner solely with sustainable and ethical suppliers who provide fully transparent supply chains and meticulous GC/MS laboratory reports for every single batch to guarantee our ingredients remain entirely unadulterated. Furthermore, we mindfully follow all international IFRA safety recommendations for the maximum usage of natural compounds, ensuring the ethical and safe handling of every plant material.

These pure plant ingredients are exceptionally precious and costly, requiring skill, physical space, patient time, and deep clinical expertise to weave into something truly beautiful. It is an evolutionary art form that demands continuous learning from year to year and decade to decade. While there is always a new plant or a new aroma to discover, the traditional methods I use are as old as time—relying on steam distillation, cold-pressing, long macerations, infusions, handcrafted tinctures, enfleurage, alcohol washes, evaporative techniques, and infused botanical oils.

Beyond our global palette, I collect precious crops directly from my own land where I grow plants using permaculture and organic practices, and from trusted local spaces, tincturing these estate-grown plants in pure organic alcohol to craft original aromas that carry the terroir of Wisconsin - our unique fingerprint of sun, soil, climate, time, and space - and therefore cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Making this pure, natural perfume available to all is a beautiful thing. Below, you can explore the exact structural note behavior and sensory definitions of our living palette.

my personal perfumery tinctures

These are made here by me on my farm and are tinctured in high proof organic alcohol or extracted via enfleurage. I grow many plants here on my farm, (see*) or purchase from a sustainable source and then hand grind and tincture. 
​Resins, Gums & Balsams (Deep Base Notes / Fixatives)
  • Cottonwood Buds:* Rich, sweet, balsamic, honeyed, and ambery.
  • Pine Resin:* Rich, sharp, green, and intensely woody.
  • Lodgepole Pine Resin: Distinctly crisp, evergreen, and balsamic.
  • Ponderosa Pine: Sweet, warm, and vanilla-like with a woody undertone.
  • Copal: Bright, clean, crisp, and ethereal.
  • Jatoba Copal: Warm, grounding, and smooth South American resin.
  • Mexican Gold Copal: Deeply rich, sweet, and traditional incense profile.
  • Myrrh: Earthy, bitter, medicinal, and deeply warm.
  • Labdanum Resin: Sticky, sweet, leathery, and musky; essential for amber accords.
  • Makko: Soft, neutral, and woody; traditionally used as an incense binder.
  • Sages, Herbs & Fungi (Aromatic & Earthy Notes)
  • White Sage:* Strongly aromatic, camphoraceous, clearing, and herbal.
  • Black Sage:* Earthy, herbaceous, and deeply dark green.
  • Chaga: Deep, woody, bittersweet, and intensely earthy.
 Freeze-Dried Fruits (Vibrant, Fresh & Juicy Top/Heart Notes)
  • Banana: Creamy, tropical, sweet, and distinctively green-fruity.
  • Strawberry: Bright, tart, sweet, and authentically jammy-fresh.
  • Pineapple: Sharp, acidic, tropical, and vibrantly sweet.
Dried Fruits (Deep, Sticky, Jammy & Caramelized Base Notes)
  • Dates (including Amal Dates): Rich, intense, honey-like, and deeply sugary.
  • Fig: Earthy, wine-like, deeply sweet, and subtly green or coumarinic.
  • Apricot: Velvety, rich, jammy, and slightly lactonic (milky-skin scent).
  • Plum: Dark, heavy, opulent, and complexly sweet.
  • Tamarind: Sour, intensely tangy, sharp, and exotic.
Waxes (Soft, Fatty & Honeyed Textures)
  • Elemi Wax: Peppery, citrusy, and resinous with a smooth, waxy texture.
  • White Spruce Wax: Clean, fresh, evergreen, and fatty.
  • Jasmine Wax: Indolic, deeply floral, sweet, and honeyed.
Woods, Berries & Seeds (Structural Mid & Base Notes)
  • Himalayan Cedarwood: Dry, clean, balsamic, and distinctly pencil-shavings woody.
  • Palo Santo: Sweet, citrusy, minty, and sacred wood smoke.
  • Juniper Berry:* Sharp, gin-like, piney, and bracingly fresh.
  • Pixuri Seed: Rare, exotic, spiced, and coumarin-rich (similar to tonka bean).​
  • Musk Ambrette: Sweet, floral, powdery, and botanical musk profile.
Spices & Grains (Warmth, Texture & Kick)
  • Cassia: Warm, sweet, hot, and intensely spicy (cinnamon variant).
  • Long Pepper: Sweetly pungent, hot, and earthier than black pepper.
  • Barberry: Sharp, tart, and acidic berry character.
  • Rice: Powdery, soft, starchy, and comforting.
Teas (Green & Roasted Sophistication)
  • Jasmine Tea: Highly romantic and delicate, blending fresh green tea clarity with sweet, seductive floral notes.
  • Earl Grey: Bright, crisp black tea layered with the sharp, sunny, and sophisticated citrus punch of bergamot oil.
  • White Peony (Bai Mu Dan): Ethereal, soft, and slightly sweet with notes of fresh hay, delicate white flowers, and a velvety texture.
  • Pau Xiu (Baozhong / Pouchong): Incredibly fresh, green, and vibrant with an intense, naturally occurring orchid and lilac aroma.
  • Tie Guan Yin Tea: Highly floral, fresh, orchid-like, and clean oolong.
  • Oolong Tea: Roasted, complex, amber-hued, and slightly fruity.  
Enfleurage (True Floral & Sweet Heart Notes)
  • Lily of the Valley (Muguet):* Exceptionally clean, dewy, green, and ethereal white floral.
  • Oriental Stargazer Lily:* Intensely intoxicating, spicy, honeyed, and deep exotic floral.
  • Iris:* Soft, powdery, elegant, and subtly woody with an aristocratic, cool profile.
  • Phlox:* Sweet, delicate, herbal-floral with a unique soft, honeyed-clover nuance.
  • Dianthus (Carnation family):* Deeply floral with a prominent, warm, spicy clove-like signature.
  • Tulsi (Holy Basil):* Pungent, sweet, and complexly herbal with sharp anise, clove, and mint facets.
  • Lilac:* Indolic, fresh, green, and powdery; a true spring floral masterpiece.
  • Rose:* Classic, deeply romantic, honeyed, and rich floral profile.
  • Peony:* Soft, fresh, dewy, and slightly green-rosy floral.
  • Monarda (Bee Balm):* Brightly floral with a unique citrusy, thyme-like, and spicy herbal nuance.
  • Sweetgrass:* Sweet, fresh-cut hay, coumarin-rich, and comforting.​​

pure essential oils & absolutes ethically sourced

  • Agarwood / Oud: Base Note — Velvet ink, rich dark wood, ancient earth.
  • Allspice Berry: Heart Note — Pungent warm clove, dry nutmeg, sharp pepper.​
  • Amber Resin Accord: Base Note — Golden balsamic honey, warm powdery sweetness, rich classic sanctuary warmth.
  • Fossilized Amber: Base Note — Dry charred wood, ancient smoky tar, deep primordial campfire leather.
  • Ambrette Seed: Base Note — Velvety botanical musk, nutty fat, skin-like.
  • Amyris: Base Note — Soft cedar-like timber, faint balsamic warmth, woody.
  • Angelica Root: Base Note — Musky green celery, damp earth, peppery grit.
  • Angelica Seed: Top Note — Sparkling peppery green, airy citrus rind, bright.
  • Anise Star: Top Note — Intense sweet licorice, clean herbal snap, spicy.
  • Artemisia / Mugwort: Top Note — Bitter medicinal herb, sharp camphor, green leaf.
  • Balsam of Peru: Base Note — Deep powdery vanilla, dark cinnamon glaze, resinous.
  • Basil Sweet: Top Note — Fresh anise-green herb, sharp clove-like spice, bright.
  • Bay Laurel: Top Note — Sweet herbal pastry, warm medicine bark, spicy.
  • Bay West Indies: Top Note — Fiery clove oil, rustic rum spice, pungent timber.
  • Beeswax: Base Note — Warm golden honey, soft sweet floral wax, cozy hive sanctuary.
  • Benzoin Resin: Base Note — Sweet vanilla sugar, cozy benzoin balsamic, warm.
  • Bergamot: Top Note — Sparkling earl grey tea, crisp bitter citrus, floral.
  • Birch Tar: Base Note — Heavy charred leather, rustic campfire smoke, intense.
  • Black Currant Bud / Cassis: Heart Note — Sulphuric green berry, deep animalic cat-musk, tart.
  • Black Pepper: Heart Note — Pungent dry dust, hot woody spice, crisp.
  • Blood Orange: Top Note — Succulent sweet pulp, zesty red citrus, solar.
  • ​Bois de Rose / Rosewood: Heart Note — Clean woody floral, soft linalool lily, sweet.
  • Boronia: Heart Note — Expensive green violet, rich dark raspberry, woody.
  • Buchu Leaf: Top Note — Sharp minty black currant, pungent green camphor, tart.
  • Cade: Base Note — Intensely smoky tar, charred pine embers, dark.
  • Cajeput: Top Note — Pungent green eucalyptus, sharp cooling camphor, medicinal.
  • Calamus / Sweet Flag: Base Note — Warm spicy cinnamon-marsh, earthy ginger root, dry.
  • Caraway: Heart Note — Warm rye bread, sharp herbal spice, savory.
  • Cardamom: Top Note — Lemony green pod, warm exotic spice, eucalyptus.
  • Carnation / Oeillet: Heart Note — Spiced honeyed clove, heavy floral wax, rich.
  • Carrot Seed: Base Note — Dry rooty earth, iris-like wood, powdery violet.
  • Cassia Bark: Base Note — Hot cinnamon bark, dark woody spice, sweet.
  • Cedarwood Atlas: Base Note — Rich balsamic wood, mossy timber hearth, urinous musk.
  • Cedarwood Himalayan: Base Note — Clean sweet timber, deep pencil-shaving wood, dry.
  • Cedarwood Texas: Base Note — Dry campfire cedar, smooth smoke timber, rustic.
  • Cedarwood Virginia: Base Note — Clean sharpening cedar, classic dry pencil wood, light.
  • Celery Seed: Heart Note — Warm savory soup, bitter herbal green, long-lasting.
  • Chamomile Blue / German: Heart Note — Inky dark cocoa, deep herbal apple, hay.
  • Chamomile Roman: Top Note — Sharp green snap-apple, sweet herb tea, bright.
  • Cilantro / Coriander Leaf: Top Note — Pungent green soap, sharp metallic herb, citrus.
  • Cinnamon Bark: Base Note — Warm ground cinnamon, sweet woody fire, hot.
  • Cinnamon Leaf: Heart Note — Dirty clove spice, soft warm timber, peppery.
  • Cistus / Rock Rose: Base Note — Deep ambery leather, musky resin tear, warm.
  • Citron: Top Note — Thick green rind, dry woody lemon zest, crisp mouthwatering splash.
  • Citronella: Top Note — Sharp lemon-soap herb, green grassy cleaner, loud.
  • Clary Sage: Heart Note — Velvet amber herb, sweet musky tobacco, lavender.
  • Clove Bud: Heart Note — Spicy hot eugenol, classic sweet clove, woody.
  • Cocoa: Base Note — Thick powdery chocolate, bittersweet dark concrete, cozy velvet pod.​
  • Coconut: Heart Note — Creamy sweet pulp, rich tropical fat, soft velvety warmth.​
  • Coffee: Heart Note — Fresh roasted bean, dark bitter espresso, rich lofi workspace focus.
  • ​Cognac Green: Top Note — Tart wine dregs, yeasty fruit skin, rich alcohol.
  • Copaiba Balsam: Base Note — Mild peppery timber, soft sweet resin, creamy.
  • Coriander Seed: Top Note — Sweet woody spice, airy lemony seed, distinct.
  • Costus Root: Base Note — Wet animal hair, old cold grease, human skin musk.
  • ​Cumin: Heart Note — Hot human sweat, deep savory curry, earthy spice.
  • Cypress: Top Note — Crisp pine needle, dry amber wood, clear forest air.
  • Cypriol / Nagarmotha: Base Note — Smoky vetiver mud, dark leathery root, woody.
  • Date: Heart Note — Rich dark molasses, sweet sun-dried fruit, sticky balsamic caramel.
  • Davana: Heart Note — Boozy black currant, dried apricot jam, dark herb.
  • Dill Seed: Top Note — Sharp caraway spice, warm culinary pickle, herbal.
  • Douglas Fir: Top Note — Sweet pine-citrus juice, fresh christmas timber, clear.
  • Elemi: Top Note — Lemony frankincense tear, sharp peppery green, balsamic.
  • Eucalyptus Citriodora: Top Note — Intense lemon-camphor, piercing herbal cleaner, loud.
  • Eucalyptus Globulus: Top Note — Piercing blue camphor, cooling forest medicine, crisp.
  • Eucalyptus Radiata: Top Note — Soft sweet camphor, airy minty leaf, clean.
  • Fennel Sweet: Top Note — Clean sweet black anise, herbal celery root, crisp.
  • Fenugreek: Base Note — Toasted maple syrup, bitter celery spice, rich burnt sugar.
  • Fig: Heart Note — Jammy green leaf, creamy milky sap, sun-warmed summer orchard.​
  • Fir Balsam Needle: Top Note — Jammy evergreen needle, sweet forest absolute, cozy.
  • Flouve / Sweet Vernal Grass: Base Note — Sun-baked coumarin hay, sweet dried tobacco leaf, rustic prairie grass.
  • Fragonia: Top Note — Sweet floral tea tree, soft minty camphor, fresh medicinal balancing herb.
  • Frankincense Carterii: Base Note — Peppery lemon citrus, ancient cold cathedral resin, woody.
  • Frankincense Serrata: Base Note — Sweet orange sap, bright balsamic tear, woody.
  • ​Galangal: Top Note — Fiery ginger root, sharp peppery pine, clean energizing rhizome spice.
  • Galbanum: Top Note — Bitter green pea, snapped leafy stem, intense resin.
  • Geranium Egyptian: Heart Note — Sharp rose petal, minty green leaf, herbal.
  • Ginger: Top Note — Fresh grated root, fiery woody citrus, warm.
  • ​Grapefruit Pink: Top Note — Succulent bitter rind, sulfurous pink citrus, bright.
  • Grapefruit White: Top Note — Dry bitter zest, sharp clean citrus, airy.
  • Green Mandarin: Top Note — Tart green rind, snappy citrus floral, mouthwatering.
  • Guaiacwood: Base Note — Sweet smoky honey, dark woody tar, rose-like oil.
  • Gurjun Balsam: Base Note — Soft woody resin, mild sweet timber, stable patchouli extender.
  • Hay: Base Note — Sweet dried fig, sun-baked coumarin grass, earthy.
  • Helichrysum / Immortelle: Base Note — Burnt maple syrup, bitter curry herb, warm chamomile.
  • Hemlock Spruce: Top Note — Deep coniferous shadow, crisp green needle, quiet braying woodland.​
  • Hiba Wood: Base Note — Intensely woody cedarwood, strong native timber bark, rustic log cabin shelter.
  • Hinoki Wood: Base Note — Ethereal lemon-tinted cedar, sacred clean temple timber, airy green wood.
  • ​Honeysuckle: Heart Note — Sweet jasmine honey, orange flower absolute, rich.
  • Hyssop: Top Note — Sweet camphorous herb, spicy honey-mint, intense.
  • Iris / Orris Root: Base Note — Powdery violet root, luxury vintage suede, cold candle wax.
  • Jasmine Grandiflorum: Heart Note — Intensely sweet white flower, fruity banana top, deep animalic musk.
  • Jasmine Sambac: Heart Note — Green tea flower, heavy night bloom, narcotic indole.
  • Juniper Berry: Top Note — Clean botanical gin, crisp woody pine cone, peppery.
  • Juniper Leaf / Branch: Top Note — Snapped green pine twig, dry peppery leaf, clean wilderness air.​
  • Labdanum: Base Note — Heavy sticky amber, sweet plum leather, balsamic.
  • Lavender Bulagrian: Heart Note — Sweet floral meadow, soft clean herb, honey.
  • Lavender Spike: Top Note — Harsh camphorous herb, sharp clean soap, loud.
  • ​Lemon: Top Note — Expressed yellow zest, clean tangy rind, bright.
  • Lemon Verbena: Top Note — Pure clean lemon bar, crisp grassy herb, elegant.
  • Lemongrass: Top Note — Sharp lemon-candy grass, heavy ginger-citrus, loud.
  • Lime Pressed: Top Note — Tart green lime juice, sharp candied rind, electric.
  • Linden Blossom: Heart Note — Honeyed tree flower, crisp green lily, sweet summer air.
  • Litsea Cubeba / May Chang: Top Note — Intense lemon-green candy, bright verbena-citrus, sharp.
  • Lotus (Blue/White/Pink): Heart Note — Narcotic watery floral, serene muddy riverbed root, ancient meditative blossom.
  • Lovage Root: Base Note — Heavy molasses soup, dark celery earth, intense.
  • Magnolia Flower: Heart Note — Creamy lemon blossom, sweet tropical fruit nectar, velvety white petal.
  • Mandarin Red: Top Note — Deep succulent orange, smooth sweet citrus, calming.
  • Manuka: Heart Note — Rich medicinal honey, heavy earthy tea tree, protective wellness herb.
  • ​Melissa / Lemon Balm: Top Note — Sweet green lemon herb, soft honey floral, expensive.
  • Mimosa: Heart Note — Powdery yellow almond, green cucumber flower, soft wood.
  • Monarda / Bee Balm: Heart Note — Local Wisconsin wild flower, sharp herbal oregano, soft sweet rose-geranium undertone.​
  • Myrrh: Base Note — Bitter buttery resin, earthy mushroom mud, ancient wood.
  • Myrtle: Top Note — Clean herbal green, soft eucalyptus-mint, clear air.
  • Nag Champa Accord: Base Note — Powdery champa flower, rich creamy sandalwood, sweet temple resin.
  • Neroli: Top Note — Elegant white blossom, crisp bitter citrus, honeyed green.
  • Niaouli: Top Note — Piercing green camphor, strong sweet eucalyptus, clean antiseptic air.​
  • Nutmeg: Heart Note — Warm grated wood-spice, cozy holiday kitchen, dry.
  • Oakmoss: Base Note — Inky damp earth, marine sea lichen, leathery wood smoke.
  • Opoponax / Sweet Myrrh: Base Note — Dark sweet toffee, velvety resin soup, wine-like warm spice.
  • Orange Bitter / Petitgrain Bigarade: Top Note — Dry snappy citrus leaf, woody orange twigs, bitter green.
  • Orange Sweet: Top Note — Fresh juicy orange peel, clean sugary rind, bright.
  • Oregano: Top Note — Hot savory pizza herb, dry biting spice, pungent.
  • Osmanthus: Heart Note — Leathery apricot jam, heavy tea blossom, exotic velvet.
  • ​Palmarosa: Heart Note — Sweet grassy rose, clean citronella leaf, green geraniol.
  • Parsley Seed: Heart Note — Bitter herbal earth, dry woody green, savory.
  • Patchouli Dark: Base Note — Rich basement earth, dark moldy cocoa, balsamic wood.
  • Patchouli Light: Base Note — Clean dry wood, iron-free herbal earth, light.
  • ​Peppermint: Top Note — Icy sweet menthol, piercing garden mint, cooling.​
  • Perilla / Shiso: Top Note — Crisp spicy cinnamon-mint, sharp green culinary leaf, exotic anisic splash.
  • Peru Balsam: Base Note — Deep vanilla powder, rich wood resin, sweet.
  • Pimento Berry: Heart Note — Warm clove-nutmeg blend, dry peppery bark, spicy.
  • Pink Peppercorn: Top Note — Dry sparkling spice, soft fruity-sweet berry, airy floral juniper hint.
  • Pine Scotch: Top Note — Clean coniferous timber, fresh resinous needle, clear forest.​
  • Palo Santo: Base Note — Luminous lemon-mint wood, sacred white smoke, clearing incense.
  • Piñon Pine: Base Note — Sticky campfire resin, slow-charred bark, sweet high-desert timber.
  • Plumeria / Frangipani: Heart Note — Heavy almond jasmine, rich tropical blossom, velvet nectar.
  • Ravensara: Top Note — Spicy medicinal camphor, clean green clove leaf, airy.
  • Ravintsara: Top Note — Clean clearing cineole camphor, fresh green clove leaf, airy breath.​
  • Rose Damascena / Ottoman: Heart Note — Deep honeyed scarlet rose, warm spicy wine, luxury.
  • Rose Maroc / Centifolia: Heart Note — Light cabbage rose, green garden stem, clear waxy floral.​
  • Rose de Mai / Centifolia: Heart Note — Crisp cabbage rose petal, clear waxy green stem, airy morning floral.
  • Rosemary: Top Note — Piercing herbal needle, sharp workspace camphor, woody.​
  • Saffron: Heart Note — Bitter metallic iodine, luxury new leather, golden spice.
  • Sage Dalmatian: Top Note — Strong herbaceous thujone, savory culinary leaf, sharp camphorous focus.
  • Sandalwood Australian: Base Note — Dry sour wood, clean resinous timber, light.
  • Sandalwood East Indian / Mysore: Base Note — Ultra-creamy velvet wood, warm milky tree, sweet sanctuary.
  • Saro: Top Note — Clean sweet cineole, light herbal citrus, fresh leaf.
  • Savory Winter: Top Note — Burning herbal pepper, dry hot thyme, pungent.
  • Seaweed / Fucus: Base Note — Salty marine brine, cold oceanic moss, dark tidal mud.​
  • Siam Wood / Fokienia: Base Note — Creamy golden timber, soft sweet cedarwood, velvety longevity anchor.
  • Spearmint: Top Note — Sweet orbit chewing gum, crisp garden mint, refreshing.
  • Spikenard / Jatamansi: Base Note — Heavy animalic mud, valerian root earth, ancient moss.
  • Spruce Black: Top Note — Sweet balsamic evergreen, fresh wilderness sap, focus.
  • Spruce, White: Top Note — Piercing wilderness air, clean cold needle sap, bright forest focus.
  • Styrax / Liquidambar: Base Note — Sweet chemical gasoline, rich amber plastic, dark cinnamon resin.
  • ​Sumac: Top Note — Tart dark berry, sharp crimson astringency, dry fruity leather snap.
  • Sweetgrass: Base Note — Fresh vanilla hay, sweet sun-baked coumarin, sacred prairie braid.
  • Tagetes / Marigold: Top Note — Pungent rotten green, sweet wild apple fruit, heavy.
  • Tamarack / Larch: Heart Note — Sweet balsamic wood, golden autumn needle sap, rustic pine honey.​
  • Tangerine: Top Note — Bright sugary citrus peel, light electric orange, solar.
  • Tansy Blue: Heart Note — Sweet herbal ink, deep calming chamomile apple, complex.
  • Tarragon: Top Note — Sweet anise herb, green celery leaf, sharp licorice.
  • Tea Tree: Top Note — Medicinal green turpentine, piercing clean camphor, antiseptic.
  • Thyme Red: Top Note — Burning herbal smoke, sharp medicinal carvacrol, rustic.
  • Tobacco: Base Note — Rich dried honey-leaf, dark smoky humidor, velvet moss.
  • Tonka Bean: Base Note — Warm almond coumarin, rich vanilla hay, caramel.
  • Tuberose: Heart Note — Heavy narcotic gardenia, thick buttery bloom, damp earth.
  • Tulsi / Holy Basil: Top Note — Spicy hot clove-basil, warm sweet licorice herb, sacred green lift.​
  • Turmeric: Top Note — Golden earthy powder, fresh spicy rhizome, woody yellow.
  • ​Vanilla Absolute: Base Note — Smooth rich pod, deep dark cream, pure woody sweetness.
  • Vetiver Bourbon: Base Note — Heavy root smoke, rich swamp mud, salty green grass.
  • Vetiver Haiti: Base Note — Clean blonde wood, dry potato earth, elegant root.
  • Violet Leaf: Base Note — Sliced green cucumber, fresh mown lawn, cold metallic flower.​
  • White Sage: Top Note — Intense resinous camphor, clean dry desert wind, sharp clearing smoke.
  • Wintergreen: Top Note — Piercing sweet root beer, cold medicinal mint, immediate icy muscle relief.
  • Yarrow: Heart Note — Bitter blue weed, sharp camphorous herb, medicinal.
  • Ylang Ylang Extra: Heart Note — Intensely sweet custard blossom, rich banana oil, narcotic indole.
  • Yuzu: Top Note — Tart dry grapefruit rind, mandrin-citrus sparkle, sophisticated.

Ancient Saps & Ground resins. The Raw Incense Library

Crafting traditional hand-rolled incense sticks and slow-burning cones requires an entirely separate universe of natural raw plant materials.
I formulate exclusively with whole tree barks, raw fossilized saps, and sun-dried permaculture botanicals that I hand-grind from scratch right here in Deerfield, Wisconsin. By blending this coarse plant matrix with pure water and water-soluble botanical binders, I shape a malleable, aromatic dough that preserves the true, clean realism of the plants. Below, you can explore the exact raw ingredients, binders, and estate-grown crops that shape our slow-burning smoke rituals.
Natural Binders & Combustion Bases

Makko Powder (Machilus Thunbergii)
The absolute foundation of traditional Japanese xartisan incense. Water-soluble, completely odorless, and naturally high in plant mucilage, Makko acts as both my structural adhesive binder and my clean, slow-burning fuel base. It ensures a clean, velvety stream of smoke that respects your breathing paths.

Joss Powder (Litsea Glutinosa)
A traditional, high-grade bark binder harvested from the Litsea tree. Packed with natural plant polymers that activate the moment they touch pure water, Joss powder provides exceptional structural flexibility. I weave this clean, odorless binder into my hand-rolled dough mixes to prevent cracking and ensure our sticks and cones cure evenly on our solar-powered farm.


The Terroir of Wisconsin: Estate-Grown & Foraged Botanicals

Pine Resin (Pinaceae) — Hand-Harvested 
Scent Profile: Rich, sharp, bracingly green, and intensely woody with an old-world forest realism 
Aromatherapeutic Benefit: Packed with grounding wood compounds that mimic the restorative benefits of deep forest bathing, helping to clear creative blocks, stabilize your boundaries, and comfort an overwhelmed nervous system.
Artisan Sourcing: Hand-harvested directly from my own land in Deerfield, Wisconsin, gathered exclusively from windfall trees following seasonal storms to honor the earth and completely respect the life cycles of our living conifers.

Artisan Sourcing: Hand-harvested directly from my own land in Deerfield, Wisconsin, gathered exclusively from windfall trees following seasonal storms to honor the earth and completely respect the life cycles of our living conifers.

Wisconsin Peony Petals
Gathered at peak early-summer bloom right from our estate soil. When ground whole into our custom dough runs, peony petals introduce a delicate, plush floral creaminess and traditional soft sweetness that instantly rounds out our sharpest resinous base notes.

Lavender Buds
Dried slowly in dark bundles inside our solar studio space. Ground into our Lunar dough, these whole botanical buds coax your immediate workspace or bedroom into a soft twilight blanket of honeyed floral peace to quiet a racing thoughts process.

Tulsi / Holy Basil
Cultivated with deep permaculture intent right on our Deerfield acreage. This sacred green leaf releases a warm, deeply comforting current of hot spicy clove-basil and sweet licorice herbs to instantly restore an anxious system.

Lemon Verbena
Hand-plucked at summer sunrise and cured slowly. Ground whole, it acts as an exquisite, bright burst of pure lemon-green candy and crisp grassy citrus to instantly sweep away afternoon brain fog and creative exhaustion.

Homegrown Rosemary & Sage
Grown organically right outside our workshop doors. This high-potency herbal combination releases a sharp, piercing camphorous needle notes profile and deep savory green focus that anchors your awareness into a calm state of alert attention.

Wisconsin Prairie Sage
Wild-foraged from our surrounding dry meadows and fields. This rugged local botanical infuses our smoking matrixes with an intense, crisp resinous wind and clean desert-like smoke that helps establish a protective somatic boundary across your room.

Local Mugwort (Artemisia)
Collected from the untamed border edges of our acreage. This ancient dream-herb releases a bitter, deeply complex medicinal green leaf profile and sharp herbal smoke, making it a spectacular companion for introspective evening routines.

Northern White Spruce & Pine Needles
Harvested following seasonal midwest storms from our estate conifers. These whole needles release a piercing wilderness air, crisp cold needle saps, and fresh resinous timber tones to deliver an authentic forest focus straight into your room.

Wild Juniper Needles
Snapped fresh from local bushes and ground by hand. It brings a dry, snappy, and deeply peppery evergreen twig profile to our blends, instantly lifting heavy ambient room air with true botanical realism.

Rose Petals & Dianthus Petals
Collected petal by petal throughout our summer garden runs. It lends a deep, velvety texturized depth and traditional honeyed softness to our incense dough, comforting your physical senses and wrapping your surroundings in safety.

Sticky Cottonwood Buds
Wild-foraged along our property in early spring. Packed with rich, sticky balsamic propolis, these resinous buds melt natively into our burning paste, releasing a sweet honeyed amber, old wood bark texture, and cozy woodland warmth.

Wisconsin Sweetgrass
Cultivated in our wild prairie areas. Ground whole, it releases a rich, sun-baked coumarin aura and pure vanilla-hay sweetness that coaxes your entire indoor airspace into deep, peaceful relaxation.
Tree Resins and Woods

Copal Blanco (White Copal)
Aroma Footprint: Bright, crisp citrus, clean pine needles, and high-vibrational solar energy.
Mindset Impact: Clarifying and uplifting; excellent for clearing digital stagnation and anchoring morning focus.

Copal Negro (Black Copal)
Aroma Footprint: Deeply mysterious, sweet heavy balsam, dark vanilla pod, and heavy rich smoke.
Mindset Impact: Deeply meditative, introspective, and comforting to a racing thought process.

Copal Oro (Gold Copal)
Aroma Footprint: Warm golden honey, rich caramelized amber, and smooth balsamic tree sap.
Mindset Impact: Inspires creative confidence, solar positivity, and a sense of absolute safety.

Frankincense Carterii
Aroma Footprint: Peppery lemon citrus, ancient cold cathedral stone, and clean woody resin saps.
Mindset Impact: Slowly stabilizes deep breathing patterns, grounding the spirit into a sharp state of flow.

Frankincense Serrata
Aroma Footprint: Sweet succulent orange rind, light airy balsamic tears, and sunny warm spice.
Mindset Impact: Instantly lifts a heavy mood, chasing away creative exhaustion and morning brain fog.

Myrrh (Nile/Classic)
Aroma Footprint: Bitter buttery tree sap, warm medicinal barks, and old-world temple smoke.
Mindset Impact: Nurturing and anchoring; acts as a sturdily structured base note to ease internal static.

Black Myrrh
Aroma Footprint: Heavy scorched earth, dark molasses, rich licorice root, and deep velvet shadows.
Mindset Impact: Highly protective, grounding, and engineered to comfort your space during quiet evening rituals.

Sandalwood Powder (Red / Pterocarpus Santalinus)
Aroma Footprint: Soft woody timber, dry ground barks, and subtle rustic forest earth tones.
Mindset Impact: Provides a beautifully steady, clean, and reliable smoldering base for complex herb combinations.

Agarwood Powder (& Oud)
Aroma Footprint: Deeply luxurious, velvet ink, dark exotic wood trunks, and complex primordial earth.
Mindset Impact: The absolute pinnacle of grounding; centers your workspace awareness into deep, peaceful relaxation.

Himalayan Cedarwood Powder
Aroma Footprint: Deeply dry pencil-shaving timber, clean sweet wood bark, and crisp forest floor.
Mindset Impact: Anchors your workspace awareness, providing a steady and clear-headed focus companion.

Organic Palo Santo Powder
Aroma Footprint: Luminous lemon-mint wood, sacred white wood smoke, and clearing incense saps.
Mindset Impact: Clarifying and uplifting; excellent for shifting your environment out of a creative block.

Musk Ambrette Seeds
Aroma Footprint: Velvety botanical musk, rich nutty plant fat, and intimate skin-like warmth.
Mindset Impact: Gently coaxes the nervous system out of physical tension, promoting a deep sense of safety.

Balsam Fir Wax
Aroma Footprint: Jammy evergreen needle paste, sweet forest absolute, and concentrated green resin balm.
Mindset Impact: Wraps your surroundings in a cozy cocoon of absolute warmth and true wilderness realism.

Elemi Resin
Aroma Footprint: Lemony frankincense tears, sharp peppery green stems, and clean balsamic saps.
Mindset Impact: Simultaneously uplifting and clearing; sweeps away morning brain fog and inertia.

Labdanum Resin
Aroma Footprint: Heavy sticky amber, sweet plum leather, and rich balsamic moss saps.
Mindset Impact: The ultimate grounding anchor; throws a protective, meditative veil across your space.

Pixuri Seeds (Amazonian Patchouli)
Aroma Footprint: Exotic herbal spice, warm powdery earth, and dark velvety patchouli leaf.
Mindset Impact: Intensely comforting and nurturing; anchors your physical senses when the world feels too loud.

Black Spruce Wax
Aroma Footprint: Deep resinous conifer sap, thick wilderness bark, and sweet balsamic evergreen tree hearts.
Mindset Impact: Explicitly formulated to anchor your attention into a calm state of alert focus while you work.

Benzoin Resin
Aroma Footprint: Comforting vanilla sugar, sweet balsamic benzoin glaze, and warm holiday kitchen saps.
Mindset Impact: Sells a racing mind down into a scholarly, introspective embrace to slow down a busy day.

Copal Negro (Black Copal)
Aroma Footprint: Deeply mysterious, sweet heavy balsam, dark vanilla pod, and heavy rich smoke.
Mindset Impact: Deeply meditative, introspective, and comforting to a racing thought process.

Copaiba Resin
Aroma Footprint: Mild peppery timber, soft sweet balsam oil, and creamy wood sap tears.
Mindset Impact: Gently steadies your breathing paths, offering a soft baseline of quiet tranquility.

Galbanum Resin
Aroma Footprint: Intense bitter green pea, snapped leafy stem, and sharp primordial resin.
Mindset Impact: A powerful wake-up call for the spirit; sparks immediate alertness and environmental static clearing.

Dragon's Blood Resin
Aroma Footprint: Rich volcanic earth, fiery amber spice, and deep medicinal tree sap.
Mindset Impact: Establishes a fierce, protective somatic boundary across your room to ground your energy.

Opoponax Resin (Sweet Myrrh)
Aroma Footprint: Dark sweet toffee, velvety resin soup, and wine-like warm balsamic spice.
Mindset Impact: Highly soothing, mysterious, and perfect to accompany deep evening wind-down rituals.

Mimosa Wax
Aroma Footprint: Powdery yellow almond, green cucumber flower, and soft velvety honeyed saps.
Mindset Impact: Wraps your interior air in an energetic, light-filled breeze of radiant positivity.