The Ingredient Library
Palo Santo
Bursera graveolens
Palo santo essential oil is steam-distilled from the wood of Bursera graveolens, a tree of the dry forests of Ecuador and Peru. Legally sourced oil comes only from fallen, naturally dead wood.
Get to know palo santo essential oil
- Source
- Fallen, dead heartwood
- Origin
- Ecuador and Peru
- Extraction
- Steam distillation
- Aroma
- Woody, citrus, sweet
What it is
Palo Santo is an aromatic essential oil distilled from the plant.
Why it belongs in your routine
Sweet, woody, citrus-edged oil distilled from fallen Ecuadorian palo santo wood.
How to use
Always dilute in a carrier oil before it touches skin. Never use undiluted. Patch test first.
Where does palo santo come from?
Palo santo, Bursera graveolens, is a small deciduous tree related to frankincense and myrrh. It grows in the tropical dry forests along the Pacific coast of South America, especially in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru, and also appears in the Galapagos. In the long dry season it drops its leaves and stands grey and bare, then leafs out again when the rains come.
Palo santo essential oil is pale yellow with a sweet, woody scent and a clear citrus top note, often compared to a blend of lemon, mint and resin. Its main component is usually limonene, with alpha-terpineol and menthofuran in smaller amounts. It is used in diffuser blends, natural perfumes, candles and soaps.
Sourcing & extraction
How palo santo essential oil is sourced and extracted
Why it is rare
The aroma only develops after a branch or trunk has died naturally and lain on the forest floor for several years. Only this fallen wood may be legally gathered in Ecuador and Peru, so the supply depends on natural tree fall.
How it is gathered
Palo santo wood is usually gathered by rural families in the dry forest regions of Ecuador's Manabí, Santa Elena and Loja provinces and in northern Peru. Collectors walk the forest looking for trunks and branches that fell years before and have dried out in place. Living trees may not be cut. In Peru and Ecuador, collection and trade are controlled by forestry permits. The wood is carried out, cut into chips or shavings and brought to local distilleries.
How it is made
Steam-distilled from fallen wood
- Naturally fallen palo santo branches and trunks are gathered and checked to confirm they have aged on the forest floor.
- The dry wood is cut into small chips or shavings to expose more surface to the steam.
- The wood chips are loaded into a still, and steam passes through them to release the volatile oil held in the wood.
- The vapour is condensed, the oil separates from the water and is drawn off, while the water can be kept as palo santo hydrosol.
How to use palo santo essential oil
- Add a few drops to a diffuser for its aroma.
- For skin, dilute 1 to 2 drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil before applying.
- Keep away from eyes and never use undiluted on skin.
For external use only. Patch test on a small area before first use and stop if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition, ask a healthcare professional before use.
From ingredient to routine
Products with Palo Santo
Find this ingredient in our collection.
Questions about Palo Santo
Where does Palo Santo come from?
Palo santo wood is usually gathered by rural families in the dry forest regions of Ecuador's Manabí, Santa Elena and Loja provinces and in northern Peru. Collectors walk the forest looking for trunks and branches that fell years before and have dried out in place. Living trees may not be cut. In Peru and Ecuador, collection and trade are controlled by forestry permits. The wood is carried out, cut into chips or shavings and brought to local distilleries.
How is Palo Santo extracted?
Steam-distilled from fallen wood. Naturally fallen palo santo branches and trunks are gathered and checked to confirm they have aged on the forest floor. The dry wood is cut into small chips or shavings to expose more surface to the steam. The wood chips are loaded into a still, and steam passes through them to release the volatile oil held in the wood. The vapour is condensed, the oil separates from the water and is drawn off, while the water can be kept as palo santo hydrosol.
Why is Palo Santo considered rare?
The aroma only develops after a branch or trunk has died naturally and lain on the forest floor for several years. Only this fallen wood may be legally gathered in Ecuador and Peru, so the supply depends on natural tree fall.
