From a social perspective, Dubai is definitely the most astounding place I’ve ever been. The idea that a city of that scale and grandeur with such enormous political and economic significance could emerge from a tiny fishing village to such massive scale in under 20 years is nearly unfathomable. While most people visit Dubai to do business, go shopping, or to stand atop the Burj Khalifa (all of which I did) my biggest pleasure was learning about Myrrh at the souks and mosques.
Ancient pharaohs had the resin collected, transformed into a crystalized form, and exported it from Ethiopia and the surrounding areas of Eastern Africa, Arabia, and India to the rest of the world. Used as a holy plant in many religions, and with important uses in nearly every great civilization – from East to West – Myrrh was valued for medicine, incense, perfumes, and embalming.
The Middle East has been important in the Myrrh trade since the ages, since long before petrol had value. While Myrrh is no longer a primary source of income for the Middle East, that region still exerts great control over Myrrh passing from its native growth places like Ethiopia and Somalia to the rest of the world. The medicinal and spiritual powers of Myrrh are documented since before the common era (BC). From a scientific perspective, the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Myrrh for medicinal uses are also well verified.
After visiting Dubai and immersing so fully in the ethnobotanical history of Myrrh, I started using it in many of my skincare formulas. My favorite Myrrh-rich formula is Soothing Serum from BEB Organic, a company I founded many years ago to make pregnancy and baby skincare. I especially love Soothing Serum in tandem with the other products in our Baby Bump Sensory Set. Like the ethnobotanical uses of Myrrh, the bond between mother and child is sacred.
LAVOAGE 