Aloe is one of the most familiar botanicals in personal care, but its remarkable composition makes it far more interesting than its familiarity might suggest. Rich in naturally occurring polysaccharides and other plant constituents, aloe has been extensively studied and has a long history of use in botanical and skin-care traditions.

At Ætherbal, aloe is much more than an added botanical. We selected it as a foundational ingredient because of its unique properties and the way it complements the other ingredients within our formulations. Its versatility, gentle nature, and beautiful relationship with the skin are why you’ll find aloe throughout the Ætherbal topical collection.

Frankincense, Boswellia spp., has a rich history spanning religious, cultural, and botanical traditions. It appears in the Bible as one of the three gifts brought to the infant Jesus, was used by the ancient Egyptians in ceremonial practices, and remains a sacred incense within the Catholic Church and many other spiritual traditions around the world.

Beyond its remarkable history, frankincense has a complex botanical chemistry. Its naturally occurring aromatic constituents include alpha-pinene, alpha-thujene, limonene, camphene, and many others that contribute to its distinctive character. This combination of ancient tradition, botanical complexity, and aromatic qualities has made frankincense an enduring and highly valued plant material—and one we are proud to incorporate into Ætherbal formulations.

Steam distilled from the resin of Commiphora myrrha, Myrrh Gum contains a complex array of naturally occurring botanical constituents. Among its notable constituents are furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and curzerene, along with lindestrene, beta-elemene, germacrene compounds, germacrone, alpha-copaene, and numerous constituents present in smaller amounts.

Together, these compounds create the distinctive chemical and aromatic profile that has made myrrh such a valued botanical throughout history. Its remarkable complexity and long tradition of topical use are among the reasons Myrrh Gum has become an important botanical ingredient found throughout many Ætherbal formulations.

Evening Primrose Oil is one of our primary botanical base oils, selected for its naturally rich fatty-acid profile, including linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), as well as naturally occurring phospholipids and antioxidants. Widely valued in skin care, it provides a nourishing botanical oil base while serving as an elegant carrier for the other ingredients within our formulas.

At Ætherbal, Evening Primrose Oil is combined with our water-based Orthosilicic Acid through our specialized emulsification process, bringing the oil- and water-based components together into a unified topical formula. The result is the distinctive lightweight, non-greasy feel of Ætherbal topicals while allowing our botanical ingredients to be incorporated together within a single formulation.

Black Cumin Seed Oil, Nigella sativa, has a long and celebrated history of use across traditional botanical practices. Its naturally complex composition includes a range of plant compounds, with thymoquinone being one of its most recognized and widely studied constituents.

Valued for centuries and increasingly popular in modern botanical and personal-care formulations, Black Cumin Seed Oil is especially appreciated for its use in topical skin care. At Ætherbal, we selected this remarkable oil for its distinctive botanical profile and the way it complements the other whole-plant ingredients within our formulations.

We use Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis, as a botanical extract in our Simple X formula. It is also one of founder Bonnie D’Arcangelo’s favorite herbs. Goldenseal has a distinctive botanical chemistry and is naturally rich in isoquinoline alkaloids, including berberine, β-hydrastine, and canadine.

Goldenseal also holds special significance for Ætherbal because of its conservation status. The plant is considered at-risk by United Plant Savers, making responsible cultivation and stewardship especially important. This concern helped inspire founders Bonnie and Michael to establish Michigan Protects, a nonprofit dedicated to growing, planting, and protecting native at-risk medicinal plants in Michigan—including Goldenseal.

For us, Goldenseal represents more than an ingredient. It reflects our belief that working with plants also carries a responsibility to protect them, helping preserve important botanical species for generations to come.

Gotu Kola, Centella asiatica, has become a celebrated botanical in skin care, particularly in formulas created to support the appearance of stretch marks, scars, and changing skin. Revered within Ayurvedic traditions for its rejuvenating qualities, it has long been known as the “herb of longevity” and also holds a fascinating place in traditional Daoist practices.

The plant has a naturally complex botanical profile rich in triterpenoid saponins, along with phytosterols, tannins, amino acids, and other plant constituents. This combination of traditional use, distinctive plant chemistry, and its long association with skin care makes Gotu Kola an especially valued ingredient in Ætherbal’s topical formulations.

*Maritime pine,Pinus pinaster, extract is only found in our Re-Gen Vein topical but could very easily be included in nearly everyone of our products. It is most widely used for reducing the signs of aging and sun exposure. It has a wide range of benefits for the skin including reducing redness and discoloration, improving skin texture, and boosting production of hyaluronic acid and collagen. This extract may help with cell regeneration, replication, and the reduction of free radicals, while helping to reduce the appearance of scars and improve the skin injury healing process.*

Lavender is one of the most extensively studied essential oils and can be found throughout many Ætherbal topical formulations. Among the several varieties of lavender, true English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is one of the most widely recognized and commonly used in botanical skin care.

Lavender holds an especially important place in our Close the Gap formula, where it was selected for its long history of topical use and its remarkable botanical and aromatic profile. Its naturally occurring constituents include linalool, linalyl acetate, caryophyllene, 1,8-cineole, sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, alpha-terpineol, and many others.

This complex chemistry, combined with lavender’s long tradition in botanical skin care, is why it remains one of the essential oils we return to again and again in Ætherbal formulations.

Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus (formerly Rosmarinus officinalis), is a bold aromatic botanical with a complex essential-oil profile. Its naturally occurring constituents include 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, camphor, and numerous other aromatic compounds that give rosemary its distinctive character.

Rosemary is valued throughout botanical and personal-care traditions and is incorporated into Ætherbal formulations for both its aromatic qualities and its compatibility with our whole-plant ingredients. Its naturally occurring antioxidant compounds also make rosemary a particularly useful botanical within topical formulations.

We use Eucalyptus globulus as the source of eucalyptus essential oil in our formulations. Recognized for its distinctive, fresh aroma, eucalyptus has a long history of use in botanical traditions and remains one of the most familiar essential oils in the world.

The essential oil has a naturally complex chemical profile dominated by 1,8-cineole, along with constituents such as alpha-pinene, D-limonene, beta-pinene, sabinene, para-cymene, and numerous others. Together, these naturally occurring aromatic compounds create the characteristic botanical profile that makes eucalyptus such a distinctive addition to Ætherbal formulations.

We love Juniper at Ætherbal. With its fresh, distinctive aroma and long history of use in botanical traditions, Juniper brings both a beautiful aromatic character and a unique plant profile to our topical formulations. One of the things we especially appreciate about working with essential oils is that an Ætherbal topical can become an aromatherapy experience as well as a botanical skin-care ritual.

Juniper essential oil contains a complex array of naturally occurring aromatic constituents, including alpha-pinene, alpha-thujene, beta-myrcene, sabinene, limonene, alpha-humulene, and gamma-elemene. Together, these compounds contribute to Juniper’s distinctive botanical and aromatic character.

At Ætherbal, we especially value Juniper in formulations created around the appearance, feel, and everyday care of the body. Its remarkable botanical profile and refreshing aromatic presence make it an ingredient we return to again and again.

Cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, is a fresh, woody evergreen essential oil with a distinctive botanical and aromatic profile. It is naturally rich in alpha-pinene and delta-3-carene, along with alpha-terpinolene, limonene, myrcene, alpha-terpinyl acetate, beta-pinene, and numerous other aromatic constituents.

Cypress has a long history in traditional aromatherapy, where it is associated with feelings of transition, movement, and navigating periods of change. This aspect of Cypress is particularly meaningful to us at Ætherbal. In traditional herbal formulation, plants are often brought together with different roles—some taking the lead, others directing the formula, and others providing support. We appreciate Cypress for the sense of movement and transition it brings to that relationship.

On a more metaphysical level, Cypress represents the movement from one state into another. Change is an essential part of renewal, and this symbolism—combined with Cypress’s distinctive chemistry and fresh evergreen character—is why it holds an important place in select Ætherbal formulations.

Chamomile is one of the most familiar botanicals in the world, yet many people do not realize that there are different varieties, including German and Roman Chamomile, each with its own distinctive botanical profile. At Ætherbal, we use Roman Chamomile for its unique aromatic character and naturally occurring plant constituents.

Among its notable constituents are isobutyl angelate, 2-methylbutyl angelate, methallyl angelate, and isoamyl angelate. You may notice a common thread among these compounds: they are all angelate esters, a characteristic feature of Roman Chamomile’s essential-oil chemistry.

This distinctive chemical composition is part of what makes Roman Chamomile such an interesting botanical and why we selected it for use within Ætherbal formulations. Its long history of traditional use, gentle aromatic character, and unusual ester-rich profile give Roman Chamomile a special place among the essential oils we work with.

It is difficult to say much about Turmeric, Curcuma longa, that most people haven’t already heard. This brilliantly colored botanical has become one of the most recognizable plants in modern herbalism and has a remarkably long history of use across traditional botanical systems.

Turmeric contains a complex array of naturally occurring plant compounds, most notably the curcuminoids that give the rhizome its characteristic golden color, along with a diverse collection of aromatic constituents. This rich botanical chemistry has made Turmeric the subject of extensive modern research and continued interest throughout the herbal world.

At Ætherbal, we incorporate Turmeric into select formulations because of its distinctive botanical profile and its long-standing place in traditional approaches to body care. Its combination of tradition, plant chemistry, and versatility makes it a natural fit within our whole-plant formulation philosophy.

Neroli, Citrus × aurantium, is an exquisite essential oil distilled from the fragrant blossoms of the bitter orange tree. Prized for both its beautiful aroma and the considerable amount of plant material required to produce it, Neroli is one of the more precious essential oils used in botanical skin care and aromatherapy.

Its naturally occurring aromatic constituents include linalool, limonene, beta-pinene, linalyl acetate, and trans-beta-ocimene, among many others. Together, these compounds create Neroli’s distinctive floral, citrus-like aromatic profile.

At Ætherbal, Neroli is reserved for select formulations where its botanical character and aromatic qualities complement the other whole-plant ingredients. Its combination of botanical complexity, beautiful aroma, and long tradition of topical and aromatic use makes Neroli a particularly special ingredient within our collection.

Bergamot, Citrus bergamia, essential oil is cold pressed from the peel of the bergamot citrus fruit. It should not be confused with Mentha citrata, an entirely different aromatic plant that is also sometimes called bergamot. With its fresh, bright, citrus aroma, Bergamot is also famously associated with the distinctive flavor and fragrance of Earl Grey tea.

Bergamot has a complex aromatic profile rich in naturally occurring constituents including limonene, linalyl acetate, linalool, gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene, and numerous others. Together, these compounds contribute to the characteristic citrus-floral aroma that makes Bergamot so valued in botanical and aromatic traditions.

At Ætherbal, Bergamot is incorporated into select formulations for its distinctive botanical character and aromatic qualities. Its bright, uplifting aroma also makes it particularly well suited to the sensory and aromatherapy experience that accompanies many of our whole-plant topical formulas.