Fragrant oils were both rare and highly valued as one of the earliest trade items in the ancient world. Aromatic plants, gums, and oils have been in use for thousands of years. They were valued as incense, perfumes, cosmetics, and ingredients for culinary and medical purposes.

Today, through advanced technology, perfuming has become an increasingly sophisticated business creating enormous varieties of intriguing fragrances. Although many cultures, particularly the Egyptians, were considered experts in perfuming, they did not have the diverse ingredients for perfuming available to us today. The fragrances of this period were made in a much simpler fashion using the equivalent of our modern day essential oils.

When the Lord called me as an ‘apothecary’, I felt compelled to remain true to this ancient form of perfuming. Because of this, we use therapeutic grade essential oils blended in an olive oil base and not a modern essence or fragranced perfume. Although exotic and sometimes unfamiliar to our ‘western’ noses, the Lord has called us to create anointing oils that would have been familiar fragrances in the time and culture of Jesus.