I remember growing up, hearing the Christmas story and the gifts the wise men brought and wondering what the significance of Frankincense and Myrrh were. Gold seemed obvious but I was curious about the purpose of the other two gifts.
After I started studying herbal remedies and discovered how Frankincense and Myrrh were traditionally used, I realized that these gifts were actually even more practical than the gold.
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh
Myrrh was (and still is) used in anointing oils and since it is naturally anti-septic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-microbial and anti-viral. It was used on wounds to ward off infection and was often used on the umbilical cord to keep it clean while it was healing. Myrrh was also said to help sooth and calm and could have been used on babies to calm them.
Frankincense was used in perfumes and was also helpful for improving hormone balance (like after pregnancy), and soothing skin wounds and stretch marks. Some sources say that it was used in traditional cultures to calm mom and baby after birth. In traditional cultures, it was used on babies (in small amounts) to calm, sooth and relax. It was also said to help alleviate digestive problems.
There were certainly deeper spiritual meanings that could be taken from the gifts but they certainly could have served a practical purpose as well. In modern times, Frankincense and Myrrh are often used in natural remedies, especially skin creams and applications.
A gift from afar…
I was using diluted Frankincense on my thyroid externally and wanted an easier way to apply it so I immediately thought of a lotion bar. Since Christmas is approaching, I thought it would be fun to combine the three gifts of the Magi into one lotion bar. The result smells woodsy and amazing and leaves a faint gold shimmer on the skin.
It is perfect for winter and so much fun to make.
Supplies…
These lotion bars are simple to make with all natural ingredients (click on the link to see the brand I used for each ingredients):
- Shea Butter
- Coconut Oil
- Beeswax
- Gold Mica Powder (for color and shimmer)
- Frankincense Essential oil
- Myrrh Essential Oil
- Optional: Lavender and Peppermint Essential oils
I also used these black containers for the lotion bars, but they can be made in muffins tins or silicon molds as well.
Lotion Bar Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup Shea butter
- 1/3 cup beeswax
- 1 tablespoon gold mica powder
- 15 drops each of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils
- Optional: 10 drops each of peppermint and lavender essential oils
What to Do:
- Melt shea butter, beeswax and coconut oil in a double boiler.
- Remove from heat and add mica powder and essential oils.
- Carefully pour into empty deodorant containers and let set until hardened.
- To use: Rub carefully on dry skin to nourish, moisturize and leave a natural shimmer.
Ever tried using gold, frankincense & myrrh in a recipe before? Share below!
Coconut Oil Pulling Chews
This is such a great idea! It fits the Christmas theme perfectly.
I recently heard that the “Gold” may not have been gold as we think of it. It may have been TURMERIC! The other two gifts were not precious metals, they were precious oils so it’s reasonable to think that the gold was not a metal, but a spice!
All those benefits may be true but remember the wise men weren’t on the scene until Jesus was about 2 years old!
What a wonderful recipe and perfect gift idea! I love it.
I appreciate you so much. I need to sit down and write an email telling you all the ways my family has been helped through you!
Merry Christmas!
How many of those black containers does this recipe yield?
4
Where to get the mica, and also the little bar containers, Katie. Thank you.
Lisa
They are linked in the post 🙂 If you click on the word, it should take you to where I got to them
Oh, you beyotch! You stole my idea! 🙂 I was all set to use your lotion bar recipe to make frankincense & myrrh bars and add the mica powder after you talked about using it for lip balm, but Amazon had been out of the gold for weeks so I let it slide.
I also had my eye on some nativity-themed molds on Etsy. That would be the perfect Christmas gift.
These look fabulous! With the above measuremts, how many lotion bars does this make? Thank you!
Katie – how many empty deodorant containers does this recipe fill?
Mine made 4…
I just made this and it made 2.5 of the black containers for me. A previous batch made about 10 cute flower-shaped bars in a 1-3/4 by 1-3/4 by 0-1/2-inch silicone mold. At first I thought it was way too much gold and it does make the bars rather orange but on the skin it blends right in and just leaves a hint of a shimmer. Very fun gift idea this year.
I read someplace, once, that ground up gold can be used to treat depression, also. I think the treatment was to drink it. I recommend doing research before using it–I just have vague memories.
My Mother was given gold shots for RA for quite a few years. I don’t know if it is still a treatment for RA but it never seemed to help her.
I’m sorry your mom wasn’t helped by the gold treatments!
When my mom received the gold treatment she was at the point of needing to be in a wheelchair, couldn’t open a cupboard, write, fastener her bra strap, tie shoes, etc. One treatment alone helped her so much she went hiking the next day to pick blueberries!! It was soooo amazing! She was almost completely crippled in every way and then whammo….she was better!!
Hi! Is there any possible way to purchase these already made? 8)
Homeopathic gold (Aurum metalicum) is a remedy for depression, particularly for depression due to losing your fortune (gold!) or your loved one (your true treasure).