Description

Myrtle Leaf (Myrtle)

Latin name: Myrtus communis

Family: Myrtaceae

It is fresh, slightly sweet and piercing. The Egyptians used Myrtle to relieve facial tics, and the Romans considered it a panacea for respiratory and urinary problems. More lyrical Greeks considered the myrtle a symbol of love and immortality. Its reputation as an aphrodisiac has often resulted in its use as an ingredient in love potions. According to a legend, the Phaedrai wife of Theseus fell in love with Hippolytus in the shade of a myrtle tree. In ancient Rome, it was the raw material of perfumes and spiced wines such as ‘Myrtidanum’. Ships at the Olympic Games were most often crowned with myrtle leaves. It is associated with peace in the Bible. It was often included in wedding bouquets and headdresses. It was also an ingredient in ‘angel water’, a skin tonic. It calms feelings of anger.

Effect on the skin: It has a cleansing and firming effect on the skin.