Origin: a Latin derivative
meaning "Gift of the Earth."
The Source Plants
Manuka essential oil hails from New Zealand, the perfect environment for the manuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium). It comes from the myrtle family of plants, the same family as tea tree and eucalyptus plants. Though it starts out a shrub, it can sometimes grow into a tree reaching around 49 feet. Every part of the manuka plant has been used in traditional health practices by the Maori. You may already recognize the word “manuka” because of Manuka honey, which is from the hives of bees that pollinate the manuka tree’s flowers.
For hundreds of years, Litsea, a plant native to East Asia, has been used by the indigenous people of Taiwan in traditional health practices. It is also known by the name “mountain pepper” in Mandarin. Like Manuka oil, Litsea oil’s source plant is a tree; it bears pale lemon-scented flowers and small fruits that look like little peppers, hence the nickname.
Manuka Touch Uses and Benefits
Available as a 10 mL like the oils in the doTERRA Touch® Kit, Manuka Touch can be easily applied directly to your skin to obtain the topical and aromatic benefits.
Litsea Uses and Benefits
The first thing you will notice upon opening the bottle is Litsea’s beautiful aroma. Its long-lasting fragrance contains hints of spice and notes of citrus.
What benefits are you most excited about with either Manuka oil or Litsea oil?