This edition of the balm uses sustainably wildcrafted damiana from South Texas near the Rio Grande, the northernmost range of the plant in the US. As it is the host species for a particular butterfly population, our herbalist collects the plant in very small amounts. Damiana is a subtropical wild shrub with yellow flowers and fragrant leaves that has a long history of medicinal and folk uses. Nearly 500 years ago, Spanish missionaries recorded that Mexican indigenous people were known to drink an aphrodisiac tea made with damiana and sugar.
The base of the balm is vitamin rich avocado oil. The Aztecs called the avocado ahuacuatl – the testicle tree – as the fruit hangs low and in pairs. It's said Spanish priests once forbade avocados because of their provocative, sensual form. The oil is slow infused with subtly warming cinnamon and delicate, silky vanilla, prized for hundreds of years for its ability to increase arousal by soothing the central nervous system, easing emotional tension, reducing anxiety, and improving circulation.
