Everyday people like you and me just want to live naturally... 
–Donavon Frankenreiter, “It Don’t Matter”

Donavon Frankenreiter’s music is the aromatic inspiration for the earth-driven, lightly-citrus palo santo-based scent. This signature scent has become one of our most beloved deodorants and a staple since the beginning of Humble Brands product development.

The palo santo scent

The delicately wood-smoked smell of palo santo pairs perfectly with the warmth of frankincense and sweetness of tonka bean. Our customers have told us it elevates their mood and their lives!

We whole-heartedly agree with Donavon’s lyrics and sentiment—Everyday people like you and me just want to live naturally. Living sustainably is something we are always aiming to achieve, particularly when it comes to the ingredients we choose to work with.

Behind the scent

What is palo santo?

From a tree native to the coast of South America, and related to frankincense and myrrh, palo santo is a fragrant wood that has been considered precious for centuries. Spanish for “holy wood”, palo santo has been used for everything from important shamanic rituals to perfuming the homes of natives in Ecuador. In the United States, it is a recognizable part of many yoga studios and home smudging stations.

Palo santo sustainability

In recent years, the harvesting practices of palo santo have come to the forefront of concern within the wellness community and beyond. And rightfully so. It can take up to 10 years for a tree to start producing its uniquely scented oil. In order to sustainably harvest the oil, only dead but aged heartwood (wood from the tree’s center) is collected. It is then steam distilled to extract the precious essential oil. This process ensures the preservation of the species.

Palo Santo in Humble products

At Humble Brands, we work with palo santo essential oil that is ECOCERT/COSMOS approved, guaranteeing the ingredient was made via environmentally-friendly production and human-safe processing, with responsible use of natural resources, respect to biodiversity, and the absence of GMOs and petrochemicals.

The perfect supporting cast: Frankincense and tonka bean

Frankincense

Frankincense is a resin that is extracted from the Boswellia sacra tree. It has been revered for millennia and is considered sacred in many cultures. The essential oil for Humble Brands products is derived from the resin extracted from wild Serrata Frankincense grown and harvested in India. Learn more about frankincense essential oil and why it’s special.

Tonka bean

The tonka bean is a dark, wrinkly seed harvested from the Brazilian Dipteryx odorata tree in the Amazon rainforest. The tonka bean’s scent is akin to vanilla, but slightly more complex with notes of cherry, almond, and spice. In our Palo Santo & Frankincense scent blend it lends just the right amount of excitement and intrigue.

In addition to its alluring smell, tonka beans have proven to be a superior choice over vanilla because the latter is in short supply, and sustainably harvested options aren’t currently available. Learn more about tonka beans and why we love them.

Our humble commitment to sustainability

At Humble Brands, we strive to work with vendors who align with our ethics of respect for our planet and our communities. We never want our customers to feel any apprehension when it comes to using our palo santo-based products. We stay accountable and responsible, so you can enjoy the powerful cleansing and grounding properties of this majestic oil.

As perfectly stated by David Crow, a long-time distiller of palo santo oil, “When people come in contact with the essence of the tree, whether it is in the form of its essential oil or its fragrant wood, it has a deeply transformative effect, including nurturing, activating and manifesting their creative and spiritual potential.”

Our Palo Santo & Frankincense scent is available in our aluminum free deodorant formulas: Original and Vegan & Sensitive Skin