Creosote: A Desert Superstar
Why do we love Creosote?
Creosote (Larrea tridentata) is a common desert plant. It grows all over the southwest, sometimes appearing to be the only plant dotting the landscape. The bush has scraggly branches with dark bands that look like striped King Snakes, though I have seen some branches that are completely silver and look smooth and almost metallic. Creosote is just quintessentially "deserty". It is the smell of desert petrichor. When the rains are about to come, the tiny leaves open to receive the water and the air smells heavenly of their scent. Do we love the smell of Creosote? Or is it Pavlov's Dog type of response? We know the scent means rain. We desert people love rain. One night, I awoke in the middle of the night because I smelled "water". Actually I was smelling creosote. Was that the moment I became a real desert person? When the smell of impending rain alerted me awake?
I never imagined living in the desert. I always dreamed of living on a sheep farm in Vermont, tending to a large kitchen garden, growing my own food. Growing food in the desert is not impossible, but after trying it, it is just not the type of challenge I am up for at the moment. My dream of living off the land is still a fantasy.
But Creosote. Creo! Creosote is all around us. Our property has some massive bushes, very healthy and lush ones. While I can't eat from the Creosote bush, all along the offerings of this superpower plant has been right here the whole time.
If you are interested in desert lore, you have probably read about the ancient "King Clone", a circle formation of Creosote about an hour north of Yucca Valley. Supposedly one of the oldest organisms on the planet, a spry 11,700 years old.
I've bought Creosote infused oil, and Creosote balms from herbalists, mainly just because I liked the smell. I had no idea what kind of therapeutic properties Creosote has been revered for over a century. Indigenous peoples used the plant for over 50 treatments such as skin issues, burns, cuts, nausea, poisons, dandruff, body odor gynocology, infertilty and food preservation (just to name few, there are way more!). In his book Gathering the Desert, Gary Paul Nabhan says "Creosote Bush is our Drugstore".
It has been studied for it's multitude of properties, including being antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and even it's affect against cancer. The sticky resin on the leaves consists of 50% Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) which has been studied for its ability to inhibit tumor growth in prostate, breast, cervical, and lung cancers. NDGA is like a free radical scavenger, which goes after oxidative stress in cells (aka it's an antioxidant). Free radicals cause oxidation in our cells, and oxidated cells result in our skin looking aged and tired = oxidated (not the only reason, but one of the reasons).
In my home kitchen, I have been infusing it into oil, making balms and distilling it. I distilled it years ago and it resulted in a great hydrosol. This fall, I got a copper still and tried making it again. It came out smelling off. Just too pungent, it didn't have the sweetness that that previous batch had. I tried 2 more batches over the winter, and it just wasn't right. I thought my still was broken! I had a suspicion that it was likely due to the season of the plant. Having come off the dry summer, maybe the plant was stressed and just low energy. Now it is spring, the Creosote bushes are blooming and I gave it another go. It came out perfectly! The Creosote hydrosol is incredible. If you know the smell, then you know! It is kind of sweet, but total desert.
We love using Creosote hydrosol in our skincare routine. After washing your face, mist your face with it then continue with moisturizer. Robert notices less break outs when using it and now with the weather warming up - he prefers to keep a bottle in the fridge for refreshing hydration. Another friend who struggles with yeast overgrowth on hair and face saw their skin calm down after using it for just a week.
Our Creosote hydrosol has an acidic pH of 4.26, yet is it still a gentle form to take the plant. Our skin hovers around a 4.7 pH level. Skincare products that are acidic support our skin's acid mantle, reduce inflammation and prohibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria or fungus. I also just learned that as women age and enter perimenopause, the pH level of their skin actually goes up and becomes more alkaline! So perhaps maybe some acidity in your daily skincare routine isn't so bad.
Personally, hydrosols have been an essential part of my skincare routine for over a decade. I use them like a toner in the morning and the night. Chances are, if you catch me in the store I will talk your ear off about hydrosols!
Hydrosols are gentle, aromatic waters that hydrate skin and support the skin's barrier function. As with all herbal or natural products a patch test on the forearm is recommended to determine if there is any skin sensitivities. The scent of creosote might not be for everyone. It is strong, resinous, musky and earthy.
