Seasonal artisan hydrosol: Hinoki wood
Hinoki is one of five so-called treasured conifers of Taiwan. The wood of this wild endemic cypress species has a clean, balsamic cedar-like aroma with a top lemony note. Taiwanese hinoki wood essential oil and hydrosol differs from Japanese hinoki wood because of its composition make-up, and that's due to them being in different demographics as well as being different varieties in species. Furthermore, all Hinoki trees in Taiwan are wild and extremely old (from 1000 to 2500 years old), growing in high elevations (above 1200m), as compared to Japanese Hinoki whose essential oil and hydrosol are presently being produced with cultivated young trees due to excessive logging in the past. The fact that Taiwanese Hinoki trees are wild, ancient and growing high up in the mountains contribute to the deeply complex, woodsy, aromatic scent of Taiwanese Hinoki wood.
This hydrosol is distilled from wood chips and saw dust leftover from local woodworkers. No trees are cut down solely to produce this hydrosol as only remnant wood materials are used. There is also no pesticides/chemicals used on the raw material because ALL of Taiwan Hinoki are wild trees and this is also a natural occurring species with strong resistance against insects and pests; because of its outstanding aromatic compounds.
One of the rare unique compounds found in Taiwan hinoki wood is Hinokitiol, which is found 10x higher than Japanese Hinoki wood. This natural compound exhibits remarkable biological effects in particularly against cancer cell lines. Cellular and molecular studies demonstrated that hinokitiol blocks and inhibits the main check points of breast, lung, and melanoma cancer with different mechanisms. This suggests that it can be a promising candidate as an anticancer drug. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of this molecule can consider it as an important bioactive substance in cancer prevention. Due to lack of resources online, I can only suspect that the hydrosol may carry some trace amount of Hinokitiol.
Based on published researches on Taiwan hinoki ( Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana) , it differs from Japanese Hinoki because of the presence of new lignans, diterpenes and sesquiterpenes, such as muurola-4,10(14)-dien-3-one, 10-O-acetyl-15-oxo-R-cadinol, 4R-hydroxy-5β-ethoxy-epi-cubenol, obtusanal B, obtusadione, chamalignolide and chamaecyformosanin. Chamaecyformosanin showed antimicrobial activity against molds, including S. cerevisiae , P. italicum , A. niger and C. albicans , and numerous bacterial strains, for example P. aeruginosa , E. coli and S. aureus. In a recent 2024 research study also shows that Chamaecypanone is able to reduce the survival of cell lines of various cancers, such as human oral epidermoid carcinoma (KB), human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (HONE-1) and human gastric carcinoma. Currently, more and more studies are emerging, describing its medicinal and human health-enhancing properties.
This rare, aromatic hydrosol is steam + hydro distilled at my home studio, using hinoki wood shavings that I bought during my trip to Taiwan in July 2025. This is the First Distillate, meaning it possesses the most potent, therapeutic and medicinal qualities of Hinoki wood at its purest and truest form. You will be able to experience the liquid essence of Hinoki heartwood at its highest strength and deepest core – both with it's aroma and it's healing benefits.
Sources:
Health Benefits and Pharmacological Properties of Hinokitiol
Size: 33g
*100g size is available on hydrosol subscription plans under 3 x 100g option
How to use: Use it as a face toner or anytime when you want it (for relaxation/grounding/calm), or as a natural scented perfume mist on face and body. You may also diffuse the hydrosol in your diffuser (with no added water) to enjoy the scent of hinoki forest within your space.
Aromatherapy and health benefits: Reduces asthma and allergies, reduces overall blood pressure and heart rate, decreases sympathetic nervous activity and increases in parasympathetic activity (regulate and manage stress/anxiety levels), promote a sense of well-being and physiological relaxation, provides a grounding element, antidiabetic.
Skin benefits: Anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-tumour and anti-cancer, highly anti-oxidant, natural insect repellent, wound healing, pain relief of infections, highly recommended for troubled infections, acne-proned or weepy eczema skin. It is suitable on normal healthy skin for its aromatherapy effects.
Scent: Clean, fresh, woody-foresty, with a bright lemony top note. Overall calming and relaxing with a grounding scent. Sense of nostalgia and tranquility. Smells like trekking through an ancient hinoki forest after a bout of fresh rain, with the air heavy with woody freshness.
Ingredient: Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana (Taiwan Hinoki) wood distillate
Raw material origin:
Taiwan
Manufactured/production origin: Singapore
Extraction: The aromatic waters (first distillate) collected during steam + hydro-distillation of hinoki wood chips and shavings.
Plant part: Heartwood
Best Before: Once opened, please use within 2 years as this is a fully natural product without the use of any preservatives. Otherwise, please refer to the best before date on the bottle label. This hydrosol is generally stable and has its own self-preservation qualities.
Storage:
If not using for more than 1 month, you may store in the fridge to help extend its shelf-life. Keep away from direct heat, light/sunlight and refrain from opening bottle cap around wet, moist areas to prevent contamination.
