The practice began in our second year, when we read that traditional apothecaries sealed their bottles with beeswax to prevent oxidation. It seemed the proper thing to do—careful, traditional, aligned with our methods elsewhere.
For four years, we melted beeswax each Thursday afternoon and dipped the necks of our immortelle preparations. The golden seal looked beautiful against the amber glass, and customers often commented on the care it suggested. But this autumn, testing a bottle that had been sealed for six months, I found the oil had developed a waxy note that wasn't there when fresh.
Helichrysum oil is delicate. Its curry-like scent comes from compounds that can be altered by heat, and melted wax—even at the low temperatures we used—was enough to change the oil's character subtly but unmistakably. The botanical clarity we prize was being compromised by our attempts to preserve it.
We now use simple cork stoppers, pressed tight and stored in a cool, dark room. The oils remain clear and true to the plants they came from. Sometimes the traditional way is not the right way, and the appearance of care can interfere with actual care.
Our immortelle preparations now arrive without wax seals. The oils taste and smell exactly as they should.
