Blue lotus mostly not the real deal...
- Thread starter Mr.P
- Start date
Kai Leon Art Perfumer
Oud Knight
The whole confusion around the name 'Lotus' is a classical example of the colloquial misnomer - erroneous naming of various plants under same or similar names, that got aggravated since the globalization process which had started at the Age of Geographical Discoveries at the end of the Fifteen Century, colonizations and massive cultural exchanges and adoptions, when both plants and languages began to travel worldwide. Anything from Spanish Marjoram (not a Marjoram) to Cotton Lavender (not a Lavender) to Burning Bush (two entirely different species with the same name (one of them is very poisonous) - just as with various completely unrelated Verbenas, Geraniums and Marigolds) to False Jasmine (not a Jasmine) to Mock Orange (not an Orange) and many more examples. That is why Botanical Classification - which in the last 25 years is in the process of the ever-going exacting revision, thanks to deeper Genetic analysis - is the Only Way to get out of the confusion of the folk colloquial names, that many commercial suppliers do not elucidate but occasionally aggravate with their own negligence 🙂
Egyptian 'Lotus' - despite its very long historical naming - is not a Lotus proper as it belongs to the respectably large family of Nymphaeaceae - Water Lilies, and historically, there was never a proper Sacred Lotus in Egypt (while I myself saw one growing in the garden pond in some luxury hotel - when I visited Cairo 20 years ago). To be clear, water lilies of various colours grow in many tropical countries (particularly in Asia) and are locally misnamed as 'Lotuses' as well:
for instance, the national flowers of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - are (white and blue) water lilies that grow locally of course, but indisitnguishably called 'Lotuses'.
To make the matter worse, the proper Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera (pale pink coloured) - that belongs to a very small family of Nelumbonaceae (with only ONE Other species of the real Lotuses - the native North-American Lotus lutea (of pale yellow colour), is occasioanlly called 'Water Lily' as well. Thus, 'water lily' as a name is even more confusing - as many various water blooming plants are called this - there are about (wild) 70 species of the proper Water Lilies only, and some unrelated water plants are called that as well, across various languages.
'Lotus' sounds somewhat more imposing and luxurious than 'Lily' and that is tha base for the marketing, whether we want it or not:
Every aromatic essence of 'Blue Lotus' is of Nymphea Lily (which is only marginally blue, really rather light violet - unless you enhance the image with the Photoshop) - as well as of all the real essences of 'White Lotus' - not a Lotus as well but of a white Nymphea Lily.
As to the scent -
Blue Water Lily absolute is somewhat more intense and arbitrarily 'interesting' than that of the proper Sacred ('Pink') Lotus, and a bit more available than the latter. Both are very costly to produce, and of course are adulterated and forged on a massive scale. When authentic and genuine, both of the fabulous essences cost at least as much as the most luxuriant and rare Rose ottos.
Egyptian 'Lotus' - despite its very long historical naming - is not a Lotus proper as it belongs to the respectably large family of Nymphaeaceae - Water Lilies, and historically, there was never a proper Sacred Lotus in Egypt (while I myself saw one growing in the garden pond in some luxury hotel - when I visited Cairo 20 years ago). To be clear, water lilies of various colours grow in many tropical countries (particularly in Asia) and are locally misnamed as 'Lotuses' as well:
for instance, the national flowers of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - are (white and blue) water lilies that grow locally of course, but indisitnguishably called 'Lotuses'.
To make the matter worse, the proper Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera (pale pink coloured) - that belongs to a very small family of Nelumbonaceae (with only ONE Other species of the real Lotuses - the native North-American Lotus lutea (of pale yellow colour), is occasioanlly called 'Water Lily' as well. Thus, 'water lily' as a name is even more confusing - as many various water blooming plants are called this - there are about (wild) 70 species of the proper Water Lilies only, and some unrelated water plants are called that as well, across various languages.
'Lotus' sounds somewhat more imposing and luxurious than 'Lily' and that is tha base for the marketing, whether we want it or not:
Every aromatic essence of 'Blue Lotus' is of Nymphea Lily (which is only marginally blue, really rather light violet - unless you enhance the image with the Photoshop) - as well as of all the real essences of 'White Lotus' - not a Lotus as well but of a white Nymphea Lily.
As to the scent -
Blue Water Lily absolute is somewhat more intense and arbitrarily 'interesting' than that of the proper Sacred ('Pink') Lotus, and a bit more available than the latter. Both are very costly to produce, and of course are adulterated and forged on a massive scale. When authentic and genuine, both of the fabulous essences cost at least as much as the most luxuriant and rare Rose ottos.
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@Kai Leon Art Perfumer very well said, thank you
soulfoud
Oud Fan
Has anybody else sampled the Thai blue lotus from violetglassforever? It's a strange beast to me, totally different from the 4-5 other oils I've sampled. It's intensely funky, even at 10% dilution. Durian is the closest descriptor I can find. Curious to hear somebody else's impression.
Shiningrobes
True Ouddict
Does anyone know if Rising Sun Botanicals and violetglassforever are the same vendor or affiliated? They seem to have a lot of the same items and even some descriptions. Although the items on the VGF Etsy page are mostly cheaper which wouldn’t make much sense to me because of the cost of selling on Etsy. Either way, both are new to me and thanks to Melkhaldi and soulfoud for bringing them to my attention!
Essential Oil Wizardry
Banned
Really happy I found this thread online, this level of intelligent discussion of Blue Lotus speaks to me. I've been sourcing & distributing authentic Blue Lotus Absolute (Blue Water Lily / Nymphaea caerulea) since 2014. Yes, as mentioned before, there is no true "blue lotus" as it is actually a "blue water lily", so the blue lotus is a common place misnomer. I'm actually currently writing some Blue Lotus blogs on our Essential Oil Wizardry website, and I'd love to summarize some of my experience here on this thread.
I've probably sourced & distributed about 3 kilos of this Blue Lotus Absolute from Sri Lanka & Thailand, and have blended our own formulations with ~1.25 - 1.5 kilos of this precious material since 2014 when I started my company. Last year my wife and I visit a factory / farm in Thailand and had the opportunity to walk the lotus (lily) ponds, watch their solvent extracted absolute process, and sip on rose tea from their fields. From that point on, I've felt very connected and in love with the Thailand grown & processed Blue Lotus Absolute. And for the most of the psychotropic experience, the 100x Extract Resin of Blue Lotus is precious material to commune with.
This is my first post to Ouddict, so I'll share a bit of my experience. I've been fortunate to have several great mentors along the way, and I originally trained as a pharmacist (Pharm. D). John Steele mentioned above, was my first EO teacher, educated casually through the sourcing of my oils from 2011-2014 until I met Will Lapaz, previous owner of Eden Botanicals for ~19 years. Will had generously exponentially improved my knowledge in the world of essential oils and plant medicine when I lived with him for 3 months in Hawaii.
Someone mentioned in this thread about the Blue Lotus Emanation which John Steele described to me was a third phase discovered in only one of many batches of a steam distillation from a Blue Lotus Concrete by Jack Chaitman, to yield an authentic "steam distilled Blue Lotus oil" - this "emanation" was an unexpected, separate third phase which had a different density and was separated from both the hydrosol and oil. I think there were about 3 or 4 ounces of it produced. They may have had this occur again over the years, as I purchased a mL (still in my cabinet) again around 2024 from John.
I've experienced different Blue Lotus extraction methods (absolute vs. CO2), country of origins, and even different methods / applications for usage (vaporizing, diffusing, ingesting, tincturing). I've received semi-solid batches of Blue Lotus Absolute & CO2 Extracted Blue Lotus, and have had various densities of Blue Lotus Absolute, some of which are more pourable liquid. I estimate I've experienced about 20-30 different Blue Lotus product formulations since 2011.
Sri-Lanka & Thailand Blue Lotus each confer a uniquely different aromatic expression:
Sri-Lanka - Sweet vanilla-like, dieselic undertones
Thailand - Honey-like, bright apple pie, tropical aroma
I've had CO2 extracts which were both more and less aromatic than the solvent extracted absolutes.
My favorite usage of Blue Lotus is no doubt ingesting the water extracted Blue Lotus Resin which is a 100x Extract which slow cooks the Blue Lotus down into a concentrated resin. I find the experience to be great for mediation, dropping into the present moment, and slightly enhancing visual acuity. However, this resin has lost much of it's flavor & fragrance, so the Blue Lotus Absolute or CO2 Extract would be most relevant to this group.
With special vaporizing devices you can inhale the Blue Lotus Absolute and get an amazing flavor profile with a unique, mild buzz. The most unique experience I had was vaporizing a single drop of CO2 Extracted Blue Lotus from Thailand, where I was able to get ~20 inhalations / experiences from a single drop! There was a mild euphoria, sense of clarity in the mind, with some minor opiating properties and I recall feeling a bit silly with my friends for 5-15 minutes.
Vaporizing Blue Lotus Absolute in general, is a very unique, precious and special experience - I feel it's a way you take it's essence deep within your mind, heart and body, and commune with it very deeply. It's not an overly altering experience, more subtle and beautiful. By far, vaporizing and using as a perfume ingredient are my favorite uses of Blue Lotus Absolute.
All-in-All, Nymphaea caerulea is a very precious flower - I've been able to lick the dew from her fresh flowers at sunrise in Bali and experience her essence in so many ways. Ingesting her through vaporizing the Blue Lotus Absolute or 100x Extract Resin is my favorite way to experience her depth & unique perspective. However blending perfumes, ceremonial blends and energetic formulations with Blue Lotus Absolute is also another of my favorite ways to engage with her!
A note to the wise: over the years I have been presented about a dozen "Blue Lotus" fragrance oils which were quite offensive to my palette, which people were happy to share their most "prized" oil. The real essence is available, though I do believe the market is flooded with adulterated Blue Lotus fragrance oils. I'm genuinely curious (though I don't know if this information is public), what % of sold/purchased "Blue Lotus oil" is authentic? My guess would be between 10-30% of "Blue Lotus Oil" is authentic Blue Lotus Absolute or CO2 Extracted each year, with the rest being falsely marketed fragrance ingredients to the uninitiated.
Thanks for reading my first Ouddict post, on a topic which I am quite enamored by... What is authentic Blue Lotus?
Authentically Yours,
~ Dr. Nick Berry
Founder of Essential Oil Wizardry
I've probably sourced & distributed about 3 kilos of this Blue Lotus Absolute from Sri Lanka & Thailand, and have blended our own formulations with ~1.25 - 1.5 kilos of this precious material since 2014 when I started my company. Last year my wife and I visit a factory / farm in Thailand and had the opportunity to walk the lotus (lily) ponds, watch their solvent extracted absolute process, and sip on rose tea from their fields. From that point on, I've felt very connected and in love with the Thailand grown & processed Blue Lotus Absolute. And for the most of the psychotropic experience, the 100x Extract Resin of Blue Lotus is precious material to commune with.
This is my first post to Ouddict, so I'll share a bit of my experience. I've been fortunate to have several great mentors along the way, and I originally trained as a pharmacist (Pharm. D). John Steele mentioned above, was my first EO teacher, educated casually through the sourcing of my oils from 2011-2014 until I met Will Lapaz, previous owner of Eden Botanicals for ~19 years. Will had generously exponentially improved my knowledge in the world of essential oils and plant medicine when I lived with him for 3 months in Hawaii.
Someone mentioned in this thread about the Blue Lotus Emanation which John Steele described to me was a third phase discovered in only one of many batches of a steam distillation from a Blue Lotus Concrete by Jack Chaitman, to yield an authentic "steam distilled Blue Lotus oil" - this "emanation" was an unexpected, separate third phase which had a different density and was separated from both the hydrosol and oil. I think there were about 3 or 4 ounces of it produced. They may have had this occur again over the years, as I purchased a mL (still in my cabinet) again around 2024 from John.
I've experienced different Blue Lotus extraction methods (absolute vs. CO2), country of origins, and even different methods / applications for usage (vaporizing, diffusing, ingesting, tincturing). I've received semi-solid batches of Blue Lotus Absolute & CO2 Extracted Blue Lotus, and have had various densities of Blue Lotus Absolute, some of which are more pourable liquid. I estimate I've experienced about 20-30 different Blue Lotus product formulations since 2011.
Sri-Lanka & Thailand Blue Lotus each confer a uniquely different aromatic expression:
Sri-Lanka - Sweet vanilla-like, dieselic undertones
Thailand - Honey-like, bright apple pie, tropical aroma
I've had CO2 extracts which were both more and less aromatic than the solvent extracted absolutes.
My favorite usage of Blue Lotus is no doubt ingesting the water extracted Blue Lotus Resin which is a 100x Extract which slow cooks the Blue Lotus down into a concentrated resin. I find the experience to be great for mediation, dropping into the present moment, and slightly enhancing visual acuity. However, this resin has lost much of it's flavor & fragrance, so the Blue Lotus Absolute or CO2 Extract would be most relevant to this group.
With special vaporizing devices you can inhale the Blue Lotus Absolute and get an amazing flavor profile with a unique, mild buzz. The most unique experience I had was vaporizing a single drop of CO2 Extracted Blue Lotus from Thailand, where I was able to get ~20 inhalations / experiences from a single drop! There was a mild euphoria, sense of clarity in the mind, with some minor opiating properties and I recall feeling a bit silly with my friends for 5-15 minutes.
Vaporizing Blue Lotus Absolute in general, is a very unique, precious and special experience - I feel it's a way you take it's essence deep within your mind, heart and body, and commune with it very deeply. It's not an overly altering experience, more subtle and beautiful. By far, vaporizing and using as a perfume ingredient are my favorite uses of Blue Lotus Absolute.
All-in-All, Nymphaea caerulea is a very precious flower - I've been able to lick the dew from her fresh flowers at sunrise in Bali and experience her essence in so many ways. Ingesting her through vaporizing the Blue Lotus Absolute or 100x Extract Resin is my favorite way to experience her depth & unique perspective. However blending perfumes, ceremonial blends and energetic formulations with Blue Lotus Absolute is also another of my favorite ways to engage with her!
A note to the wise: over the years I have been presented about a dozen "Blue Lotus" fragrance oils which were quite offensive to my palette, which people were happy to share their most "prized" oil. The real essence is available, though I do believe the market is flooded with adulterated Blue Lotus fragrance oils. I'm genuinely curious (though I don't know if this information is public), what % of sold/purchased "Blue Lotus oil" is authentic? My guess would be between 10-30% of "Blue Lotus Oil" is authentic Blue Lotus Absolute or CO2 Extracted each year, with the rest being falsely marketed fragrance ingredients to the uninitiated.
Thanks for reading my first Ouddict post, on a topic which I am quite enamored by... What is authentic Blue Lotus?
Authentically Yours,
~ Dr. Nick Berry
Founder of Essential Oil Wizardry
OudhJourney
True Ouddict
Where can I purchase an authentic Egyptian Blue Lotus Absolute or oil?
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