Vanilla orchid is a vineplant native to Mexico, but is now widely grown throughout the tropics.
The whole vanilla pod may be used as a fragrance, or split and scraped to allow the tiny seeds to flavor a dish. 
Vanilla also comes in a liquid extract form, which is made by processing vanilla beans in an alcohol-water solution. Make sure the vanilla extract you buy contains vanilla and alcohol only, and not vanillin, for best flavor. Vanillin (C8H8O3), is an artificial ingredient made from wood.  Pure Vanilla is relatively expensive due to the culturing process and time consuming extraction process.

Pure Vanilla offer a multitude of health benefits. Vanilla not only exhilarates the brain and uplifts the spirit, it calms and soothes away emotional tension in the form of anxiety and stress. Vanilla has also long been recognized as a natural aphrodisiac.

For the Totonaca Indians in Mexico Vanilla was a sacred herb that they incorporated into all levels of their lives. 
It was used for respiratory pain and congestion, deep coughs and stomach ailments. Some drank vanilla in their pursuit of love, many others found that its delicate persuasive aroma was just as powerful. 
The Totonaca Indians wore vanilla beans and feathers in their hats, and used it to perfume their homes, a practice they continue today. They used the oil from the drying vanilla beans to rub on their skin until their bodies glistened.

Todays use of Vanilla continue the tradition of the persuasive smell,  interesting enough a sweet tincture was made to treat stomach disorders, and this medicinal value was listed in the American Pharmacopoeia until 1916. For years Coca Cola syrup was a popular home remedy for an upset or queasy stomach. The syrup contained a high percentage of vanilla, which most likely was the key healing ingredient.

I use pure plant Vanilla for its delightful aroma and valuable properties in BASILICUM Face Cleanser, LA SELVA Body Oil and PEACE & SUNSHINE Body Oil.

On a note I a want to add for those of you who want to avoid animal parts in your food and body products: Non-Plant vanilla flavoring from beavers is considered "natural flavoring" in the United States, Castoreum, the exudate from the sexual glands of mature beavers, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food additive, often referenced simply as a "natural flavoring" in the product's list of ingredients. It is commonly used in both food and beverages, especially as vanilla and raspberry flavoring. It's also used to flavor some cigarettes and in perfume-making (some classic perfumes incorporating castor are Emeraude, Coty, Chanel, Cuir de Russie, Magie Noire, Lancôme Caractère, Hechter Madame, Carven, Givenchy III, Shalimar, and many "leather" themed compositions.) Avoid it!

As amber is an organic gemstone made of fossilated tree resin, and often tiny plant and other ancient life forms, for you next walk, grab an amber. Carrying this piece of Nature with you will make the connection with Mother Earth stronger, and you will feel grounded and at peace. 
Connect with the ground and let the warm earth energy fill you and the Amber, let the energy flow up through your legs, heart chakra up to your head, up to the tree tops and further into the Universe. Breath and be thankful for all the beauty in the world, and in your life :-)

Amber is honestly not as crystal but a tree resin which has solidified and fossilized, never the less it is a very useful "stone" as it has a strong connection with the earth and is a great grounding stone for higher energies. If you ever feel like you are floating and find it hard to focus grab hold of Amber.
Amber is a powerful chakra cleanser and healer, and has the ability to draw dis-ease out of the body and stimulate the body to heal itself. 
It brings balance, peace and life force, and helps our everyday self to a higher spiritual reality.

Amber is a highly sought-after fragrance, with its subtle, euphoric, warm and exotic aroma. Contrary to popular belief, there is no true 'Amber essential oil' - rather, Amber oil is an extract of one or more tree resins, generally found in a solid or semi-solid form. There is no one tree that produces amber resin, so there is a great variety of products sold as 'Amber Oil' that vary greatly in aroma and quality. This amber is very earthy, without a hint of harshness that may sometimes accompany tree-oils.

There are white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds, both are excellent internally, but my focus here is the benefits of sesame seed oil externally.

The seeds grow in large pods, and the plants are typically ready for harvesting 90 to 150 days after planting. Farmers must harvest seeds before temperatures dip below freezing to ensure the seeds do not lose quality. When sesame seeds are ready for harvesting, their seed pods split open, releasing the seeds, nature is amazing.
Because of their small size, sesame seeds are grown on small farms and harvested by hand, as the tiny seeds can easily become lost on large plots of land or in big farming equipment.

Sesame oil is mentioned in the Vedas as excellent for humans, and  has been used as a healing oil for thousands of years. 
The oil is a potent antioxidant and in the tissues beneath the skin, the oil will neutralize free radicals.

Sesame seed oil absorbs quickly and keeps the skin supple and soft. It heals and protects areas of mild scrapes, cuts and abrasions. It helps tighten facial skin, particularly around the nose, controlling the usual enlargement of pores as skin ages chronologically.

Teen boys and girls have learned, that all oil is bad for their facial skin (heavy oils and toxic oils and creams are bad for all facial skin) but Sesame seed oil is one oil which is actually good for young skin. It helps control eruptions and neutralizes the poisons which develop both on the surface and in the pores. The oil will cause young facial skin to have and display natural good health. Sesame seed oil can help prevent blackheads, clear the skin of pimples, and fade dark spots. 
It’s packed with all the good stuff—Vitamin E, lecithin, minerals, proteins, and amino acids, and it is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Sesame seed oil is also a natural UV protector. 

Daily usage of sesame seed oil on the face and body drastically reduces sun exposure while slowing down the effects of aging. It also acts as a natural barrier to protect against elements such as smoke, smog, and environmental pollutants in the air. 

Note: Only buy organic cold pressed sesame seed oil.

I use Sesame seed oil in NECESSARY Face Parfait, MJUK Face Cleanser and PEACE & SUNSHINE Body Oil.