If you read my older post about Sanguis Veneris, you know it’s a medieval love and healing formula, and I gave it a go even though it’s European and I no longer work too much in European herb-lore, because it has uses in conjure as well and because the astrological event for its creation happened to be coming up. So I went ahead and took the astrological opportunity to make up a batch of Sanguis Veneris oil (HIGHLY concentrated, quite thick and full of powdered resins and herbs, so dilute, dilute, dilute) and powder (pure, 100% powdered herbs and resins, NO base or filler or mineral ingredients). The oil can be worn (see caveats below), used to dress candles, mojos, objects, etc, just like any condition oil.  The powder can be burned as incense on a charcoal block, added to mojos, added to a base oil to make your own oil, etc.  Caution: MAY STAIN SKIN if a lot is used, WILL STAIN FABRIC etc so handle with care, especially in concentrated amounts.

Sanguis Veneris oil and powder can only be made once a year, when the astrological conditions are right. Last time I made this, the powder sold out really quickly, so this powder has been out of stock for nearly two years. The ingredients are very expensive, so I don’t want to make more than there’s a demand for this year, so I’m taking pre-order to assure that I order the right amount of raw materials to make enough for everybody who wants some. The powder will be created towards the end of February 2013 and will ship when it’s finished, during the first week of March.

One order of Sanguis Veneris powder will contain app. one ounce; if you’ve ordered from me before, this is the same amount you get with my usual powders and bath salts. I’m going to package this year’s batch in glass bottles instead of plastic packets.

Sanguis Veneris is a medieval love/lust and drawing/healing blend; ideally it is to be made under certain astrological conditions. I make up a batch when the conditions were right, using an appropriate ritual framework, and leave the blend to absorb the light of the full moon before sealing up the mother container. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, until the next appropriate astrological event rolls around (no more than once a year, and if I happen to be busy during the very narrow window of time in which it can be made next year, then there won’t be any until the following year).

This blend would be especially appropriate when you’re trying to draw a lover with the means and desire to give you lots of gifts, attention, money etc, or to get your current lover to loosen up on the purse strings a little bit. It’s also appropriate for situations where you are concerned that people NOT gossip or spread rumors about your relationship, if for any reason you need to keep it under wraps, so in that particular area it has a protective quality (though it can’t be expected to totally hide crimes or affairs all on its own!). If people are gossiping about you because they are jealous of your looks or love life, this can help with that sort of thing. Finally, it can be used in spellwork to cool off hot tempers in a relationship and put the love back in the center – it’s not a reconciliation oil exactly, it won’t just heal up all difficulties and it wouldn’t work alone to return a lost lover, but it can turn the volume down on the anger and turn the volume up on the love and remembering why you got together in the first place.

This is a medieval “high magic” blend, not a conjure oil. But from a hoodoo perspective, the ingredients in this blend are healing, relaxing, protective (especially from those telling lies), good for sensual love, and good for money-protection and money-drawing. So this isn’t a “true sweet romance” love formula, and it’s not a “Fiery Love” blend exactly, but it definitely has sexual/sensual overtones, and within a certain sphere, it’s definitely a multi-purpose oil. Read more about Sanguis Veneris at my blog – follow the tags.

This formula does NOT contain actual blood, just plant matter and essential oils. It’s made in a ritual context under the appropriate astrological conditions and set under the light of the full moon. (My initial formal hands-on training in herblore was in European traditions, so I do know how to do this stuff even though I work primarily in African-American herblore, and I spent nearly two decades as an initiate in a couple of formal hermetic, ceremonial magic, wand-waving and robe-wearing and qabala-using traditions and do know my astrology, sigils, grimoires, K and C of the HGA etc as well, so I broke out some of the old altar implements for this one).

It does not contain anything that is not theoretically safe for use on skin, and I tested it on myself after I made it the first time, but as with ANY ritual oil, you might want to dilute it and do a spot test before wearing it, and you wouldn’t use it as a perfume but rather as a ritual anointing oil. It *may* stain your skin – there is no way to avoid that given the ingredients – but if used in small enough quantities and away from white clothing, you should be alright. You might not want to dab it behind your ears, of course, but you could use it similarly to body paint (though it’s not *that* thick) and paint symbols or sigils on yourself, or dab it at appropriate spots (at the heart and right above the pubic bone below your navel would be good places) or, if your lover is adventurous, on him or her. However, please note that it is not edible and would taste absolutely horrible, and should not be used as a personal lubricant nor on any areas where you want someone’s mouth to go.)

You can also use it to paint your lover’s name on the soles of your feet to put a little “commanding” action into your love workings. (You can use a toothpick if you don’t have a paintbrush that’s that small). I tried the foot-painting trick and it did not stain the bottom of my foot, and I dabbed a bit on my wrists and it did not stain my skin, but I can’t promise that it won’t stain your clothes. If you wanted to dilute this in a carrier oil I would start at no more than half a dropper per half ounce of oil – you can always go up drop by drop if you want to. This is highly concentrated, so it will work just fine if you dilute it to make it go further. At that level it may still stain light clothing. You could also just add a few drops to a carrier oil for a lighter blend, and/or add a few drops to another type of love or lust condition oil, or to a bath salt base or incense powder base, to convey its properties to your base formula.

The scent is very lightly sweet. If you dilute it you may not smell anything, so it becomes a matter of personal preference. Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean it’s not working though. If you prefer, you could add a drop or two to your favorite ritual or anointing oil if you use such on your skin (please note my usual caveats about my own oils – they are generally not designed for use on skin unless the listing specifically says so, and will nearly always need to be diluted to proper skin-safe levels if you decide to risk wearing them – I do not make cosmetics and none of my items are cosmetics unless they are listed under “body products” like the lip balm).

This thick mixture makes a fabulous candle dressing and the powder makes a fascinating, unusual incense. You can certainly add a pinch of it to a less expensive incense blend to stretch it out (and I would advise it – uncut, this can be almost too thick and heady, and it does have a slightly bitter undertone and lots of resins in it). A little of this goes a long, long way. You could also dress your candle with another condition oil or plain olive oil and sprinkle the powder on the candle, or roll your candle in it. Rolling might be overkill – I think I’d sprinkle, or else mix it with another powder first and then roll.

Limited edition – once it’s gone, it’s gone, at least until the next appropriate astrological event comes around.

You can pre-order it here. I will make a little bit more than is pre-ordered, but I can’t afford to buy a whole hell of a lot of the raw materials, so the quantity will definitely be limited. I’ll make a new batch of Sanguis Veneris oil, too, but that didn’t sell out as quickly, so you shouldn’t need to rush on it. There is still a couple of bottle’s worth left from last year.