Quick Specs
- Brand: Murray & Lanman (Lanman & Kemp-Barclay)
- Type: Spiritual cologne
- Size/Quantity: 7 1/2 oz bottle
- Best for: Spiritual cleansing, altar work, body application, folk Catholic and Santeria practice
Murray and Lanman Palo Santo Cologne: Liquid Spiritual Cleansing in a Traditional Format
Murray and Lanman is the New York-based manufacturer responsible for Florida Water, the citrus-and-lavender cologne that has been a staple of Santeria, Espiritismo, Hoodoo, and Latin American folk Catholic practice since the brand introduced it in 1808. This Palo Santo cologne is made in that same tradition: a liquid fragrance built around a sacred botanical, formatted for the application methods that spiritual practitioners have used with Florida Water for over two centuries. The Palo Santo fragrance here comes from Bursera graveolens, the resinous South American tree whose name translates from Spanish as “holy wood.”
This product is entirely different from Palo Santo sticks or bundles in practice. Burning Palo Santo wood produces aromatic smoke used to clear a space; this cologne is a liquid applied directly to the body, wiped onto surfaces, added to floor washes, or sprinkled around a room. The carrier in a spiritual cologne evaporates quickly, releasing the fragrance without leaving the oily residue that an essential oil would. That quick-evaporation format is central to how spiritual colognes are used in Santeria and Espiritismo: applied to the hands, the forehead, the back of the neck, or the wrists before ritual, ceremony, or consultation, with the scent becoming part of the practitioner’s ritual state.
How Spiritual Colognes Differ From Essential Oils and Burning
Practitioners new to spiritual colognes sometimes conflate them with essential oils, but they are distinct products for different applications. Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts typically diluted in a carrier oil before skin contact; they are used in aromatherapy, anointing, and blending. Spiritual colognes are pre-diluted, designed to be used at full concentration directly on skin or fabric, and are formulated for the ritual traditions of the African diaspora and Latin American folk practice rather than the aromatherapy or natural cosmetics market. If you use Palo Santo sticks for smoke-based space clearing, this cologne extends the same botanical into a different format, one suited for body application, altar wiping, and liquid sprinkle work. Browse my ritual waters and colognes collection for additional spiritual cologne formats and waters used across folk traditions.
The 7 1/2 oz size is the standard larger format for Murray and Lanman colognes and provides enough volume for regular use in a consistent practice. The bottle is meant to be used generously; in Santeria and Espiritismo, colognes are not applied sparingly the way fine perfumes are. They are poured into the palms, rubbed through the hands, and used to wipe down altars, offerings, and the practitioner’s own body as part of preparation and cleansing. The Palo Santo scent itself is woodsy, resinous, and slightly sweet, distinct from the citrus-forward profile of Florida Water.
How to Use Murray & Lanman Palo Santo Spiritual Cologne
Three primary application methods for Murray and Lanman Palo Santo Spiritual Cologne in folk and spiritual practice.
- Body Application Before Ritual or Ceremony
Pour a small amount into the palms, rub the hands together, then apply to the back of the neck, the forehead, and the wrists. This is the standard pre-ritual application method in Santeria and Espiritismo before spiritual work begins.
- Wipe Down Altar Surfaces and Spiritual Objects
Dampen a cloth lightly with the cologne and wipe altar surfaces, offering plates, and spiritual objects. The formula evaporates cleanly without leaving residue, making it a practical cleansing method between rituals.
- Use in Floor Washes and Room Sprinkles
Add a capful to a bucket of floor wash water for a palo santo-scented cleansing wash, or add a small amount to a spray bottle diluted with water for misting a room. Both methods work without open flame or smoke for smoke-free spaces.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock Murray and Lanman products because the brand’s heritage in spiritual practice is genuine and not manufactured for the modern wellness market. The Florida Water formula has been in continuous use in Santeria, Espiritismo, and Hoodoo for over two centuries; this Palo Santo cologne applies that same tradition to a different botanical. The 7 1/2 oz format gives serious practitioners enough volume for consistent use. This is not a novelty cologne and it is not an essential oil: it is a traditional spiritual preparation in a format that has specific application methods worth understanding. For related liquid spiritual tools, browse my soaps, waters, and bath products collection for ritual washes, Florida Water, and related folk practice items.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are spiritual colognes from the same manufacturer but use different botanical bases. Florida Water is citrus-and-lavender; this cologne is built around the resinous wood scent of Bursera graveolens, the palo santo tree.
It serves some of the same functions in a different format. Burning Palo Santo creates aromatic smoke for space clearing; this cologne delivers the botanical as a liquid for body use, altar wiping, and floor washes. They are complementary tools.
Yes, it is formulated for direct skin application as a cologne. Apply to the neck, wrists, and hands. Avoid eye contact. People with sensitivity or fragrance allergies should patch-test first. It is not for ingestion or diffuser use.
Spiritual colognes are used in Santeria, Espiritismo, Cuban and Puerto Rican folk Catholicism, Haitian Vodou, and Hoodoo. They are applied before ritual, used on altars and objects, added to spiritual baths, and sprinkled in spaces.
Received
Excellent presentation en el paquete me gusto gracias