Mike Paulson wrote:
You didn't say if this bowl is functional or purely decorative. I think
cedar (juniper) is too soft for functional bowls, but if that is what you
are up to, any penetrating oil is your best bet. It won't get shiny, but
you generally don't want surface build on functional pieces, anyway. For
decorative pieces I have had consistent good results by sealing the wood
with a few coats of shellac. You can put pretty much whatever you want on
top of that for your final finish. My personal favorite on juniper is
spray can satin Deft.

I've read quite a few times not to use satin or flat finishes because
the flatting agents can block the look of the grain. It's recommended
to use gloss and then steel wool it to the desired appearance. I use
gloss for most of my projects so I don't know how the two methods
compare. Can anyone comment?