Frankincense Essential Oil
- Type
- Essential oil
- Botanical name
- Boswellia
- Other names
- olibanum oil, frankincense oil
The resin
Frankincense, or olibanum, forms in the bark of various Boswellia species, small trees from the mountains of western India, southern Arabia and north-eastern Africa; at least four species give the frankincense of commerce. In the 1960s the trees were not cultivated: cuts were made in the bark, and the resin that oozed out hardened and was broken off or collected from the ground.[1] Indian frankincense comes from Boswellia serrata; its oleo-gum-resin contains 5 to 10% essential oil, which gives the resin its fragrance.[2]
How the oil is made
The oil is obtained in good yield by steam distillation of the crude resin. The quality and age of the resin largely decide the quality of the oil, and dust and siftings usually give little oil of poor scent. The residue left after distillation is almost odourless and consists of resins and a little gum.[1]
Scent and uses
The oil smells strongly diffusive and fresh, almost green-lemony or like the peel of unripe green apples, with a slight pepperiness over a rich, sweet-woody, balsamic undertone. In perfumes it is the base of every scent that smells of incense, and it is important in many other perfumes, including floral, spicy and men's fragrances and citrus colognes, where it changes the sweetness of bergamot and orange.[1]
Frankincense resin has been burnt as incense in religious and cultural ceremonies since ancient times.[2] Frankincense is often inhaled in aromatherapy or applied to the skin.[3]
Safety
Frankincense may be safe to use on the skin or in aromatherapy. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding.[3]
Products containing it
- Frankincense India Essential Oil (E 128)
- Long Life “Water” Oil Blend (E 129)
- Seduction Oil Blend (E 134)
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Olibanum; Olibanum Oil.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 M. Z. Siddiqui, Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 73 (2011), 255-261.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Boswellia: Usefulness and Safety. Retrieved 14 October 2026.