Composition
100% essential oil of Boswellia serrata. Origin: India.
The plant and the oil
Boswellia serrata, known as Indian olibanum or Indian frankincense, is a tree whose oleo-gum-resin is tapped from cuts in the trunk; the resin contains 5 to 10% essential oil, which gives the resin its fragrance.[2]
Scent
What it smells like. Frankincense 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.[1]
Where it is used. In fine perfumery it is a base for all incense-type perfumes and an important ingredient of oriental, amber, floral and spicy perfumes, men's fragrances and citrus colognes, where it modifies the sweetness of bergamot and orange.[1] The resin of Boswellia species is the source of frankincense, which is often inhaled in aromatherapy or applied to the skin.[4]
How to use
Scent a room. The oil is intended to lift the spirits and to help a person feel centred and steady.[3]
Make a massage oil. Mix the oil into a carrier oil such as jojoba oil. 1% means 1 ml of frankincense oil in 100 ml of blend.
For people aged 15 and over, the recommended share of essential oil in a blend is up to 2% for general wellbeing, but not every day. During an illness, at most 5% is acceptable, and only for a short time.[5]
| Share of frankincense oil | Frankincense oil in 10 ml of blend | Carrier oil in 10 ml of blend |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | 0.05 ml | 9.95 ml |
| 1% | 0.1 ml | 9.9 ml |
| 2% | 0.2 ml | 9.8 ml |
Before the first use, try a little of the blend on a small patch of undamaged skin. If the skin reacts, stop and apply a little vegetable oil or cream.[6]
Add it to a bath. Stir it into a little vegetable oil or a bath gel base first, so that it does not float on the water as undiluted drops.[6][7]
Precautions
- do not swallow it or put it on the skin undiluted;[8]
- keep it away from the eyes;[6]
- keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[6]
- Frankincense may be safe to use on the skin or in aromatherapy.[4]
- People with asthma should try the scent carefully at first: fragrances, natural ones included, can make the condition worse.[9]
- Little is known about the safety of frankincense in pregnancy and breastfeeding.[4]
- In pregnancy, use it on the skin only well diluted, at 1 to 2%.[10]
- Premature babies get no essential oils on the skin, and babies up to 3 months old get at most 0.1%.[5]
- Older children, too, need much weaker blends than adults.[5]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[6]
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 Vivasan, product packaging of Incense India (E 128).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Boswellia: Usefulness and Safety. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Guidelines to IFPA Members Treating Babies and Children. Revised August 2021.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ Tisserand Institute, Safety guidelines. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ Robert Tisserand, Proof of Safety: Challenges Facing Essential Oil Therapy. AIA Conference 2007.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Pregnancy and Lactation Guidelines. Revised August 2021.