Boswellia serrata resin, steam distilled, from India. Frankincense is also known as Olibanum.

Aroma: Fresh, rich, woody, balsamic, earthy, slightly spicy and fruity with a deeply mysterious nuance. It is a grounding aroma and often used in meditation. This frankincense from India Boswellia serrata is a mild and less pungent variety.

Frankincense resin begins as a milky-white sticky liquid that flows from the trunk of the tree when it's cut, healing the wound.

Common Uses: The therapeutic properties of frankincense oil include use as an antiseptic, astringent, carminative, digestive, diuretic, sedative, tonic and expectorant. Frankincense oil is said to help rejuvenate aging skin, is a skin tonic and is effective with bacterial and fungal infections. The anti-inflammatory properties of this oil are reputed to be an effective treatment for joint pain and arthritis. Frankincense can also be used as an insect repellent and is also widely used in cosmetics and soap manufacturing.

Possible Uses: Anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, extreme coughing, scars, stress, stretch marks. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 59-67.] Frankincense is used in religious ceremonies as incense to unite body and mind in preparation for prayer and meditation - TTF

History: Frankincense is widely known since biblical times. Frankincense is from the French word 'Franc' meaning 'luxuriant' or it could be 'real incense'. Also known as Olibanum, Frankincense was used by the ancient Egyptians in their religious ceremonies and was used as incense by the Greeks and the Romans.

Colour: Light Yellow to green

Consistency: Thin to medium

Perfumery Note: Base

Strength of Initial Aroma: Mild-Medium

Constituents: Limonene, Pinene, Borneol, Farnesol, Phellandrene, Myrcene [Shirley Price, The Aromatherapy Workbook (Hammersmith, London: Thorsons, 1993), 54-5.]

Main Constituents: a-Thujene: 61.4%

Cautions: Frankincense oil is non-toxic and non-irritant and could be used by most people.

Safety Information: Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand does not indicate any special precautions when using this oil. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 206.]

Photo thanks to Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons