Meet: Frankincense - The King of Oils

Essential oils have become increasingly popular in recent years as many of us have begun looking for natural ways to enhance our health. As many of us are finding out, these age-old classics have been used throughout history for good reason… they work! It seems that when it comes to most common ailments, it’s safe to say, “there’s an oil for that!”. The popularity of oils like peppermint, lavender, and tea tree oil is unmistakable with people keeping these on hand for everything from headaches to bug bites to promoting a restful night’s sleep. However, there is one essential oil that has often been overlooked but is making a comeback. This oil is one that is so amazing it has been used for millennia, deemed “The King of Oils,” and is even mentioned in the Bible as one of the gifts given to Jesus at His birth! Yep, we’re talking about frankincense!

For many of us, our familiarity with frankincense begins and ends with the knowledge that it was one of the 3 gifts given to Jesus by the wise men, along with gold and myrrh. This fact alone should give us a major clue about just how valuable frankincense is. In those days, it was considered to be every bit as valuable as gold thanks its medicinal benefits. It was one of the most valued commodities in ancient times making it a fitting “gift for a King”. With all of these kingly references and a recent rejuvenated interest in frankincense, we thought it would be fun to dive in and tell you a little bit more about this legendary oil and exactly why it is so beloved!

Frankincense Origins

Frankincense is also known as “olibanum” and comes from the hardened sap (resin) of the Boswellia family of trees which is native to areas of Africa, India, and the Middle East. Boswellia trees have extremely thin bark which seep out resin when shallow cuts are made in the bark. The resin is then extracted from the tree and steamed in order to make the essential oil.

There are several different types of Frankincense including some of the most popular:

• Boswellia Frereana – Generally comes from the Middle East
• Boswellia Carterii – Generally comes from Somiland in Africa
• Boswellia Sacra/Serrata – Generally comes from India

The chemical compositions of each of these is slightly different, however our favorite, Boswellia Carterii contains 3 powerful chemical constituents:

• α-Pinene
• α-Thujene
• Limonene

Frankincense has been known to have wide-ranging benefits for everything from hair and skin care to stress relief and other health benefits. Many people keep it on them at all times thanks to its extreme versatility. While frankincense is great on its own, it is also known as a great “messenger oil,” helping to increase the effectiveness of other essential oils when used in tandem with them. In fact, there’s a popular phrase that exists in the essential oil world that says “When in doubt, use frankincense”. With so much “buzz” around this oil, let’s take a look at some of the fabulous benefits of frankincense!

Frankincense Benefits

Frankincense essential oil is thought to have a wide variety of therapeutic properties that are the result of the incredible chemical components that make up the oil including limonene and alpha pinene. Limonene is known for helping to uplift mood and energize while pinene is known as an excellent anti-inflammatory, making it wonderful for use on the skin. Thanks to the incredible chemical makeup of frankincense oil, it has benefits for everything from skin care to aromatherapy and more!

Frankincense for the Skin:

The anti-inflammatory properties of this unique oil don’t just hold promise for those suffering from inflammatory conditions, but they also are a major benefit to those dealing with a wide variety of skin concerns. Frankincense applied topically is something akin to liquid gold for your skin! It’s the best kept beauty secret that has been quietly handed down for centuries, yet so many have never heard of it!

In fact, it’s rumored that Cleopatra herself used it on her skin as part of her beauty regimen!

So, what makes it so great? In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, frankincense also has astringent, antioxidant, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties making it ideal for using on the skin. It’s widely known as one of the best anti-aging oils available due to its ability to promote cell regeneration.

Several studies have shown promising results when it comes to helping with scars and stretch marks as well. It’s a wonderful choice if you deal with excess oil, splotchiness, or uneven skin tone as it may be able to help with:

• Oily Skin – Because it has astringent properties, it is fantastic for oily skin! It can help to regulate sebum production which helps to keep excess oil at bay!
• Acne – Many people suffer with acne at some point in their lives, and frankincense may be able to help! The astringent properties combined with the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties have been found to help many who struggle with acne. Not only can it help to kill acne-causing bacteria, but many find that it also helps to make acne scars less noticeable!
• Fine Lines & Wrinkles – Known as one of the best anti-aging essential oils, frankincense has a reputation for helping to slow down fine lines and wrinkles! The astringent properties help to lift and tighten the skin, while it also works to help promote cell regeneration!
• Pores – Similar to how it may be able to help slow fine lines and wrinkles, many find that the astringent, skin-tightening properties help to reduce the appearance of large pores!
• Sun Spots, Age Spots, and Scars – Frankincense is known as an incredibly healing oil which can be super helpful for reducing the appearance of lots of skin issues from sun spots or age spots to scars!
• Dry Skin – Frankincense is great for helping to moisturize the skin! It can do wonders for dry hands and feet when a few drops are added to your daily lotion!

When using frankincense oil topically, it’s important to make sure that it’s blended with a high quality carrier oil. Our Frankincense Roll-On contains 100% pure Frankincense Essential Oil which is blended with our high quality Squalane Oil as the carrier oil. This easy-to-apply oil is perfect for keeping in your purse, pocket, or car!

Frankincense for Aromatherapy

The warm, earthy, and slightly spicy tones of frankincense are familiar, soothing, and super relaxing when used as part of aromatherapy. This oil can help to ease the mind and relieve stress which helping to elevate mood. It’s great for using on those busy days when life feels overwhelming and you need something to help ease your mind!    

Our Frankincense Essential Oil is USDA Organic Certified and is perfect for using in your diffuser for some aromatherapy or adding to lotions or other personal care products! The warm and uplifting aroma will make you wonder why you never tried this amazing oil before!