5 min read

Which Frankincense is Right for Me? Six Offerings for Your Formulations

Written By: Robin Lander

Oh, Frankincense! When an aromatic has been treasured for over 5,000 years, you know it's something truly special. Sourced from trees in the Boswellia genus, Frankincense is a resin formed when the tree is wounded, a milky sap exuded to protect and promote recovery. Droplets of resin are steam distilled or CO2 extracted to produce essential oil, yielding an aroma that’s resinous and rich, with nuances of pine, citrus, wood, and spice.

Yet there’s something more, an ineffable quality that feels soothing, centering, and sacred. Perhaps that’s why Frankincense has long been revered in spiritual practices, from ancient temples to modern meditation rooms. Across the Near and Far East, early cultures traded it as a precious commodity on par with gold, Greeks and Romans imported it for ritual, and Egyptians incorporated it into cosmetics and embalming. Today, formulators continue to prize the many benefits of Frankincense in skincare, perfumery, and aromatherapy.

There are several different Frankincense options, each with a distinct aromatic profile depending on its species, extraction method, and growing region. From Somalia to Oman to India, at the heart of our offerings is a deep commitment to sustainability and integrity: we carefully vet our producers to ensure the resin is collected ethically, with practices that respect both the trees and the communities who harvest them.

Here’s a guide to the unique qualities of our six Frankincense offerings to help you choose the right one for your next aromatic creation.

Frankincense CO2, Somalia

Botanical name: Boswellia carteri

Aroma: Incredibly smooth, full, warm, and sweet balsamic with clear lemon and pine-like top notes and complex woody, slightly peppery undertones.

Characteristics: CO2 extraction captures a broader variety of compounds, giving a slightly richer, rounder profile than the steam distilled version. Our supplier of the raw resin is FairWild® certified, rotating and collecting gently to allow trees to rest for 3 years between harvests.

Suggested use: Frankincense CO2, Somalia is used in fine perfumery for resinous, forest, floral, and Amber accords, as an outstanding fixative, for clarifying inhaler blends, cosmetics, soaps, and candles.

Frankincense CO2, India

Botanical name: Boswellia serrata

Aroma:  Warm resinous, rich musky/earthy body with slightly licorice-like undertones and a ‘lifting’ pine-like top note.

Characteristics: This Indian-sourced species is known for its high alpha-thujene content, lending to its depth of character and warmly pungent aromatic qualities.

Suggested use: Frankincense CO2, India has excellent fixative properties in perfumery and is a favorite in muscle and joint massage blends, chest rubs, lotions, soaps, and candles.

Frankincense, Oman

Botanical name: Boswellia sacra

Aroma: Fresh, warm, resinous, coniferous, with peppery undertones and a top note of lemon-orange citrus.

Characteristics: Perhaps our smoothest Frankincense, it has a fresher, brighter, more etheric aroma than our CO2 extracts. This exceptional Frankincense is gathered and distilled in the Sultanate of Oman, an historic region known for producing premium quality Frankincense that many believe to be the best in the world.

Suggested use: Frankincense, Oman blends well in many different types of accords, lending its divinely refreshing brightness to skincare, aromatherapy, and perfumery creations. Try it in citrus colognes, powder and violet type perfumes, luxe facial care, anointing oils, and meditation blends.

Frankincense Frereana – Organic

Botanical name: Boswellia frereana

Aroma: Incredibly fresh, diffusive, pungent pine-like, and full-bodied with deep woody/resinous undertones and subtle citrus and coniferous top notes.

Characteristics: This Somalian species known as 'Maydi', the King of Frankincense, grows at higher elevations. Our producer’s harvesting co-op is committed to sustainable business practices by achieving organic certification, following fair trade and living wage principles, and reinvesting revenue back into the community to improve access to drinking water, education, and healthcare.

Suggested use: Frankincense Frereana – Organic works well in cosmetics for sensitive skin, organic formulations, comforting aromatherapy, air-freshening diffuser blends, and forest and Amber compositions.

Frankincense, Somalia

Botanical name: Boswellia carteri

Aroma: Dry, diffusive, intense lemon-citrusy top notes over resinous, coniferous, slightly peppery and balsamic undertones.

Characteristics:  Our supplier trains the local Somalian people in collecting the resin, ensuring they are paid in advance, supplied with equipment, resources, and medical care, as well as community support through building a school for orphans, a hospital, and several water wells.

Suggested use:  Frankincense, Somalia is used in aromatherapy blends to elevate the spirit, body oils and lotions, deodorants, and refreshing cleansers.

Frankincense, Somalia – Organic

Botanical name: Boswellia carteri

Aroma: Has lemony, slightly smoky top notes perfectly balanced with sweet woody/resinous body notes and a clear, soft balsamic drydown.

Characteristics:  In 2005, our supplier helped create and continues to support three harvesting cooperatives in the Sanaag Region of Somalia where resin is sourced for distillation. These co-ops are a means of sustainability for both the communities and the ecology of the region.

Suggested use:  Frankincense, Somalia – Organic works well in organic skincare and perfumery, facial serums, aromatherapy blends, fall and winter diffuser blends, ritual and anointing oils.

No matter which one you choose, the aroma of Frankincense brings a sense of reverence and uplifting calm to your formulations. This versatile and timeless oil is sure to add depth, tradition, and beauty to your creations. Need help deciding? Reach out—we’d love to help you choose the right Frankincense for you.