Frankincense CO2, India

This beautiful Frankincense CO2 from India is highly prized in perfume formulas as an outstanding fixative and for providing good tenacity. The aroma is warm, resinous, smooth, rich musky/earthy yet subtle, deep, and complex with a slight licorice-like undertone. Its slightly pine-like top note provides 'lift' in perfume formulas. The Indian-sourced Boswellia serrata species of Frankincense is known for its high alpha-thujene content, lending to its warmly pungent aromatic qualities. In addition to perfumery, it is a favorite in massage blends, chest rubs, and skincare applications. 

Frankincense, along with other prized aromatics, spices, precious stones, rare woods, feathers, animal skins, and gold was transported by caravans on the Incense Route and enjoyed a flourishing trade from Yemen and Oman in the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean for nearly 500 years.[1] Egyptians used Frankincense extensively, and the pharaohs believed that burning it allowed them to commune with the gods. Its Arabic name, Olibanum, is derived from al Luban, which means milk, a reference to the milky sap that exudes from the wound in a tree after an incision is made in the bark. The sap serves a purpose for the tree as it seals the incision from the elements; this exudate forms resinified ‘tears’ from which Frankincense oils are extracted.[2]

Once a rare and precious commodity used for millennia by many religious, shamanistic, and secular cultures, Frankincense oil, like Myrrh, offers many different beneficial possibilities. It is especially valued for use in skincare preparations (with Patchouli or Neroli), in diffusers (with Lemon or Pine), for massage (with Palmarosa or Lavender)[3], and in meditation blends (with Sandalwood or Orange). Frankincense is legendary in its traditional and sacred uses and its ability to calm and elevate the spirit. [4, 5]

Each Frankincense oil that we offer is of exceptional quality, possessing unique features and characteristics distinct from one another.  From a traditional view, one might choose one of our steam distilled Frankincense essential oils, particularly for aromatherapy purposes. However, our Frankincense CO2 oils offer the natural botanical perfumer a more complete aromatic profile with higher, brighter top notes and deeper, more complex bottom notes than the steam distilled Frankincense oils.