The resin that has been burned for thousands of years. A slow, deep aroma that turns attention inwards — which is why people reach for it for meditation and for winding down in the evening. It is an old hand in skincare too.
This one is also available as a pre-diluted roll-on. For getting started and for carrying in a bag that is the simplest form: there is no carrier oil to mix, and it cannot spill.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: resin. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: Oman, Somalia, Ethiopia.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: balsamic, woody, faintly citrus, deep.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- One drop spread in the palms, then a deep breath before a breathing practice.
- With carrier oil on the face, as part of an evening routine.
- In the diffuser with lavender before bed.
- One drop on the nape of the neck, diluted, for quiet moments.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Evening pillow mist
What you get: 60 ml of mist, about two weeks’ worth.
- Into a 60 ml spray bottle, put 1 teaspoon of plain alcohol or witch hazel.
- Add 8 drops of Frankincense and 4 drops of ʻIliahi (Hawaiian Sandalwood), and swirl to combine.
- Top up with distilled water, then close it and shake.
- After making the bed, mist the pillowcase and the edge of the duvet from about twenty centimetres away.
Always shake before use: essential oil and water separate on their own. In dark glass, kept cool, it stays fresh for two weeks.
Bedtime foot oil
What you get: 10 ml, about two weeks’ worth.
- Fill a 10 ml bottle with fractionated coconut oil, roughly up to the shoulder.
- Add 4 drops of Frankincense — that is a two per cent blend.
- Close it and turn it over a few times.
- Before bed, massage some into the soles of your feet and pull on socks.
The skin on the soles is thick, which makes it one of the gentlest places to apply oil. For a child, half the drops is plenty.
Palm blend for a deep breath
What you get: 5 ml, lasts a long time.
- Put fractionated coconut oil into a 5 ml bottle.
- Add 2 drops of Frankincense and 1 drop of ʻIliahi (Hawaiian Sandalwood).
- Put a little in your palm and rub it in.
- Hold it in front of your face and take three slow, deep breaths with your eyes closed.
This is the quickest way for an aroma to actually reach you — diffusing is slow by comparison.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- ʻIliahi (Hawaiian Sandalwood) — shared topic: Inner calm
- Lavender — shared topic: Inner calm
- Petitgrain — shared topic: Inner calm
Safety and storage
Always patch test a new oil on a small area of skin, diluted, and wait a day. Keep it away from eyes and mucous membranes. In pregnancy, while breastfeeding, with a chronic condition or while taking regular medication, seek professional advice first.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for?
Always patch test a new oil on a small area of skin, diluted, and wait a day. Keep it away from eyes and mucous membranes. In pregnancy, while breastfeeding, with a chronic condition or while taking regular medication, seek professional advice first.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
