Six Frankly Amazing Uses of Frankincense Essential Oil

How To to Enjoy this Ancient Essential Oil in Your Every Day Life

In the world of aromatherapy few essential oils come with a richer history than Frankincense. Famous as one of the three precious gifts given to honor the birth of Jesus Christ by the Three Wise Men, Frankincense can also be tracked back to ancient times in Egypt, India and China.

Frankincense is the dried resin or sap from Boswellia trees that are grown in Somalia and other areas in the Horn of Africa. The essential oil is made from the steam distillation of the tree resin also known as "Frankincense tears".

The Boswellia trees that produce Frankincense are known to withstand harsh conditions and can grow with very little soil. This ability to flourish in desolate environments is a good indication of the power of Frankincense’s aromatherapeutic properties for the skin and body.

Frankincense Tree

1. Aging Skin – Rejuvenation

Ancient Egyptians believed in the skin rejuvenating powers of Frankincense oil. They would use the oil to supercharge face masks and cosmetic creams, as we still do today. Frankincense is a great natural ingredient to promote a younger look and feel to the skin.

It is beneficial for dry, cracked skin conditions and works as a defense mechanism against irritations that can break down the skin, causing it to weaken and appear saggy.

Check out ingredient listings and look for boswellia carterii (the official botanical INCI name for Frankincense oil) to see if Frankincense is a part of your favorite products. We use Frankincense Essential Oil in our Restorative Infusion for aging skin. For this face oil Frankincense is added to help promote the appearance of smooth, toned skin. 

Rosehip Seed Oil - Source Vital Apothecary Botanical Collection

How to Use:
To enjoy the benefits of Frankincense oil or you can even make your own at-home age fighter. Add a few drops of 100% pure Frankincense Essential Oil to your face creams or add a drop or two to a few drops to a botanical oil such as Rosehip Seed oil, which is also great for mature skin types, and use as a face serum to layer under your normal moisturizer. This will provide wonderful hydration and great for protecting the skin while you sleep.

2. Diminish the Appearance of Scars and Stretch marks

As with aging skin, Frankincense’s ability to help fortify the skin is also valuable as a natural way to combat the look of scarring. Whether from a cut, acne breakouts, sun/age spots or stretch marks, many look to Frankincense for skin that looks smooth and even-toned.

How to Use:
Similar to the face, mix a few drops of Frankincense with your body lotion and apply on areas of the skin where scars or stretch marks are present. Keep in mind that stretch marks are pretty much impossible to get rid of after they have formed, without some sort of surgery or invasive procedure. If you think you may gain or lose weight quickly, use the method described here to fortify the skin and help to prevent them from forming in the first place.

Argan Oil - Source Vital Apothecary Botanical Collection

We love the idea of making your own body serum by mixing a few drops of Frankincense oil with a botanical oil such as Argan, which easily penetrates the skin or Avocado oil which also has properties which helps even the look of skin tone.

3. Relieve the feel of achy joints and rheumatism

The chemical makeup of Frankincense oil contains strong terpenes that make it especially beneficial in protecting healthy cells from damage associated with inflammation. Inflammation can be anything from redness, itchy skin to more severe issues like rheumatism, arthritis and other joint and muscle pain.  

Frankincense when used on the skin can help improve the look or redness and irritation and fortify the skin’s natural ability to ward off damage. For bodily inflammation, Frankincense helps to calm and soothe the discomfort from aches and pains in the muscles, joints and tendons.

How to Use:
Frankincense is a great ingredient to use in a natural ointment for improving the feeling associated with common aches and pains. Chinese medicine often combines Frankincense and Myrrh, another precious gift from the Three Wise Men, together to create an effective blend.

Frankincense and Myrrh Essential Oils by Source Vital Apothecary

You may also consider using other essential oils known for properties associated with reducing inflammation such as the trendy Turmeric or Ginger. Take caution when using these oils, especially Ginger as it is considered a hot oil and can burn the skin if not properly diluted. A little goes a long way.

To create your own soothing balm, use an unscented lotion or thick carrier like coconut oil and then add a few drops of Frankincense Myrrh and Ginger. 

Two percent is a good dilution rate for most adults. This is about 2 drops of essential oils to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil. Think about a travel size bottle of lotion (usually around 2 ounces) starting with approximately that amount of lotion or coconut oil, add 4-5 drops each of Frankincense and Myrrh and no more than 3 drops of Ginger. Make sure the oils are thoroughly blended and apply topically to painful areas.

Note: You may want to patch test a small part of the skin first to make sure there is no reaction.

4. Focus the Mind

This sense of calm is also beneficial for the mind and the spirit. It’s important to care for our emotional needs as well as our physical needs. That’s really what living a holistic life is all about.

Frankincense is an earth element in Chinese medicine, which means it is fortifying and grounding for the spirit. When we are centered we can better focus our energies and manage the mental chatter that can distract us from our purpose.

Grounded and centered, we are also able to avoid the peaks and valleys that come with mood swings. Without all of those negative energy drains, think about how much we can accomplish!

Calm Mental Chatter with Frankincense Essential Oil

How to Use:
You can find Frankincense in several of our new collection of essential oil roll-ons, formulated specifically to offer mental clarity and to uplift the spirit. Roll these blends onto the pulse points when studying for a big test or to offer a dose of self-confidence before a big life moment.

When you are feeling a bit off emotionally, add a few drops of Frankincense oil to a carrier oil such as Argan or Marula and rub on the bottom of your feel to balance the feeling of mood swings and help you feel more grounded.

Another easy and effective way to enjoy Frankincense is to use if in an essential oil diffuser. It can be a tea light diffuser or water-based vaporizer. Either way, this will allow the aromatherapy properties to dissipate throughout the air. Take a deep breath and enjoy the pleasant slightly spicy, woodsy scent. You can get creative too – Frankincense blends well with citrus oils, Pine, Sandalwood, Geranium, Lavender and Black Pepper.

5. Meditation

Traditionally Frankincense resin was burned as a pleasant offering to God and in the ancient word is was a gift to honor kings and deities. In old French Frankincense means “quality incense,” which is a direct connection to the use of this oil in religious ceremonies. Additionally, Frankincense is associated with the Crown chakra, the pathway to connecting with the divine.

These spiritual ties are not mere coincidence, rather an indication that Frankincense allows us to tap into that deeper part of ourselves and the universe.

The aroma of Frankincense Essential Oil is said to deepen the breath which helps you to transition into a meditative state. Add that to its grounding benefits – it really doesn’t get any better than Frankincense to assist with your meditation practice.

Meditation with Crystals and Essential Oils
How to Use:

Diffuse Frankincense in your meditation room or quiet area to create a tranquil environment. If you don’t have a diffuser you can add a few drops to a tissue, hold a few inches from the nose and breathe deeply, focusing on the feel of the breath traveling inside your body.

You can also use Frankincense to anoint your pulse points before meditation. Always dilute with a carrier oil before using directly on the skin. Pulse points can include the inside of wrists, behind the ears, back of the neck, behind the knees, bottom of feet, or especially relevant with this oil, anoint the top of the head and the “third eye” area between the eyebrows.

6. Cleansing the Home 

Forget all of those chemical-heavy household cleaners. Frankincense is great at purifying surfaces and preventing germs from flourishing. Use during cold and flu season to guard your household from getting the sniffles or to keep others in the household in tip-top shape when another family member comes down with something.

Plus, Frankincense has a pleasant scent. Often used in fragancing, Frankincense won’t leave your home smelling like a hospital!

How to Use:
You never want to use an essential oil full-strength on surfaces in your home. Water, white vinegar and cheap vodka all serve as great bases for your DIY cleanser. For tub, toilet and bath tubs, baking soda can be a natural, effective scrub. 

For a germ-fighting air freshener, use a spray bottle (glass is best if you have it) with 3 oz. distilled water and one tablespoon of vinegar. Add 5 drops Frankincense Essential Oil with 5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil and 5 drops Orange Essential Oil. Spray to freshen up a room anytime it needs a boost.

Or try this blend for a fabulous all-natural multipurpose cleaner. Combine a cup of white vinegar with a cup of distilled water into a spray bottle. Add  5-8 drops Frankincense Essential Oil and about 7 drops of your favorite citrus oils to your water-vinegar mixture. Use to wipe down almost any surfaces throughout the house. Do be careful on delicate surfaces such as rubber, wood or marble.

Frankincense Essential Oil for Meditation

In addition to these amazing uses, Frankincense is also said to support digestive health, reproductive health as well as lots of other skin-related issues. Try it out and let us know how it works for you.

Caution

To enjoy the full aromatherapy properties of Frankincense essential oil it is important to make sure you use 100% pure, unadulterated oil that does not contain any water, fillers, extraneous chemicals or synthetic fragrances. Frankincense Essential Oil by Source Vitál Apothecary is wild crafted, pure and undiluted – only the best!

  • Do not apply undiluted Frankincense oil directly to your skin. Once diluted, perform a small 'patch test' to see how your skin reacts before widespread use.
  • Keep out of nose, eyes, mouth and ears.
  • Do not ingest.
  • If you are pregnant, have epilepsy, cancer, liver issues, or any other serious illness, we strongly suggest you consult a medical professional prior to using Frankincense essential oil.
  • Always keep essential oils out of reach of children.
  • Keep this oil tightly closed and at room temperature or cooler spot.

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