Frankincense Oil
Terpenic brightness collapsing into stone-cold resin. Frankincense smells like scraping dried sap off sun-bleached bark — lemon pith, chalk dust, and church smoke braided into a single, meditative thread.
Scent
Grades & Aging
The Full Story
Did You Know?
In a 2008 FASEB Journal study (Moussaieff et al.), incensole acetate — a diterpene isolated from Boswellia resin — was shown to activate TRPV3 ion channels in the mouse brain, producing anxiolytic and antidepressive effects. The effect was absent in TRPV3-knockout mice, confirming a receptor-specific mechanism. This remains one of the few demonstrated neurobiological pathways linking a ritual aromatic material to measurable psychoactive activity.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method
Steam distillation of dried gum resin tears. The bark of Boswellia trees is scored with a mangaf (traditional tapping tool); the exuded oleogum-resin hardens over 10–14 days before collection. Yield: approximately 5–9% for B. carterii, up to 9–10% for B. sacra, depending on resin grade and moisture content. CO2 supercritical extraction captures heavier diterpenes (incensole, boswellic acids) that steam distillation volatilises poorly, producing a richer but less diffusive product. Solvent extraction of the crude gum yields a resinoid at roughly 60%. Major production regions: Somalia (Sanaag and Bari regions — up to 2,500 tonnes/year, representing roughly 90% of global supply from the Horn of Africa), Oman (Dhofar, Wadi Dawkah — UNESCO World Heritage Site), Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen. Sustainability is critical: over-tapping reduces seed germination from 80% to 16%, and Dhofar populations have declined by an estimated 85%. Boswellia sacra is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
- Formula
- Complex mixture (no single formula)
- CAS
- 8016-36-2
- Botanical
- Boswellia sacra Flück. (syn. Boswellia carterii Birdw.)
- Appearance
- Colorless to pale yellow liquid
- Odour strength
- Medium
- Lasting power
- 188 hours at 100%
- Synonyms
- OLIBANUM BOSWELLIA INCENSE OIL
No IFRA Standard for the material itself (51st Amendment)
- Boiling point
- 137.00 to 141.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
- Flash point
- > 200.00 °F. TCC ( > 93.33 °C. )
- Specific gravity
- 0.85500 to 0.88000 @ 25.00 °C.
- Refractive index
- 1.46600 to 1.47700 @ 20.00 °C.
In Perfumery
Heart-to-base material that spans the entire fragrance pyramid. The high monoterpene fraction (alpha-pinene, limonene, thujene) gives initial lift and diffusion — almost top-note behaviour — while the resinous and diterpenoid constituents (incensole, boswellic acids) anchor the dry-down with fixative tenacity. Frankincense defines the incense accord in amber, chypre, and amber compositions. It functions as a structural bridge: cool enough to sit beside citrus, resinous enough to support woods and balsams, transparent enough not to compete with florals. Works with myrrh (warmth), labdanum (animalic depth), benzoin (sweetness), and sandalwood (creaminess). Iso E Super extends its woody-mineral quality; Cashmeran adds a musky warmth that complements its austerity.