Health Benefits:

Boswellia carterii, the species most commonly called "frankincense oil," is considered as beneficial aromatically for perfuming as it is for its numerous therapeutic properties. The resin of Boswellia carterii, along with its relative Boswellia serrata, contains high levels of active anti-inflammatory compounds, referred to as boswellic acids. These compounds have been found to enhance blood flow to joints, thus improving joint and connective tissue health.

The essential oil of Boswellia carterii contains more than two hundred molecular compounds, which give it a very complex bouquet and endow it with a rainbow of therapeutic applications. It is derived from oleo gum resins which function as the immune and defense support for the frankincense tree, and in its essential oil form, passes onto us these same precious properties.

The oil, like all frankincense species, has been used traditionally and in modern times to speed the body's natural healing response. Its immune-enhancing, cleansing, and regenerative properties help reduce the negative effects of daily stress and aging, and contribute significantly to healthy joints and muscles. It is also used for supporting a healthy respiratory system.

Boswellia oil is also cytophylactic, meaning it encourages healthy growth and regeneration of skin cells, rendering it ideal for skin health.

Frankincense is a natural fumigant which has the dual effect of both purifying public spaces and elevating the spirit. Frankincense finds use as a mouthwash, promoting healthy teeth and gums. Chewing frankincense resin has the secondary benefit of cleansing the digestive system by stimulating bile flow and enzyme secretion.

Frankincense is used cosmetically to support, nourish and regenerate dry, wrinkled, and aging skin.

Among frankincense's many attributes is its use as a spiritual tool for ritual and prayer or meditation.Used in worship since time immemorial for the way it blends its many healing powers with an intoxicating fragrance, frankincense can properly be said to belong to the family of sacred scents.

How to Use:

Frankincense can be applied topically, as a compress, in the bath, through direct inhalation, or diffuser.

Apply a drop of frankincense to purify the skin.

Add a few drops to a warm bath to support the respiratory system and promote a healthy inflammatory response.

Diffuse or use steam inhalation for enhancing immunity (combine with above recipe for respiratory conditions).

Diffuse frankincense with lavender and a drop of peppermint to enhance cerebral circulation and to support the healing of headaches.

Diffuse meditation blend before and during meditation practice.

Frankincense Carterii Oil Recipes:

Respiratory Support blend: 8 drops frankincense, 6 drops eucalyptus globulus, 3 drops rosemary, 3 drops pine, 2 drops peppermint for diffusion, or in 30 ml jojoba oil for topical/direct inhalation

Meditation blend: 8 drops frankincense papyrifera, 6 drops sandalwood, 3 drops opoponax, 3 drops cedar wood for diffusion, or in 30 ml jojoba oil for topical/direct inhalation

More Information:

A universally known incense with a spicy, balsamic, instantly recognizable odor, the aromatic resin of frankincense has been at the epicenter of ritual practice, medical use and commerce in India, the Arabian peninsula and North Africa since ancient times. This plant has been a true gift to the human community, serving variously not only as medicine but as a source of dyes and cosmetics, along with its use as air-freshener, mosquito repellent, and essential source of livelihood. Its ancient use in ritual and temple offerings across religions, both historic and modern day, attest to its powerful spiritual attributes.

Botanically, Frankincense is a protean organism, shape-shifting within the same genus to produce a wide variety of species and then varieties within the species, and also generating a wide range of characteristics within the same climatic zone. The end result is a certain confusion about properly identifying the various types. This same complexity carries over to the chemical composition of the oil, which has over 200 individual natural chemicals that endow it with a complex aromatic bouquet and therapeutic profile.

Some species of Frankincense are considered endangered. Since 2009, Boswellia carterii has been considered a threatened aromatic botanical species.

Frankincense is an aromatic resin with a long history of use. It has been used for ages for numerous therapeutic benefits, is a universally known incense, and is a source of livelihood for nomadic tribes. Frankincense has always been synonymous with spirituality; like myrrh, it was a prized possession in the ancient world, equal in value to many precious gems and metals. The resin has been a major item of commerce for at least 3,000 years.

Frankincense is harvested by making small incisions in the bark of the aromatic tree, producing a milky white resin that hardens as it dries. The collected resin is separated into grades, and stored in caves to cure before being sold.

The traditions of caretaking frankincense trees and harvesting their resin have played an important role in the life of nomadic desert tribes of North Africa for millennia. The trees are owned by families living in the area where they grow; ancient rituals surround the harvesting of the resin, and guardianship of the trees is passed on from generation to generation. The traditions, customs, and ceremonies surrounding frankincense, like many other important plants, are being lost. As people embrace modern lifestyles, the old ways of caring for the plants vanishes, and the plant's numerous benefits are lost. Frankincense was once a source of many items of commerce, including medicines, dyes, and cosmetics.

Botanically, frankincense trees are an excellent example of the natural diversity that can occur in different species of the same genus, and different varieties of the same species. There has been much confusion about the proper identification of the various types of frankincense, because of differences in species (approximately 25), varieties of individual species, quality of resin, micro-climates, and time of harvesting. Wild frankincense trees have a wide range of characteristics even within the same basic climatic zone.

The essential oil of frankincense contains more than 200 individual natural chemicals, giving the fragrance a very complex bouquet. There is considerable variation in the proportion of these components depending on the micro-climate where the trees grow, the season at which the resin is harvested, and a number of other factors. Boswellia seedlings are slow growing and are susceptible to livestock grazing before they are able to reach a more mature state. Serrata in particular is becoming endangered and is need of conservation due to extensive farming, overgrazing and poor harvesting practices. Once established, Frankincense trees can live for at least a hundred years. Their flowers are popular with bees, and the long flowering period from October to February is helpful for bee colony maintenance.

Frankincense was included in the gifts presented by the wise men to the infant Christ together with gold and myrrh. The frankincense mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible was the B. serrata variety. It was introduced into church ceremonies at the beginning of Christianity in Europe during the Middle Ages. About 500 tons of frankincense were used by the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches per year. Burning frankincense in churches had hygienic functions as well as spiritual importance. People of the Middle Ages lived in extremely unsanitary conditions, so the fumigation of churches helped reduce contagion through atmospheric purification.

Safety Guidelines:

Safety Considerations for Frankincense carterii Essential Oil:

Non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing. Do not take Frankincense essential oil internally.

Aromatic Profile & Blending:

Aromatic Profile and Blending of Frankincense carterii Essential Oil:

Perfumery Note: Base to middle
Odor: Fresh, fruity, spicy
Strength of Initial Aroma: Mild to medium

Blends well with: citrus oils such as grapefruit and bergamot; spice oils: basil, black pepper; also neroli, sandalwood, galbanum, geranium

Product Details:

Botanical Name: Boswellia carterii
Family: Burseraceae
Composition: 100% Pure Frankincense oil
Origin: Somalia
Method of Extraction: Steam Distilled
Cultivation/Harvesting: Wild harvest
Plant Part: Gum Resin
Color: Light yellow to pale amber
Consistency: Thin
Yield: 3-5%


Bottle Size: 1/2 ounce (15 ml)

Why Buy From Floracopeia:

Floracopeia was established to help preserve and promote the use of botanical medicines as solutions to the widespread ecological destruction taking place in the world, and the loss of medicinal plants on which traditional medical systems depend. We provide our customers with the highest quality essential oils and other botanical aromatic treasures through the promotion of ecological sustainability, organic agriculture, and agro-forestry projects.

Our products are acclaimed for their therapeutic-grade, high quality at affordable prices. We provide artisanal quality oils produced by small family-based distillers. We buy directly from farmers and distillers, thus supporting the local economies in which the plants are grown. We do not buy oils from the world-brokers. Floracopeia is founded with a strong medical orientation and is involved in a number of global eco-projects based in grass roots health care, spirituality, reforestation projects, and the preservation and restoration of ethno-botanical culture.