One of my favorite essential oils is frankincense. Not just because I’ve been absolutely obsessed with it since I was a kid in Catholic Church, but because it always seemed so mysterious.
I mean, really, it’s mentioned in the bible. And the wise men felt it was important enough to travel with them. This has to be some great stuff, right?
So I did a little research. You’re welcome. Let’s start with the basics. Frankincense oil and resin are sourced from the resin of the Boswellia carterii or Boswellia sacara tree which is native to Somalia.
How to Use Frankincense
The most obvious way to use any essential oil is aromatically. But that’s boring, don’t you think? Sure, one of my favorite diffuser combinations includes frankincense, but that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Also, I am not a doctor, and I do not play on one the internet. Please do your own research before diving in and using essential oils or any other homeopathic remedy.
Cleaning
Frankincense lends itself beautifully to cleaning solutions. I like to add a few drops to the pad of my steam cleaner when I steam my floors, and a few drops to my Eco Cloths when I clean the bathrooms.
Plus it smells delicious!
Happy Skin
Frankincense is great for promoting clear skin and balancing redness. It’s actually very common to find this essential oil in high-end beauty products as it may help smooth the appearance of healthy-looking skin. And, because it includes the naturally occurring constituent alpha-pinene, it may help keep your skin clear.
It’s actually very common to find this essential oil in high-end beauty products as it may help smooth the appearance of healthy-looking skin. And, because it includes the naturally occurring constituent alpha-pinene, it may help keep your skin clear.
Deodorizing
It’s also good to help deodorize certain things…like my nasty smelling derby pads. I add 1-2 drops of frankincense when things get overly smelly to help get rid of disgusting odors.
When you live in a house full of boys, this is a must.
Post-Workout Recovery
Frankincense is actually commonly used for recovery and massage after strenuous activity.
When I come home sore from derby practice (which, let’s face it, happens a lot), I like to use frankincense essential oil in combination with Ortho Sport to help things stop hurting.
I’ve also added 10-12 drops of frankincense to my favorite post workout soak when I’m extremely sore.
Immunity
Frankincense contains naturally occurring constituent alpha-pinene, which appears in conifers and numerous other plants.
Alpha-pinene has been used both as an anti-inflammatory and as an anti-microbial. Diffusing frankincense makes me feel so much better about getting through winter relatively sick-free.
Grounding
Frankincense is a great oil to diffuse during meditation and yoga for grounding and purpose.
