Frankincense Essential Oil Profile

In the bible it is described how the three wise men transported gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus shortly after his birth. For many people, it seems almost inconceivable that frankincense and myrrh were considered as precious and costly as gold at that time. But the truth is they really were.

Frankincense is the hardened oleo-gum resin obtained from several species of trees in the Boswellia family. The trees producing the finest quality resin can be found growing around the horn of Africa; Somalia, the Hadhramaut region of Yemen, and Oman. Since the trading of this spice was originally based in this small geographic area, its demand far exceeded the trees ability to produce. Add to that the difficulty involved with transporting and delivering this precious cargo you can begin to understand why this became such a lucrative market.

Taxing time

History records that in those days Arabia was the centre of the ‘Spice Trade Route’, where aromatics and herbs were traded along with silk, paper and peacocks from China, and tigers, panthers, rubies and ebony from India. Vast trading empires were built upon this route, where other aromatics such as cardamon, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, garlic, nutmeg, sandalwood and valerian were bought, sold and transported.

However, it was the revenue from frankincense that brought the most wealth to the region, mainly due to its heavy use as an ingredient of ceremonial incense which was used by many religions. Such was the wealth created in the trading of frankincense, that at one time the Arabs were required to pay a tithe (a tax amounting to 10 percent) to the Persian King Darius.

General description

From the Burseraceae family, Boswellia carterii (also known as B. sacra) is a small tree or shrub, growing from 3 metres to 5 metres in height (9.75 – 16.25 ft). It is a somewhat bizarre looking, but strangely attractive tree that has very little central trunk, presenting twisted, gnarly, angular branches that emerge just above ground level. Abundant serrated pinnate leaves appear on the branches in pairs of ten, and the small five-petalled flowers are pale yellow or white. The oleo-gum resin is located in vertical reservoirs within the bark of the sturdy branches.

Trees found on the Somali coast grow out of the barren marble-like rocks to which they are attached by a thickish mass resembling a mixture of lime and mortar. The young trees yield the most valuable gum whilst the older ones yield only a clear glutinous fluid.

Harvesting and extraction

To collect the resin the workers make longitudinal incisions in the bark of the tree, and below these incisions a narrow strip of bark about 10 cm in length is peeled off. One month later, and again a month after that, deeper incisions are made in the same place as the first cuts. This causes the tree to exude a white milk-like emulsion, which after a time congeals into yellowish tears and drops.

These are known as the ‘tears of frankincense’, or ‘tears of olibanum’ - which is the name they are known by in the aromatics industry. The tears are picked up from the ground or plucked off the bark. The gum is collected all year round except in the monsoon period which is mid June to mid September, when the workers are busy with other agricultural work. The tears vary in size from one eighth to one inch in diameter and are graded according to size and quality before distillation.

The constituents of gum oleo-resin can be separated either by steam distillation or solvent extraction followed by steam distillation. An absolute is also produced on a small scale for the perfumery industry.

Geographical sources

The essential oil is mainly produced in Africa (North-east), Arabian peninsula, China, Ethiopia, India and Somalia. Although commonly supplied to the aromatherapy market due to its cheaper price, the fragrance and therapeutic properties of the Indian and Chinese oils are inferior to those from Somalia, Yemen and Oman.

It has become increasingly difficult to obtain good quality frankincense essential oil this year due to the growing unrest in Somalia. This has put pressure on oil supplies from other regions, driving up prices considerably. Beware of cheap frankincense!

Uses in aromatherapy

Frankincense essential oil has a wide range of physical applications, some of which include acne, asthma, bronchial conditions, cystitis, dermatitis, dysmenorrhoea, eczema, immuno-deficiencies and rheumatism.

Its skin cell rejuvenating powers are legendary, making it an indispensable oil to use in skincare for treating fine lines, wrinkles and scars. Likewise, it is the perfect oil for reducing stretch-marks - especially when blended with neroli, lavender, helichrysum, rose and other rejuvenating essential oils.

All types of respiratory conditions respond well to this oil, and when used to calm a troubled mind it is virtually unsurpassed. It is the perfect choice of oil for reducing anxiety, claustrophobia, fear, frustration, depression, hysteria, impatience, insomnia, panic, restlessness, shock, stress and general worries.

This is the perfect time of year to use frankincense for spiritual, ceremonial, traditional and recreational reasons. So if you have never used this oil before, now would be the perfect time to become acquainted with it.

Learn more about Quinessence Frankincense Essential Oil

Copyright © Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd 2009

Segnala presso: