This or That: Frankincense
How to Pick The Right Frankincense Oil
For many, Frankincense is one of those oil that they are familiar with the name, it's apparent importance, and perhaps its biblical reference; however, some aren't quite sure why Frankincense is so highly revered. Or perhaps they do, but once they start looking for a Frankincense oil, they find that there is more than one option to choose from!
At Rocky Mountain Oils, we are pleased to offer four different Frankincense essential oils, but offering several varieties can make it difficult to know just which Frankincense oil is right for you. All Frankincense essential oils are very similar, but there are some differences between them. Our goal is to help you understand the differences between our Frankincense essential oils so that you can more fully determine which one will best address your needs.
1. Frankincense Serrata
This particular type of Frankincense is the oldest documented Frankincense, which means that it is most likely the type of Frankincense referred to in the Bible, as well as in ancient Ayruvedic medicine. Frankincense Serrata is great for those who are just learning about or becoming familiar with Frankincense essential oil because it is often the less expensive option. Distilleries and farmers can produce a large quantity of Frankincense Serrata oil in each batch because the Boswellia serrata tree (from which the Frankincense Serrata oil comes) produces a resin that is sticky, soft, and very high in natural oils. Thus, it takes less resin to make more oil.
Frankincense Serrata offers a sweeter and more delicate aroma, which makes it great for diffusing during meditation, or if you need to cleanse or purify the air. This particular type of Frankincense blends especially well with Lime and Cedarwood.
Frankincense Serrata has several beneficial compounds, but it is highest in alpha-thujene. This monoterpene can make up as much as 65% of Frankincense Serrata essential oil. Many believe that alpha-thujene offers anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. From Frankincense Serrata's high makeup of alpha-thujene and other compounds, you can get a host of benefits, including:
- Relieve aching joints and muscles
- Soothe menstrual pain for women
- Uplift your mood
- Promote feelings of calmness and relaxation
- Enhance your ability to draw on inner strength
- Reduce feelings of stress, loneliness, and grief
- Sharpen your mental focus
2. Organic Frankincense
At Rocky Mountain Oils, we make it a top priority to ensure that our essential oils are pure and free of any adulterants or contaminants. This means that we only work with farms that use natural, chemical- and pesticide-free farming methods. Our USDA certified organic essential oils come from farms that have registered with the USDA and adhere to their guidelines for organic farming. This does not mean that all non-USDA certified essential oils are of lesser quality. In fact, we ensure that every bottle of oil, whether it comes from a USDA certified farm or not, it truly is 100% pure and farmed with sustainable techniques.
Our Organic Frankincense essential oil is essentially the same as our Frankincense Serrata oil; the only difference is that it comes from a USDA-certified farm. When you use our Organic Frankincense, you can receive the same benefits as you would from our Frankincense Serrata oil. Use it in your daily skincare regimen to improve, rejuvenate, and brighten your skin. Or use it to help open up your airways, or soothe aching muscles and joints.
3. Frankincense Carterii
Frankincense Carterii essential oil is great for those who are familiar with Frankincense and want to take things up a notch. For many, this type of Frankincense oil will offer a familiar aroma, as it is the most commonly used type of Frankincense for incense and perfumery. Frankincense Carterii's aroma is rich and smooth, offering slightly floral notes. This particular Frankincense oil blends very well with Lemongrass and Lavender, and it is commonly used as a topical oil.
Frankincense Carterii is very high in the compound alpha-pinene. Many researchers have studied this terpene and found that it can offer anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, gastroprotective, and memory-boosting properties. Frankincense Carterii also contains a fair amount of the limonene terpene. By containing higher amounts of these compounds, Frankincense Carterii essential oil can:
- Increase your mental focus
- Promote proper respiratory health
- Aid in your body's natural immune response
- Encourage greater self-esteem
- Calm the mind and alleviate stress
- Enhance meditation
- Rejuvenate and restore your skin's natural glow
- Diminish the appearance of scars and blemishes
4. Frankincense Sacra
Also known as Sacred Frankincense, this particular type of Frankincense is known as the King of Oil. Why? Because it is the rarest kind of Frankincense, and it was anciently reserved for royalty. Sacred Frankincense essential oils comes from the Boswellia sacra tree, which only grows in Oman. Not only are the living conditions of Oman too harsh for other types of Boswellia trees, but the Boswellia sacra trees are protected in Oman, making their resin and oil all the more sought after and rare.
Not only that, but the harvesting process for Sacred Frankincense essential oil is a lengthier and more tedious process than other Frankincense oils. For details about Sacred Frankincense's harvesting process and history, check out this blog post.
Because of the limited amount of Boswellia sacra trees, their protected state, and the more intensive harvesting process, bottles of Sacred Frankincense are typically quite expensive. However, you are also paying for the highest quality of Frankincense oil. Because Sacred Frankincense uses purer resin, the oil itself is purer than other types of Frankincense. This means that you can experience greater benefits with equal or less oil.
Sacred Frankincense essential oil contains the same compounds as the other Frankincense oils, but it as 20% more alpha-pinene. This higher makeup of alpha-pinene allows Sacred Frankincense essential oil to offer greater benefits, including:
- Sharper mental focus and memory
- Rejuvenated and youthful-looking skin
- Open airways for proper and deep breathing
- A healthy immune system
- Enhanced meditation
- Balanced emotions and less stress
One of the key benefits that Sacred Frankincense offers is its ability to rejuvenate and restore your skin. Because of Sacred Frankincense's high purity, it is particularly excellent at toning and tightening all skin types. It helps reduce the sign of aging, can reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks, and can enhance your skin's natural glow. Simply dilute and add to your skincare routine.
Sacred Frankincense offers a deep, warm aroma with a hint of citrus. All Frankincense oil can blend well with a variety of other oils, but Sacred Frankincense blends particularly well with Orange and Oregano.
No matter which type of Frankincense essential oil you decide to choose, you can be confident that you are getting 100% pure essential oil that will help you achieve greater overall health.
Which Frankincense oil is your favorite?