Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense has been renowned for thousands of years for its rich, woody scent. Indeed, even the name frankincense purportedly derives from the French for "high-quality incense". Now, thanks to modern production techniques, the same quality of essential oil is available at a cost that is affordable to us all. Frankincense comes from the Boswellia carterii tree, which grows throughout much of Africa, India and the Middle East. Our frankincense essential oil is derived from Boswellia trees grown in Somalia, while our manufacturer is Sedex-registered, which ensures sustainable collection practices and ethical trade with local growers. Unlike many other essential oils, which are extracted from the leaves of the plant, frankincense has an altogether more intriguing origin. Frankincense essential oil begins its life as the resin from the Boswellia tree. In order to create frankincense, the trees are tapped, just like maple trees are tapped for their syrup. This is a very manual process and can only begin once the trees reach some eight to ten years of age. The resin hardens on contact with the air, at which point it is removed and steam-distilled to produce the final oil. Interestingly, frankincense essential oil is also sometimes known as "Olibanum".