People have used essential oils as part of aromatherapy for thousands of years, due to their healing and therapeutic properties. They are sourced from roots, stems, or leaves of herbs known to have health properties. And what is then a frankincense essential oil?
This oil, also known as olibanum, is commonly used in aromatherapy and can provide several health benefits: reducing pain and inflammation, increasing immunity, helping relieve anxiety and chronic pain, and even fighting cancer.
The origin of the Olibanum is traced to Somalia since it’s sourced out from the resin of the common Somalian tree Boswellia sacra, or Boswellia carterii, which distinguishes it from many other trees as it’s able to grow in desolate and dry conditions on very little soil.
The literal meaning of ‘frankincense’ is quality incense (Franc Encens) in old French. This oil has been connected to various religions over the years, but mostly to Christianity since it was one of the first gifts offered to Jesus by wise men.
Usage of Frankincense Essential Oil
It is used by either absorbing the oil through the skin or inhaling it, usually combined with a carrier oil like jojoba oil or unscented lotion. Frankincense oil is considered to transmit messages to the brain’s limbic system which is known to affect the nervous system. Although ingesting large amounts of the oil can be toxic, a small amount is extremely beneficial.
If you’re buying essential oils, make sure you avoid ones that say “perfume oils” or “fragrance oils” since they could be synthetic and not give the desired health benefits. To get the highest quality essential oil, look for one that says “100% essential oil” or “pure essential oil”.
Top 8 Frankincense Uses
1. Natural Household Cleaner
Since Olibanum is an antiseptic, you can use it to clean indoor spaces to eliminate viruses and bacteria from your home. You can disinfect an area by burning this herb, and you can use it as a natural deodorizer too. Add frankincense oil in a diffuser to disinfect and deodorize the rooms of your home, and lower indoor pollution.
2. Stress Relieving Bath-Soak
This beneficial oil will quickly induce a feeling of relaxation, peace, and satisfaction. To relieve stress, just add several drops of this oil to your hot bath. Moreover, you can fight anxiety and create a relaxing atmosphere in your home by adding frankincense oil to an oil vaporizer or diffuser. According to some people, the fragrance of this oil can elevate your spiritual connection and intuition.
3. Anti-Aging & Wrinkle Fighter
This essential oil protects skin cells as it is a potent astringent. You can use it to lower the appearance of large pores, and acne blemishes, to prevent wrinkles, and to naturally tighten your skin which will slow down the aging signs. Plus, you can use it on areas where the skin turns saggy like the jowls, abdomen, or below the eyes.
4. Natural Hygiene Product
You can add this oil to your oral hygiene regimen as it has antiseptic properties, so the next time you buy a natural oral care product, look for one that contains this oil. It can help avoid dental health problems such as bad breath, tooth decay, oral infections, or cavities. Moreover, you can prepare homemade toothpaste by combining baking soda and frankincense oil.
5. Scar, Wound, Stretch Mark, or Acne Remedy
This oil can aid in wound healing and can also reduce the appearance of scars. Moreover, frankincense oil can decrease the appearance of dark spots resulting from stretch marks, acne blemishes, and eczema, and can be helpful in the healing process of surgical wounds. Just combine 2-3 drops of frankincense oil with a lotion or unscented base oil, and directly apply it to your skin. Although it’s fine to apply it to the skin in the healing process, be careful when applying it to broken skin.
6. Relieves Symptoms of Indigestion
Frankincense oil can help you in cases of digestive distress like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach aches, gas, cramps, or PMS. Similar to digestive enzymes, Olibanum aids in the acceleration of food digestion. For GI relief, add 1-2 drops of frankincense oil to a tablespoon of honey, or to 8 ounces of water. Make sure it’s not a perfume or fragrance oil if you are going to ingest it orally, but a 100 percent pure oil.
7. Helps Relieve Pain and Inflammation
You can diffuse frankincense oil in your home, or massage it to the painful area to improve circulation and reduce the symptoms of muscle and joint pains connected to digestive disorders, arthritis, and asthma. Just soak a towel in steaming water that contains a drop of frankincense oil, and put it on the painful area of your body, or over your face to breathe it in, and reduce the muscle aches. You can also diffuse a few drops in your house, or mix a few drops of the oil with a carrier oil and use it to massage your joints, muscles, neck, or feet.
8. Natural Flu or Cold Medicine
Frankincense oil is beneficial for respiratory infections from the flu or a cold, as well as for cough relief. The oil can help you get rid of the phlegm in your lungs. Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory properties in the nasal passages so it will make your breathing easier even if you have asthma or an allergy. Use an oil diffuser, or add several drops of it to a cloth and inhale to get its respiratory benefits.
Benefits from Frankincense Essential Oil
1. Helps Reduce Negative Emotions & Stress Reactions
Inhaling frankincense oil reduces high blood pressure and heart rate. It reduces anxiety and depression without the side effects of prescription medications and doesn’t cause drowsiness.
2. May Help Fight Cancer, or Deal with Chemotherapy Side Effects
It has been shown that frankincense helps in the fight against cells of some cancer types. According to a 2012 study, AKBA is a chemical compound located in frankincense that successfully destroys cancer cells that have become chemotherapy-resistant.
3. Helps Increase Immune System Function and Prevents Illness
According to studies, frankincense improves the immune system thus helping in the destruction of dangerous viruses, bacteria, and even cancers. Moreover, it can be used to prevent the formation of germs on the mouth, and skin, as well as in your home. This oil naturally relieves oral health issues, since its antiseptic properties help prevent bad breath, gingivitis, toothaches, mouth sores, cavities, and other infections.
4. Heals Skin and Prevents Signs of Aging
It can improve skin elasticity, tone, and defense mechanisms against blemishes or bacteria, strengthen the skin, and prevent signs of aging. It heals wounds, decreases the occurrence of acne and scars, and lifts skin. Moreover, frankincense may be beneficial for the fading of surgery scars, stretch marks, or marks linked to pregnancy, and for the healing of cracked or dry skin.
5. Astringent, Kills Harmful Germs and Bacteria
This essential oil is disinfectant and antiseptic, so it naturally eliminates flu and cold germs from the body and home and can be used instead of Dr.Axe.
6. Eases Digestion
Olibanum has been shown to reduce stomach aches and cramps, aid the digestive system to properly detox and obtain bowel movements, relieve nausea and stomach pains associated with PMS, and help to eliminate the excess water from the abdomen which can lead to bloating.
Frankincense oil does all this by accelerating the digestive enzymes’ secretion, relaxing the digestive tract muscles, increasing the production of urine, and boosting the circulation essential for digestive health. Moreover, it was proved that it lowers the symptoms of chronic colitis, leaky gut syndrome, IBS, Chron’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
7. Balances Hormone Levels
This oil balances the hormone levels, thus lowering the symptoms related to menopause and menstruation. It can help relieve cramps, headaches, pain, constipation, nausea, anxiety, mood change, and fatigue. Furthermore, the oil aids in the regulation of the production of estrogen and decreases the risk of a cyst or Dr.Axe in pre-menopausal women.
8. Helps Reduce Pain and Inflammation
Frankincense essential oil can hinder the production of the main inflammatory molecules related to asthma, arthritis, painful bowel disorders such as IBS, and similar conditions. It helps to inhibit the breakdown of the cartilage tissue, and it has been proven to dramatically decrease the levels of painful and dangerous inflammation. This makes frankincense a natural option for the treatment of pain-associated conditions that influence the tendons, joints, and muscles.
9. Acts as a Sleep Aid
This oil is beneficial for reducing the levels of chronic stress and anxiety which can keep us up at night. Its scent is calming and can naturally help you to fall asleep. Frankincense can open your breathing airways, help your body get the perfect sleeping temperature, and get rid of the pain that keeps you up during the night.
Side Effects of Frankincense Interactions
In comparison with prescription medications, frankincense oil is really well-tolerated. There aren’t any serious side effects reported from using this oil up till now, and you shouldn’t ingest larger amounts of the oil since it can become toxic.
This oil can rarely have some side effects in people, and they include digestive issues like stomach pain nausea, and minor skin rashes. People with problems connected to blood clotting shouldn’t use this oil, or at least consult a doctor prior to its usage, as frankincense can have blood-thinning properties. Otherwise, it can potentially have a negative reaction with some anticoagulant medications.
DIY Recipes for Frankincense Oil
This essential oil combines well with carrier oils such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or shea butter. Depending on the benefits, it can be used in combination with other essential oils. For instance, if you blend it with citrus oil it acts as an energy booster, and with lavender oil as a relaxant. That’s why it’s a popular and versatile oil that can be used in many combinations. You can try some of the following recipes to start feeling the benefits of this essential oil.
Homemade Frankincense Soap Bar
The soap made from this oil is excellent for the skin. It hydrates it and provides it with vitamins while at the same time it cleanses the skin. It doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and it’s quite simple to make.
Serves: 30
Total Time: Half an hour
Required Ingredients
- 20-30 drops of frankincense essential oil;
- 5 drops of pomegranate oil;
- Soap base;
- Decorative Soap Mold or Oval Bar Molds.
Instructions
Take a glass bowl and add the soap base to it. Then, put the bowl in a saucepan filled with water. Let the soap base melt on a heated stove on medium.
Once it melts, remove it from heat and allow it to slightly cool before adding the pomegranate and frankincense oil. Mix the mixture well and put it in a soap mold. Allow it to completely cool and then pop the bar out of the mold. Store it at room temperature.
Body Butter for Scar Reducing
Serves: 4
Total Time: 5 minutes
Required Ingredients:
- 10 drops Frankincense Oil;
- 10 drops of Jasmine Oil;
- 2 ounces of Shea butter or Coconut oil;
- Small container/jar to mix the ingredients.
Instructions:
Melt the shea butter in a double boiler until it becomes a liquid. Ensure that the oil is not too hot to burn you, and then add the frankincense and jasmine oil and stir well. The shea butter should be at room temperature or a bit warmer. This mixture can be applied to your car immediately, or kept in the fridge until it cools, and then whip the oils until it gets a shelf-stable cream texture with the use of a hand mixer at high speed. Pour the mixture into a glass container or jar and store it at room temperature so that you can use it whenever you like.
Sleep Inducing Body Rub or Facial Cream
Serves: 1
Total Time: 5 minutes
You can make a natural night cream to help you fall asleep. Moreover, it improves the health of your facial skin and can clear up breakouts or blemishes.
Required Ingredients:
- 5 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil;
- 5 Drops of Frankincense Essential Oil;
- ½ Teaspoon of Coconut Oil;
- 1 ½ Tablespoon of Organic Coconut Oil;
- Small Container or jar to mix the ingredients.
Instructions:
The coconut oil should be soft rather than solid, so if needed heat it in a double boiler.
Add the lavender, frankincense, and olive oil and stir well until they combine. Apply it over your body and face. To prevent seeping the oil onto your bedsheets pat yourself off, and use it for another time.
Homemade Myrrh and Frankincense Lotion
This recipe for homemade body lotion from frankincense and myrrh is excellent. It hydrates and brings essential nutrients and vitamins to the skin. Moreover, these oils lift, tone, protect, and heal the skin. You must try this recipe!
Serves: 30
Total Time: 90 minutes
Required Ingredients:
- 20 drops of Myrrh Essential Oil;
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil;
- 20 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil;
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil;
- 2 tbsp vitamin E;
- 1/4 cup Shea Butter;
- 1/4 cup Beeswax;
- BPA-free plastic lotion dispenser bottles.
Instructions:
Pour the coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, and beeswax into a glass bowl, which you need to put in a saucepan with water. Mix well on a heated stove to medium, and then keep it in the fridge for an hour until it gets a solid form. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer or regular one until it’s whipped and fluffy. The next thing to do is to add vitamin E and essential oils and mix them once again. Pour the mixture into the container and keep it in a cool place.
Via Healthline