The King of Essential Oils: Frankincense (Boswellia) sacra

by Mohamed Judi January 23, 2022

If Frankincense Essential Oil is regarded as the King of Essential Oils, then, without doubt, Sacred Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) is the King of Frankincense Oils. The resin of the frankincense sacra tree has been used since ancient times, which was traded on the Incense Trade Route that flourished between the 7th century BCE and 2nd century BCE. Today, the pure essential oil from this resin is a rare and valued incense used in perfumery and aromatherapy.

Frankincense sacra is a base note. It is peppery, penetrating, and slightly balsamic, with a scent reminiscent of fir needles. Slightly sweet, light, almost floral aroma.
In addition to the aromatic compound [p-Cymene], the top 3 constituents of Boswellia sacra are:

.alpha.-Pinene:75%
D-Limonene:84%
.beta.-Myrcene: 5.69%

Money-Back Guarantee: This product is 100% pure, natural, from a single botanical source, unblended, unadulterated, no contaminants, no synthetic, Phthalate-free, and within the ISO norm.

Benefits: Frankincense sacra can help heal scars and wounds due to its regenerative properties. It is a known expectorant and nervine and may help aid mental fatigue, depression, nervousness, stress-related disorders, and tension, or relieve lungs from coughs, bronchitis, and nervous asthma. Emotionally, frankincense sacra may help those struggling with communication and emotional tension. It may ease symptoms of depression and act as a calmative.
It is wonderful for the skin. This essential oil is both cicatrisant and cytophylactic. It is skin healing and effective on boils, acne, and scarring on the skin as well as to assist stretch marks to fade. Being cytophlactic, it promotes the regeneration of healthy cells and keeps the existing cells and tissues healthy. Also effective as an antiseptic on wounds and cuts. Try using it in facial cream for wrinkles too.
Frankincense is also a powerful expectorant and very effective for respiratory issues such as colds, flu, asthma, and other lung issues. Relieves bronchitis and congestion.

History: The term frankincense means true incense and has its roots in Biblical times. Widely used in ancient Egypt, it was one of the ingredients used in the holy oil described in the Old Testament. Frankincense was brought back to Europe by Frankish Crusaders (Frank-incense), and the oil is still highly prized today in the perfumery industry, and widely used in the manufacturing of skin-care products.
Essential oils have been an integral part of the daily lives of people for thousands of years. At least 33 specific essential oils and aromatic oil-producing plants are mentioned in the Bible, and the word incense is mentioned 68 times in Scripture. Psalm 45:7-8, Proverbs 27:9, Isaiah 61:3 and Hebrews 1:9 all reference oils in some way, as in the oil of joy and the oil of gladness, and they speak of how oils joice the heart. Essential oils are also referred to in the Bible as fragrances, odours, ointments, aromas, perfumes and sweet savours. In total, there are over 600 references to essential oils and/or the aromatic plants from which they were extracted in the Bible.

One of the things that are important to understand is that although essential oils have physical uses, for example, you can put lavender on a sunburn, every single essential oil including those used in the Bible have a spiritual or emotional side or purpose.

Incense is mentioned in the Bible many times and is just material used to produce a fragrant odour when burned. For example, you could light Frankincense resin on fire and that would be considered incense. You could also light a piece of cedarwood on the fire and smell the smoke and the smoke from the cedarwood would be considered incense. Incense is not a specific recipe. It's just the act of burning something to create a powerful aroma or smell so that you can reap the emotional and spiritual benefits.

Catholic Church Mass

In the Bible, there are many different specific incense recipes for the temple or different worship or cleansing ceremonies where they would combine several different oils or resins and then burn them to create a specific smell. Gratefully today we have essential oils which are more potent, more concentrated and DIFFUSERS! No fire is needed to get those emotional and spiritual benefits. Thanks to Heather, Emily Write & Dr. Axe #bible #essentialoils #essentialoilsofthebible #sacra #meditation #relief #calming

In Egypt, the most desired, well-known, and expensive perfume of Egypt, was Kyphi. It was made of frankincense, myrrh, mastic, pine resin, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, juniper, mint, and other herbs and spices, which bring back Biblical memories.

Many studies have uncovered lists of ingredients for ancient Egyptian perfumes, as well as some discussion on techniques and tools. One of the most notable ingredients found in tombs like that of the famous Tutankhamun or recipes found in hieroglyphs inscriptions such as the one in Edfu Temple are Frankincense and Myrrh. In Tutankhamun’s tomb, explorers found an alabaster jar, still intact, containing the perfume of the young king. Pharaoh Hatshepsut's perfume is also presumably a demonstration of her power. "We think it probable that one constituent was frankincense – the scent of the gods," Michael Höveler-Müller declares.

Safety: Like all essential oils, this essential oil can cause irritation to the skin once the essential oil has oxidized. Tree and citrus essential oils should be used within 6 months of opening, and always dilute before use. In general, Frankincense essential oil is safe for pets.

How to Test Essential Oils for Purity?
It is also recommended that you keep the essential oil in its dark glass bottles to maintain freshness and attain maximum shelf life.
Essential oils are growing in popularity due to their pleasant scents and various household uses. However, the purity of the essential oil is important for making sure it is as effective as possible. To verify that your essential oils are high quality, it is important that you learn the signs of a good essential oil and test the oils out for yourself.

Checking Before You Buy

Ask your supplier about the purity of their oils and the distilling process. Try to buy from a supplier who distills their own oils or deals directly with a distiller who does. Suppliers should be willing to provide you with a sample (maybe for a small fee) before encouraging you to buy larger quantities. This shows that they are confident in their product and believe that if you try it you will buy.^[1]
Search for oil by the specific name of the plant it is derived from. Being able to read the label and identify the plant makeup of the oil is the first step to buying a quality oil. The general rule of thumb is to purchase by the Latin name, which can be found by searching online for the plant, as this is normally the most specific.^[1]For example, many customers purchase Lavandula oil, also known as lavender, because of its calming effects. A common mistake is purchasing Lavender oil instead, which has the opposite effect and will make the user more alert.
Check the packaging for a purity statement. There should be a statement on the packaging of the oil that says “100% Pure” or something similar to this claim. If there is not, it has likely been mixed or adulterated with some other substance.^[2]

Testing the Oils

Select an oil to test and get a piece of blank paper. You can test your oil at home with just these 2 items. Make sure you cover your work surface with wax paper or tin foil to protect it from any oil that might bleed through the paper. ^[2]
Place one drop of the oil on the paper. If your oil doesn’t have a dropper with it or a cap that allows this, you can use the eraser side of a pencil. Just dip the eraser into the bottle and let the oil drip onto the paper from there, or gently touch the eraser to the paper to get the oil to transfer.^[2]
If you’re testing multiple oils, it might help to label each one so you remember where it is on the paper.
Allow the oil to dry completely. This will normally take about 30-45 minutes depending on how much oil you have on the paper. Check after 30 minutes, and if there’s still some liquid on the paper, allow another 15 minutes to dry.^[2]
Check the places where you dropped the oil for a leftover ring of oil or grease. If there is a ring present, that means that the oil has likely been diluted with another substance and is less pure. If you can’t see a ring, try touching the paper with your finger lightly. If it’s completely dry and you don’t feel any oil or grease on your finger, your oil is likely pure and high quality.^[2]
Some oils that are darker in color will leave a slight tint, but the paper should not be oily or greasy once completely dry. Oils such as sandalwood, patchouli, and German chamomile will leave a tint but not an oily ring.
Send your oils to a lab for testing if you will be using them for professional reasons. For aromatherapists and naturopaths, it might be worthwhile to send oils to a lab for chemical testing. This will ensure that the chemical makeup of the oil is indeed pure and what is labelled on the bottle.^[3]
The two means of testing are Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry. These tests are often performed together in a lab and will show whether there are any “adulterants” in the oil.^[3]

The King of Essential Oils: Frankincense (Boswellia) sacra

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