Frankincense: A magical oil.

Today I wanted to write about a special essential oil. Frankincense. It isn’t a flowery oil and at first smell it might not impress. It is earthy and calm, almost quiet compared to scents like Lemon, Rose or Lavender. But Frankincense is a powerful oil.

It has been used since antiquity in religious festivals. It creates a mood of calm reverence and studies are showing that triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to have you take deeper breaths. Breathing deeply leads to greater relaxation and a more profound connection to the divine. It is used in incense and oils throughout the world today in religious and spiritual rituals; in temples, mosques and churches. Frankincense is both calming and uplifting; assisting in dealing with both anger and depression. It is a great oil to diffuse in your home to assist in creating a deeper mediation or to shift the mood if people are fighting.

Frankincense essential oil is extracted from the small shrubby tree by cutting the tree bark and collecting the sap that oozes out and forms teardrops that harden into lumps.  These can be picked off the ground or taken off the tree. The essential oil is steam distilled from these lumps to make a fragrant yellowish thick oil.

Skin loves frankincense! It has many amazing healing properties for the skin, ancient Egyptians used in it healing face masks. It helps with burns and scars, pulling the tissue together and speeding up healing. It is also helps get rid of fine lines and is anti-inflammatory, which is why I use it in my Precious Face Oil.

It can be applied with a carrier oil to painful joints and muscles and because of its anti-inflammatory nature; it relieves pain and swelling.

It is also great for deep coughs, it relieves congestion and can help with asthma.

It is a wonderful oil to have around. I highly recommend having a bottle handy when you need some help in relaxing or getting through the day.

(Or night; it’s also great for helping you relax enough to fall into sleep.)

Here’s a link to the type of Frankincense I use. It’s a really lovely oil.