Ingredient Guide
Also called olibanum or, in Japanese, nyūkō (literally “milk incense”), frankincense is a gum resin harvested in Arabia, Oman, Somalia, and elsewhere. Locally, it is often chewed like chewing gum, but it is also a precious material. The finest quality comes from Oman, with white resin considered first grade and red resin second grade.
The bark of the small shrub is stripped, or its branches are cut, and the hardened beads that form on the tree are collected. Steam distillation extracts an essential oil with a fresh, citrus-like scent and green facets, as well as woody warmth. It is also called the “king of amber-family perfumes,” and has a spicy quality.
Beyond perfume, it is used in incense, medicines, toothpaste, and many other products. “Incense” primarily refers to materials burned for their fragrance, and frankincense is frequently used as one of those materials. The two are not identical, but I think they can be regarded as almost equivalent when the terms are used in the perfume industry.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
Olibanum, or frankincense, is a representative natural material used to express incense in perfume. Obtained from the resin of trees in the genus Boswellia, it layers brightness reminiscent of citrus and green terpenes with pepper, sweet resin, dry wood, and balsamic depth. In a resinoid obtained by heat-treating Boswellia carteri resin, smoky, leathery, and dry-woody shades join the bright terpenic scent. It is a material in which freshness and resinous warmth coexist, giving perfume a quiet, solemn depth.
Choosing Frankincense Fragrances
Frankincense has more than a smoky scent: it also offers bright resinous notes and qualities reminiscent of dry wood.
- Bright resin: Citrus and herbal pairings suit those who prefer freshness to heavy smoke.
- Wood and smoke: Cypress and vetiver bring dry woods together with quiet resinous notes.
- Floral layers: Rose and other flowers suit those who want depth alongside floral sweetness.
Fragrances Featuring Frankincense
Hwyl Eau de Parfum (Aesop)
Cypress, frankincense, and vetiver combine in this fragrance. The resinous warmth of frankincense mingles with wood and smoke.
Rose 31 (Le Labo)
Rose is paired with cumin, olibanum, and cedar. Dry spices and warm resins mingle with the floral scent of rose.
From Frankincense to Your Next Fragrance
Once you have a sense of the scents you enjoy, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes” on the home screen, search in the “Favorite notes” field, and select an option from the suggestions shown. Choose “Next” to continue. You can start with notes even if you do not yet have a favorite perfume.
