Frankincense Frankincense (OmanEthiopia)

Frankincense has been a highly valued commodity for millennia, dating back to ancient Egypt, Assyria, and more. The precious resin comprises the oldest global supply chain. We source multiple species to offer our unique blend.

Harvesting Process:

It takes 12-20 years for a Boswellia tree to mature for harvesting. The essential oil comes from the resin of the frankincense tree. One Boswellia tree can produce 1-3kgs of resin in one season, about five months. Harvesters typically make shallow cuts in the bark, from which resin seeps out. The resin is left for two weeks to crystallize and is then scraped off the tree. This process repeats over multiple weeks throughout the harvesting season. Resin tears are carefully cleaned and organized by size and color by harvesters before distillation.

Through doTERRA’s sourcing partners, more than 20,000 frankincense Boswellia trees have been planted globally since 2016.

Production Process:

Frankincense essential oil is hydrodistilled. Steam distillation does not effectively penetrate the hard frankincense resin, so a more intensive method is required. Sometimes called water distillation, hydrodistillation involves putting resin in boiling water rather than above it like in steam distillation. The resin is continuously stirred to keep it from settling on the bottom and burning and avoid foam. The rest of the process is similar to steam distillation, with the steam carrying the essential oil up into the condenser.