GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
Boswellia carterii
Chemotype: alpha-pinene-rich monoterpene type; incensole/incensole acetate present as a species marker for B. carterii (vs B. serrata/B. sacra)
- PLANT PART
- oleo-gum-resin
- EXTRACTION
- steam distillation of oleo-gum-resin
- AROMA NOTE
- base
LEARN AS YOU COMPARE
What’s inside this oil?
Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 55 / 100
- Note layer
- base
- Approximate tenacity
- 24–72 hours
If you like this scent, explore
A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY
Using it thoughtfully
Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.
- Cited dermal maximum · leave-on
- Unknown
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- high
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
Not phototoxic; no furocoumarins. Tisserand & Young list no dermal maximum.
Contraindications & cautions
- minorRich in alpha-pinene and limonene which autoxidize to sensitizing peroxides; store cool/dark, avoid oxidized oil.
Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches
A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT
Inside the oil
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
Boswellia carterii resin oil is compositionally variable across sources; the cited J. Chromatography A study reports Somali B. carterii average composition dominated by alpha-pinene, limonene/beta-phellandrene, alpha-thujene, myrcene, and sabinene. A separate B. carteri authentication study shows low-level resin biomarkers incensole and serratol in lab-distilled oils.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alpha-pinene | 37.3% | 37.3–37.3% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceChemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Abstract, lines 47-50 |
| limonene + beta-phellandrene | 14.4% | 14.4–14.4% | monoterpene hydrocarbons | View sourceChemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Abstract, lines 47-50 |
| alpha-thujene | 7.9% | 7.9–7.9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceChemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Abstract, lines 47-50 |
| beta-Myrcene | 7% | 3–8% | Monoterpenes | View sourceB. carterii GC-MS (myrcene ~7.3%) https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/3/333 |
| sabinene | 4.9% | 4.9–4.9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceChemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Abstract, lines 47-50 |
| p-Cymene | 5% | 2–8% | Monoterpenes | View sourceB. carterii GC-MS (p-cymene ~6.3%) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3606720/ |
| beta-Pinene | 1.8% | 1–3% | Monoterpenes | View sourceB. carterii GC-MS (beta-pinene ~1.8%) https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/3/333 |
| Camphene | 0.8% | 0.4–1.5% | Monoterpenes | View sourceB. carterii GC-MS (camphene ~0.8%) https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/9/3/333 |
| trans-beta-Caryophyllene | 2% | 0.5–4% | Sesquiterpenes | View sourceB. carterii GC-MS (caryophyllene, diagnostic higher in carterii) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3606720/ |
| Incensole / incensole acetate | — | — | Diterpenes/Diterpenols | View sourcePMC3606720 (incensole a constant, reliable marker of B. carterii; not routinely quantified) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3606720/ |
| myrcene | 7.3% | 7.3–7.3% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceChemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Abstract, lines 47-50 |
| octyl acetate | 0.95% | 0.9–1% | aliphatic ester | View sourceComparison of Volatile Constituents Present in Commercial and Lab-Distilled Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) Essential Oils for Authentication Table 1, line 188, lab-distilled samples F22-F23 |
| serratol | 0.7% | 0.7–0.7% | diterpenoid alcohol | View sourceComparison of Volatile Constituents Present in Commercial and Lab-Distilled Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) Essential Oils for Authentication Table 1, line 194, lab-distilled samples F22-F23 |
| incensole | 0.15% | 0.1–0.2% | diterpenoid alcohol | View sourceComparison of Volatile Constituents Present in Commercial and Lab-Distilled Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) Essential Oils for Authentication Table 1, line 195, lab-distilled samples F22-F23 |
Profile source: Chemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Comparison of Volatile Constituents Present in Commercial and Lab-Distilled Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) Essential Oils for Authentication; Frankincense resin overview · PubMed abstract for B. carterii average composition (alpha-thujene 7.9%, alpha-pinene 37.3%, sabinene 4.9%, beta-myrcene 7.3%, p-cymene 6.3%, beta-pinene 1.8%, camphene 0.8%, trans-beta-caryophyllene 2.0%); review and product literature describing frankincense oil as steam-distilled from resin / oleo-gum-resin
What we're still learning · 1 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- No public leave-on dermal maximum was located for Boswellia carterii essential oil in the sources reviewed, so max_dermal_pct remains null.