Boswelia (Frankincense) oil, essence from gum, ruled by the Sun, is a yang oil and boasts very many healing properties and applications!
Literature suggests its first use, approximately 5,000 years ago, was as incense to drive away evil spirits that were believed to the cause of people’s sickness. The english word derives from the french “franc encens”.
Frankincense was a highly prized substance of the ancient world, regarded as equally valuable as gems or precious metals. We all know of the offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Christ.
Egyptians used it in rejuvenating face masks; maybe this was its first usage in skin care! Today, we still use and blend it together with compatible oils, such as Rose, Lavender and Neroli in skin care. One can create their own effective blends, with a little intuition and working knowledge of the properties of this oil!
In cases of illness and infections, it is blended with oils that create a synergistic effect; eg. in bronchitis, coughs, ulcers, laryngitis, digestive issues and many other conditions. Being astringent, it is useful for haemorrhages, both uterine and pulmonary.
In skin care, we use it as part of an anti-aging, rejuvenating formula. In 20 years of creating organic, vegan skin care products, I haven’t met one person who is allergic to it or who finds it unpleasant to smell or apply to their skin.
We use it in our #1 product, Naturose Face Cream, as it contributes to a youthful complexion and helps to prevent wrinkles. It is truly one of Nature’s beautiful gifts!