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Our Classic Carterii Frankincense is the coniferous cologne, the ancient olibanum, captured by steam distillation of the tree’s rich resin. Gracing the eternal airwaves with its warm balsamic Boswellia breeze, it has brought many to their blessed knees. For hundreds of years, among the arid climes and mid-altitudes of the rocky slopes that lead to the Indian Ocean, heritage groves of Carterii thrive. Tapping the organic, milky sap of this revered resin takes place in the dry summer months as the gum is gathered and graded. This essence of epiphany emanates a deep, reassuring balsamic base, topped with soft, camphorous-citrus cues. Reminiscent of a sunlit balsam fir forest, the Carterii variety is characteristically classic Frankincense.
To create this iconic essence, steaming alembics of amber resin release aromatic, adept molecules making liquid of the magnificent monoterpenes and soothing sesquiterpenes compounds. While our canonical Carterii Frankincense is crafted via supercritical extraction, this Classic Carterii is a savvy steam distillation. Which one to behold? Both are liquid gold! The delicate differences in scent are subtly sublime, both will have spirit and make skin shine.
Botanical Family: Burseraceae
Extraction Method: Steam distillation
Part of Plant Distilled: Resin
Country of Origin: Somaliland
Cultivation Method: Wildcrafted
Composition: 100% Boswellia carterii
Consistency: Thin liquid.
Scent Description: Sweet, resinous-roots with a clarifying balsamic undertone.
Blends well with: Grapefruit, Rose Otto, Fragonia, Marjoram, Firs, Myrrh, Spruce, Seabuckthorn, Immortelle, Ylang, Sandalwood, Palo Santo, and Chamomile.
Uses: This steam distillation is a fortitude of Frankincense’s camphorous-citrus cues with reassuring balsamic base notes that calm concerns and is mindful of meditation. A drop on a toothbrush is the go-to guide for pink gums and oral freshness. It can be applied neat or mixed in your favorite skin serum and dabbed on to soften fine lines and wrinkles and tame skin tensions. Dab on fine lines, scars, and signs of premature aging for extra moisture. Divine in diffusers. Fantastic in salt pipes. Pacifies apprehension, cools tension, and wafts away worry.
Constituents: Heartening, mellowing incensole acetate and incensole, along with major amounts of multifaceted monoterpenes alpha-pinene. These are accompanied by alpha-thujene and some limonene to bring lemony-hues and further imbued with accent amounts of myrcene, p-cymene, and β-caryophyllene.
Living Libations Classic Carterii Frankincense Essential Oil captures this distinctive distillation of Boswellia carterii that hails from the wadi villages of Doonyaha, Somaliland. Boswellia carterii trees are as deeply entwined in northern Somaliland’s traditional pastoral culture as the region’s world’s largest camel population is. Frankincense-tenders even refer to their trees as their camels and give charming nicknames to them as one names beloved animals. These local caretakers of wild frankincense forests carefully tap the trees in the harvest months for the milky sap that dries into golden frankincense resin. The resin is collected and gently steamed to capture the essential oil.
Frankincense essence is a fortifying tonic that has been used reverently for thousands of years for ceremonies, plant pharmacopeia, as well as ablutions to beautify the body. Fusions of Frankincense have anointed newborns, meditating monks, and chakras for centuries. The consecrating chrism of Frankincense has revitalized and deepened the doors of perception, the breath of reception, and blessed many inceptions.
“And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players, buy of their gifts also. For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.” Khalil Gibran
“The wise man is the state… His relation to men is angelic; his memory is myrrh to them; his presence, frankincense, and flowers.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The words which express our faith and piety are not definite; yet they are significant and fragrant like frankincense to superior natures.” Henry David Thoreau, Walden
“Many grains of frankincense on the same altar: one falls before, another falls after; but it makes no difference.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.