Frankincense
Frankincense, also called olibanum, combines bright resin, peppery citrus and dry woody facets. The oil can feel surprisingly fresh, while richer extracts emphasize a deeper balsamic character.
Shop fragrances with Frankincense →How it works in a fragrance
It brings a spacious resinous line to woods, spices and amber. Alongside smoke accords it can suggest burning incense, although the raw resin’s scent is not identical to smoke.
The note’s placement and prominence depend on the complete composition.
Understanding this note
Natural frankincense comes from Boswellia resins, with species and extraction influencing the profile. Oils, resinoids, absolutes and composed incense effects can therefore present different facets.
Related notes to explore
Myrrh →
Myrrh has a dark balsamic scent with bitter-sweet resin, licorice-like warmth and smoky or medicinal nuances
Cedar →
Cedar suggests dry wood, pencil shavings and a clean, gently resinous warmth
Black Pepper →
Black pepper is dry, woody and sparkling, with a warm spicy bite and a faintly citrusy aromatic edge
Bergamot →
Bergamot combines tart citrus peel with a soft floral, tea-like quality
Explore fragrances with Frankincense
Discover this note in the Zavelier fragrance collection, or explore another scent in the library.
Shop Frankincense fragrances → Browse all fragrance notesFragrance notes describe scent impressions. They can represent natural materials, aroma molecules or accords, rather than a complete list of ingredients.