Frankincense (olibanum) oil starts as resin from cut Boswellia bark, which hardens in the air (Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). Those hardened "tears" are typically steam-distilled for the oil. It adds a warm, resinous note to our lavender bathroom cleaners. The bigger story is the trees.
Contains added scent. Prefer none? Our Fragrance-Free All-Purpose Refill and Spray Kit have no fragrance or essential oils. There is no fragrance-free bathroom cleaner yet.
Quick facts
- What it is: Olibanum (Frankincense) Oil on our labels; Boswellia carterii oil in our ingredient record
- Its job: Fragrance only
- EPA Safer Choice: Not on the Safer Chemical Ingredients List
- CAS number: 8016-36-2
Wild trees under pressure
Boswellia trees grow in Somalia, Yemen, Oman and parts of India and Pakistan (Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.). A 2019 study of Boswellia papyrifera, now the main source, found over 75% of 23 populations lacked small trees and projected production would halve within 20 years, from cattle grazing, fires and over-tapping.
Ours is listed as Boswellia carterii, a different species; the authors report similar threats to other species (Bongers et al., 2019). We do not yet know how our supplier sources its resin, so we make no sustainability claim.
What is in the oil
The oil is rich in monoterpenes, mainly alpha-pinene, with some limonene (Tisserand & Young, 2014). It varies by species and harvest site.
Limonene and alpha-pinene are EU-listed fragrance allergens that cosmetic labels must name above 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off products; the oil itself is not named (European Parliament & Council of the European Union, 2009; European Commission, 2023). Both can cause skin reactions; limonene becomes a stronger sensitizer once air-oxidized (Tisserand & Young, 2014).
Safer Choice judges fragrances under separate criteria (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.-a, n.d.-b). See how we vet ingredients.
Handling and safety
- Undiluted essential oils can irritate skin and eyes. Each tablet holds a little, diluted in water.
- Store tablets packaged, up high: a tablet can look like candy to a child.
- The ASPCA lists lavender and bergamot plants, also in these products, as toxic to dogs and cats if eaten (ASPCA, n.d.-b, n.d.-c); we found no listing for frankincense. Keep pets out until surfaces dry, and never apply cleaner to an animal.
- We have not measured residue on dry surfaces. If little ones bathe right after cleaning, rinse the tub first.
If something goes wrong
- Eyes or skin: rinse well with water. Call your doctor if irritation continues.
- Swallowed: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (America's Poison Centers, n.d.).
- Pet ate a tablet or cleaner: call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control, (888) 426-4435, fee may apply (ASPCA, n.d.-a).
Where you will find it
Our Lavender blend, with lavender, lavandin, rosemary, bergamot, cedarwood and ylang ylang oils:
See all our ingredients →
Sources
- America's Poison Centers. (n.d.). [Homepage]. https://poisoncenters.org/
- ASPCA. (n.d.-a). ASPCA Poison Control. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
- ASPCA. (n.d.-b). Bergamot orange. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/bergamot-orange
- ASPCA. (n.d.-c). Lavender. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/lavender
- Bongers, F., Groenendijk, P., Bekele, T., Birhane, E., Damtew, A., Decuyper, M., Eshete, A., Gezahgne, A., Girma, A., Khamis, M. A., Lemenih, M., Mengistu, T., Ogbazghi, W., Sass-Klaassen, U., Tadesse, W., Teshome, M., Tolera, M., Sterck, F. J., & Zuidema, P. A. (2019). Frankincense in peril. Nature Sustainability, 2(7), 602-610. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0322-2
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Boswellia. In Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/plant/Boswellia
- European Commission. (2023). Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1545/oj
- European Parliament & Council of the European Union. (2009). Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj
- Tisserand, R., & Young, R. (2014). Essential oil safety: A guide for health care professionals (2nd ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-a). Safer Chemical Ingredients List. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-b). Safer Choice criteria for fragrances. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-criteria-fragrances
