Frankincense Resin vs Essential Oil: What Is the Difference?
Frankincense resin is the hardened tear from the tree. Essential oil is steam distilled from it. That oil is only about 5 to 10 percent of the resin. Heavy compounds such as boswellic acids barely evaporate, so they stay behind in the still. We infuse the whole resin into our tallow.
By Brian "Moose" Smith, founder of Moose's Tallow · Updated November 7, 2026
What people ask
Is there a difference between frankincense oil and frankincense resin oil?
Yes. Essential oil is steam distilled from the resin and captures the light, aromatic parts. Researchers describe the resin as roughly 5 to 10 percent essential oil. The heavy compounds, such as boswellic acids, barely evaporate and stay behind. A resin infusion pulls from the whole tear instead.
Which form of frankincense is best?
It depends on what you want. Essential oil gives you the scent, because volatile oils carry the aroma. Resin gives you the whole tear, with the heavier compounds the still leaves behind. We think the whole resin is a fuller starting point for skin care. That is why we infuse it into tallow.
What is frankincense resin good for?
People have burned it as incense and used it in perfume and cosmetics for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians even ground charred resin into kohl. In a small double-blind study, a cream with boswellic acids from the resin improved roughness and fine lines. We infuse it into tallow for your skin.
When not to use frankincense?
Skip it on broken skin, and stop if your skin reacts. Patch test a small spot on your inner arm and wait a day before you use more. If you are pregnant, take medicine or have a skin condition, ask your doctor first. Our 60-day guarantee covers you if it is not a fit.
What happens if you put frankincense directly on skin?
Pure essential oil is strong and can bother skin, so people dilute it. Resin tears are hard, sticky lumps, not something you rub on. That is why we infuse the resin into tallow, then whip it smooth. Patch test a small spot first, and skip broken skin.
The timeline
What to expect
1
Tonight
A pea-size amount melts between your fingertips and presses onto clean skin. The scent is the resin itself.
2
Week 1
Use it on your face, hands or anywhere that feels dry. Many people make it a night step after washing up.
3
Week 4
Skin feels soft and well moisturized. By now you'll know if infused resin earns a place in your routine.
Resin and essential oil, side by side
Here is how the two compare, using what the researchers report.
Frankincense resin
Frankincense essential oil
What it is
The hardened gum tapped from Boswellia trees
Steam distilled from the resin
Share of the resin
The whole tear
About 5 to 10 percent
Boswellic acids
Present in the resin
Not reliably found with normal distillation
Where the scent comes from
Volatile oils inside the resin
The volatile oils
Mixes with fat
Boswellic acids are highly lipophilic, so they like fat
Light and aromatic
Sources are listed at the bottom of the page. These are research reports, not tests of our product.
What people say about frankincense and myrrh
Here is what we found when we read the research. We kept it to what the sources actually say.
World History Encyclopedia says myrrh was used as a perfume, in cosmetics and in medicines in the ancient world.
The University of Bristol notes that ancient Egyptians burned frankincense and ground the charred resin into kohl.
A New York dermatologist told The Zoe Report that frankincense has natural astringent properties.
WebMD says products with frankincense are sometimes applied to the skin for mild redness or irritation.
In a double-blind study, a cream with boswellic acids from frankincense resin improved roughness and fine lines.
In a 2025 lab study, a myrrh resin extract closed 98.4% of a scratch across skin cells. Those were cells in a dish, not people.
So we make no promise about results. We use the whole resin because we like what it brings.
How we infuse resin into tallow
Here are the steps from our own kitchen, in order.
We start with beef tallow and add frankincense resin, with some sweet myrrh.
Everything goes into one covered jar.
We hold it at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 to 6 hours and stir now and then.
We strain it while it is hot.
The infused tallow is whipped with olive squalane and a little wax.
Vitamin E and rosemary extract go in as it cools. Helichrysum essential oil goes in last.
Their label vs. ours
Same job. Look at the ingredients.
Left is a best-seller from the store shelf. Right is ours.
Ingredient lists are copied from US retailer product pages, brand websites and EWG Skin Deep, and were accurate when checked on October 19 and November 7, 2026. Brands change formulas, so always read your own bottle. We are not affiliated with any brand named here.
How do we render tallow?
It starts at a local butcher shop in farm country, where one cow yields about 12 pounds of suet. That suet is the fat around the cow's kidneys, rich in vitamins A, D, E and K. Its fatty acids are ones your skin loves, so we render it slowly, by hand.
Day 1 & 2
Two renders of tallow over low heat, six hours each
Day 3 & 4
Dry render for eight hours, cool & dry render again for another eight hours
Day 5
Infuse tallow and oil with organic herbs over low heat for 12-24 hours
Day 6
Add in beeswax and scent (if applicable), cool, whip and fill by hand
A note from the maker
We make Frankincense & Myrrh in small batches in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. We infuse real resin into beef tallow and the label lists every ingredient. I'd rather you test it on your own skin than take my word. If it's not for you, the 60-day guarantee covers it.
