Our frankincense resin face cream is made differently than most — and if you’ve shopped for natural skincare, you’ve probably seen why that matters. Usually it appears as frankincense essential oil — a common addition to face creams, serums, and anti-aging products. We use frankincense too, but we do it differently. And the difference is worth explaining.
What frankincense actually is
Frankincense is the resin of the Boswellia tree, native to the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa and India. The resin has been used medicinally and ceremonially for thousands of years — it is one of the oldest recorded skincare and wellness ingredients in human history.
For skin, frankincense is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, making it useful for acne, irritation, and redness. It supports the skin’s natural renewal process, which is why it shows up so frequently in products targeting fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. It also offers natural protection against UVB rays — the type most responsible for sun damage and premature aging.
And the scent carries its own benefit. Frankincense has been shown to interact with receptors in the brain that regulate anxiety and mood. The calming effect is real, not just pleasant.
Essential oil vs. whole resin infusion
Frankincense essential oil is produced by steam distilling the resin. The process captures the aromatic volatile compounds — what gives frankincense its smell and some of its properties. But steam distillation leaves something important behind: boswellic acids.
Boswellic acids are the compounds in frankincense most strongly associated with its anti-inflammatory and skin-renewing effects. They are large molecules that do not survive the distillation process, which means they are essentially absent from frankincense essential oil. If the anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits of frankincense are what you are after, essential oil alone does not deliver the full picture.
How we do it
We take whole frankincense resin and infuse it directly into the rendered tallow at very low heat for 12 to 24 hours. The slow, gentle process pulls the full range of compounds from the resin into the fat — boswellic acids included. No shortcuts, no distillation. Just resin and time.
The result smells like real frankincense — warm, earthy, and grounding in a way that a diluted essential oil rarely achieves. If you have ever smelled frankincense resin burning, you will recognize it immediately.
What the tallow adds
Beef suet tallow has a fatty acid profile remarkably close to human skin, which means it absorbs well and carries the frankincense compounds deep into the skin rather than sitting on the surface. The castor oil supports that absorption further. It is a short ingredient list, but every element is there for a reason.
How to use it
Apply a small amount at night before bed as your last step. It absorbs cleanly with no oily residue. A little goes a long way — a 2 oz jar lasts most people 2–3 months with daily use.
I use it every night. The skin benefits are real, but it is the ritual I have come to value as much as anything — a few quiet minutes at the end of the day that smell like calm.
Frankincense Tallow Face Cream — Anti-Aging, Hydrating, Resin-Infused 2 oz · Amber glass jar
Tallow face cream infused with real frankincense resin — not essential oil. Anti-inflammatory, deeply hydrating, and calming. 2 oz amber glass jar, handmade in Kentucky.
Read more about Frankincense Face Cream, and how it’s helping people.
Also worth reading: What Blue Tansy Actually Does for Your Skin — our other frankincense-containing face cream.
