As January 6th celebrates Epiphany (the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus) it’s appropriate to focus on one of the gifts, Frankincense.
Frankincense is a resin that comes from the bark of frankincense trees. Using a steam distillation process, frankincense essential oil is produced from the tree resin. Because it comes from the bark of the tree, the scent is slightly woodsy with a touch of lemon. It worked beautifully with the essential oils of myrrh and cinnamon this past Christmas when I whipped it into shea butter and coconut oil.
Another way to enjoy it is in its bark form. If you happen to have friends who travel to Ethiopia, talk them into getting you a bagful of frankincense bark chips to throw on your open fire. Your house will smell divine.
Frankincense Tree (Source: Wikimedia Commons)