Two Precious Oils

Of the most valuable scents, two are the most precious: Frankincense and Sandalwood. Below I present some impressions of each oil, followed by blends with essential oils for emotional healing and joy.

Frankincense

Having medicinal value for many complaints, Frankincense is included in the Materia Medica of TCM and Ayurveda for its ability to relieve pain. Frankincense offers calming, but warming energies for those suffering from painful and debilitating conditions. The resin is also considered for general infections of the mouth, lungs, bladder and digestive system, colds, and musculoskeletal distress. (See reference below.)

Aromas of Frankincense

In my memory of the aromas of Frankincense, its resin is intense, sharp, woody and spicy, plus a citrus note that harmonizes the variety of notes coming from the resin. The Frankincense I like is Boswellia carterii, or B. sacra, generally harvested in Ethiopia or countries nearby. When dry, the aroma is lemony-resinous, a precious scent that is much lighter than other resins such as B. serrata.

Frankincense pairs well with aromas that are lemon-like, with citrus, rose, and spicy or woody scents. See below for a combination of the resin with a leaf of Lemongrass.

Sandalwood

An essential oil distilled from the heartwood of a tree, Sandalwood has been revered for millennia, too. People have continuously burned chips of its wood as incense, ground up Sandalwood chips to make a paste for cosmetics, mixed the dry ground wood into medicines, and buried their dead with the perfume of its smoke to ensure well-being in their afterlife. And these are just a few of the ways Sandalwood makes a deep and lasting impression in a culture.

Thus for human beings, memories of Sandalwood are not so different to those of Frankincense, as an ingredient in cosmetics and personal toilette as well as the incense of religious ceremonies.

Medicinal Value of Sandalwood

Having medicinal value for many complaints, Sandalwood is included in the Materia Medica of TCM and Ayurveda for its soothing qualities. Sandalwood offers calming, cooling energies fo those suffering from inflammation and congestion. According to author Peter Holmes, Sandalwood is restorative to the nervous system, the circulation, and a respiratory decongestant. But it’s not drying. Rather it restores the moisture of tissues of the lungs, veins, lymph and intestines to their normal state.

The aromatic therapeutics of Frankincense and Sandalwood essential oils can address nervous agitation and our psyche. Our olfactive sense makes use of the particular aromas of these essential oils to brighten our attitude and outlook.

How can we be sure that these aromatics offer emotional healing?

Frustration is one way of characterizing feelings we have of constriction and irritability. Emotionally, the congestion we experience keeps us from being our best, from feeling confident, being able to make decisions, resolving conflict and grief, making plans and executing them. Both Frankincense and Sandalwood excel in reducing the feelings of constriction and frustration. Their healing is doubled when paired with another essential oil’s aroma.

Double Notes & Duo Scents

Double Notes or Duos are a perfumer’s way of expressing a simple concept in a blend of two essences. The therapeutics of two scents are derived from the purity of known fragrances in synergy.

There’s good reason to intentionally blend two oils together. Two oils together offer benefits that in combination are greater than the sum of their parts.

As author Jennifer Rhind puts it:

“a single note has the olfactory signature that resonates with the client … as does a blend of just two oils that retain their individuality but are harmonious” p. 46

Two oils can work magic by restoring an awkward or suffering state of mind.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus or C. flexuosus) + Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)

Frankincense and Lemongrass is a bright and harmonious combination of lemon and the resin. Lemongrass offers to revitalize emotional vigor, perceptiveness, aptitude for calculating, focus, clarity, and positivity. Frankincense offers steadiness of purpose, determination, emotional conviction and feeling secure in one’s skin, and trust. Such a blend is appropriate for depressed states in a Vata or Kapha body type.

Tangerine or Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) + Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)

Mandarin is also a perfect companion to Frankincense, which underscores the slightly citrusy scent in the resin. (Equally good is Sweet Orange.) Here, Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) offers to quiet mood swings, reduce anger and guilt, encouraging positivity and delight.

Rose (Rosa damascena as Rose Otto) + Frankincense, or Rose + Sandalwood

A blend of two oils are beneficial to emotional suffering. Rose (Rosa species) is chosen to go with Sandalwood, or with Frankincense. Because of its popularity as an attar, Rose and Sandalwood is a beautiful combination. And because Rose seeks to resolve heartache, low self-regard or indifference, it pairs well with an emotionally uplifting essential oil, such as Frankincense.

Appropriate for all doshas.

German chamomile (Matricaria chamomila) + Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)

Combine German chamomile (Matricaria chamomila) with Sandalwood and ease frustration, sensitivity, anxiety and rage. I chose Sandalwood to pair with Chamomile for a low-key, comforting scent, especially for a person whose over-heated constitution renders them fitful and argumentative.

Juniperberry (Juniperus communis) + Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)

Juniperberry (Juniperus communis) with Sandalwood presents a bright softness, pairing a fruity, balsamic freshness with the dreamy wood oil. This combination is advantageous for a congested and stuck temperament, or for a person who’s suffering physically from lower abdomen discomforts.

Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) + Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)

And Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum), a well-known culinary spice that is also distilled as an essential oil. Clove buds bring encouragement, warmth, raises self-esteem, and inspires, also pairs well with Sandalwood for a very demure sweetness. Use in cases of deep-seated or hidden apathy. Especially attuned to the Kapha individual.

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It’s a good thing to intentionally smell just one essential oil. Because each time I inhale it, the experience can change. For example, today I notice a variety of smell sensations that differ from the same oil that I smelled yesterday. Inhaling two oils at once, inhaling the aromas of two essential oils or double-notes as above, increases my olfactive experience in that moment. These blends are aromatically therapeutic, too. As an added attraction, the restorative response enhances any experience following it. I can journal about a scent, and note the characteristics of intensity and persistence. But what’s really notable is that they influence the smell receptors in the body. I think the benefits of inhaling or smelling an essential oil blend that helps me understand a feeling I’m having now or reaction I had in the past is priceless.

Choose an Aromatic Oil for today!

This page is for information only and is not intended as treatment for any condition.

Double Notes for Two Precious Oils