Frankincense Essential Oil Diffuser Blends

I was going through my essential oils and discovered I had five bottles of frankincense essential oils. Apparently, I've been buying it without checking what I already have in my stash! So I figured it was time to put some of those bottles to good use and make some frankincense diffuser blends and just in time for the Christmas season.

Frankincense essential oil has a warm, woody, slightly earthy scent and depending on the variety, it can also have a little citrus or pine-like scent to it.

What I like about frankincense is how well it mixes with other essential oils. You can pair it with orange for something bright and cheerful, lavender for a softer scent, or cedarwood and other woody oils for something a little deeper.

These five frankincense essential oil diffuser blends are all a little different from one another, so there's a little something for everyone.

5 Frankincense Diffuser Blends

These recipes are a starting point for a 200 - 300 mL ultrasonic diffuser. You can adjust the drops to suit your diffuser size and how strong you prefer your scents.

Frankincense & Sweet Orange

  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil
  • 4 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
  • 1 drop Cedarwood essential oil

This is a nice combination if you enjoy citrus but don't want it to be too sweet. The orange gives it a fresh scent, while frankincense and cedarwood add a little warmth.

Lavender & Frankincense

  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil
  • 3 drops Lavender essential oil
  • 2 drops Bergamot essential oil

Lavender and frankincense smell wonderful together. The lavender softens the woody scent of frankincense, while bergamot adds a little citrus. I like this combination in the evening when I want something that isn't too strong.

Frankincense Forest

  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil
  • 2 drops Cypress essential oil
  • 2 drops Cedarwood essential oil
  • 1 drop Black Spruce essential oil

If you enjoy woodsy scents, this one is worth trying. Cypress and black spruce give it that fresh, outdoorsy scent, and the cedarwood and frankincense add warmth. It's a nice alternative to the usual pine-heavy forest blends.

Frankincense & Geranium

  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil
  • 2 drops Geranium essential oil
  • 3 drops Grapefruit essential oil

Geranium has a rosy, green scent that can be strong but the frankincense gives it a warmer, woodier scent, and grapefruit keeps the combination from becoming too floral.

Start with just one drop of geranium first and see what you think.

Frankincense Spice

  • 3 drops Frankincense essential oil
  • 3 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
  • 1 drop Cardamom essential oil
  • 1 drop Ginger essential oil

This one has a warm, lightly spicy scent without using cinnamon or clove. Cardamom adds a lovely sweet-spicy note, ginger gives it a little kick, and orange keeps everything from smelling too heavy.

I think this would be especially nice during the cooler months, although there's no reason you couldn't enjoy it year round.

Which Frankincense Essential Oil?

Not all frankincense essential oils smell exactly alike. Frankincense comes from the resin of trees in the Boswellia genus, and there are several varieties used in aromatherapy.

  • Boswellia carterii: Often has a warm, woody scent with citrus-like notes.
  • Boswellia serrata: Generally more earthy, woody, and spicy.
  • Boswellia sacra: Can have a fresher scent with pine-like and citrus notes.
  • Boswellia frereana: Often has a softer, fresher scent with slightly sweet notes.

You can use any of these varieties in the diffuser blends above, although you might notice the scent changes a little depending on which one you choose.

Essential Oils That Pair with Frankincense

If you want to experiment with your own frankincense diffuser blends, there are plenty of essential oils to choose from.

Citrus oils such as orange, grapefruit, lemon, and bergamot can brighten frankincense's deeper scent.

For something woodier, try cedarwood, cypress, sandalwood, or black spruce. Patchouli also works well, although I'd start with just one drop because it can easily take over.

Lavender, geranium, and clary sage are good choices when you want something softer or more herbal.

And if you like warm, spicy scents, ginger and cardamom are two worth experimenting with.

I usually start with frankincense and one or two other oils rather than pulling out half my essential oil collection. It's easier to figure out which scents work well together that way.

Diffusing Tips

  • Frankincense can smell fairly subtle when you first open the bottle, especially compared with stronger oils like peppermint or eucalyptus. Give your blend a few minutes in the diffuser before deciding if you want to add more drops.
  • You also don't have to use every drop listed in a recipe. Start lighter if you're using a smaller diffuser or prefer a softer scent.

Enjoy Frankincense Diffuser Blends

Finding those five bottles reminded me that I really should use frankincense more often. It's easy to reach for other essential oils like orange, lavender, or cedarwood and forget about some of the others sitting in the cabinet.

I do like frankincense with citrus and woody oils, but the others are a nice change when I want something a little different. And considering how much frankincense I apparently have, I think I'll be experimenting with a few more combinations!