How to Burn Frankincense and Other Resin Incense

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Learn to use frankincense and myrrh resins in your home

Co-authored by Ritu Thakur, MA and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: May 20, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using Charcoal

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Using an Electric Burner

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Using a Tea Light Burner

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Using the Stove

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Benefits of Frankincense

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Origin & History of Frankincense

Frankincense (and other incense, like myrrh) has been used since ancient times for everything from headaches to meditation. There are many ways to burn it, and we’re here to show you how, with or without charcoal. Then, we’ll fill you in on frankincense’s benefits, uses, and long history.

Easy Ways to Burn Frankincense

Light a charcoal disk with a lighter and place it in an incense burner. Let it heat up for about 7 minutes, then place a small piece of frankincense resin on the charcoal disk. Or, place the frankincense in an electric incense burner and turn the burner on.

Section 1 of 6:

Burning Frankincense with Charcoal

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Light a charcoal disc with a match or lighter. Charcoal discs are molded pieces of charcoal specially made for holding incense or resin. Grip the disc with a pair of tongs so you don't burn your fingers, and hold it over a heat-safe surface, like a stovetop. Hold a lit match or lighter up to the disc to ignite it. ^{[1]
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- Most discs will ignite within 10-15 seconds, so hold the flame to the charcoal and slowly rotate it until it takes on an ashy gray color and begins to smoke.
- Some sparking is totally normal while igniting the disc, and pieces may also crumble away, which is why it’s important to do this over a stovetop.
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Place the lit charcoal disc in a metal incense bowl. Once the disc has begun to smoke, use the tongs to place it in the center of your incense-burning bowl (or “censer”), or any heat-proof metal container. ^{[2]
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Research source} Make sure the indent on the disc is facing upward, forming a small “nest” for your frankincense. Let the charcoal heat for about 5-7 minutes.
- You might also use a cast-iron pan, a cooking sheet, or any other metal bakeware. Just be advised that it will not be food-safe afterward.
- To help dissipate the heat, consider pouring a small mound of sand into the bowl, then placing the charcoal on top of the sand. Also, place the bowl on a heat-proof pad so it doesn’t damage your table.
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Place a small piece of frankincense resin on top of the charcoal. You don't need much of the resin to create a lot of smoke and scent. A tiny piece of resin, not much bigger than a grain of rice, will do to begin with—you can always burn more when it stops smoking. ^{[3]
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- Some people pour salt in the center of the disc, which helps the resin burn slower. ^{[4]
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- If you get too much smoke, use your tongs to take the resin off the charcoal and set it aside for a moment, until the smoke subsides.
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Let the charcoal burn out, or dowse it with water when you’re done. Charcoal discs last about 45-60 minutes, so you can let it burn out naturally. Never leave it unattended; if you need to stop it from burning, pour water over the charcoal disc to extinguish it, then dispose of it 30-60 minutes later, when it’s cooled off. ^{[5]
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- Pouring water over the charcoal can create a mess, so do it in the sink or outside. When moving the container, always use oven mitts to protect your hands from the heat.
- After the charcoal has cooled, you might retrieve what’s left of the frankincense, let it air-dry, and use it later.

Section 2 of 6:

Burning Frankincense with an Electric Resin Burner

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Place the frankincense on the burner dish and heat it to 235 °F (113 °C). Frankincense may be burned in an electric burner, like any other resin. Place a pea-sized chunk of frankincense resin into the cup of the electric resin burner , and plug the burner into the wall. Turn the incense burner on to 235 °F (113 °C), and let the resin heat up. Be sure to turn it off when you're done and keep it away from kids and pets, as the burner will get very hot. ^{[6]
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- Electric burners can heat resins at lower temperatures, providing for a longer burn that doesn’t overheat or damage the resin, meaning a “purer” aroma.
- Use tongs or an oven mitt to take the lid off once it heats up, as it will be hot.
- Place a foil cup in the burner to keep the main burner bowl from collecting gunk over time.

Section 3 of 6:

Burning Frankincense with a Tea Light Burner

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Place the resin in the top dish, and light a tea light beneath it. Tea light burners have 2 tiers. Place a chunk of frankincense in the top tier, then place and light a small tea light candle in the bottom tier, beneath the frankincense. ^{[7]
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Research source} Let the frankincense heat for about 5-10 minutes. If it doesn’t begin to burn, lower the top dish of the burner so that it sits just over the flame.
- Keep in mind that the tea light will heat the burner to a high temperature, so never touch it with your bare hands.
- Use a beeswax candle or place a coin underneath the tea light to increase its temperature.

Section 4 of 6:

Burning Frankincense on the Stove

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Heat the frankincense in a foil-lined pan over high heat. Put a spare cooking pot or pan (one you don’t mind not using for food again) lined with foil, or just a piece of heavy-duty foil, over an electric burner. Turn the heat up to high, and let the burner heat up. Then, place a piece of frankincense on the cookware or foil to begin the burning process. ^{[8]
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- Never leave the stovetop unattended, and don’t use the pot or pan for food in the future, as it will no longer be food-safe.
- Turn the heat down to medium or medium-high to burn the frankincense more slowly.
- Avoid using a pan with a non-stick coating, as these aren’t meant to be heated on their own.

Section 5 of 6:

Benefits of Frankincense

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Burning frankincense promotes a calm mind. Professional healthcare consultant Ritu Thakur says that burning frankincense can “induce relaxation, peace, harmony, and meditation,” and that it can also aid with sleep. Burn frankincense whenever you’re in need of some stress relief, or want to better immerse yourself in your meditation .
- Many use frankincense (and burn other incense ) during religious or spiritual rituals in order to improve the atmosphere, or even to enhance their prayers.
One research study found that frankincense fumes helped lessen airborne microbes and bacteria by up to 90%, suggesting that it’s an effective air purifier. ^{[9]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} That said, frankincense smoke is still smoke, and can be harmful to your health, so only burn it every so often, like once or twice a week, rather than every day. ^{[10]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
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Frankincense oils can help inflamed joints and muscles. Thakur says that, in its oil form , frankincense can help ease sore or inflamed muscles or joints with a light topical application. She also says that a frankincense oil spray can “improve gut health, digestion, and ease digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.”
- Give your bedroom 1-3 spritzes of oil spray each day to passively breathe in and consume the oil to reap its health benefits.

Section 6 of 6:

Origin & History of Frankincense

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Frankincense is a resin harvested from trees. Frankincense is harvested from Boswellia trees, which are a part of the “torchwood” family, named for their sweetly burning saps, resins, and gums. Boswellia are native to Southern Arabia and Northwest Africa, which is where its use is most prominent. ^{[11]
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- Frankincense is harvested by cutting a hole in the surface bark of the tree, then peeling back and distressing the layers until frankincense resin seeps to the surface.
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Frankincense has a long history in health and spirituality. Frankincense was used for any number of things: headaches, hemorrhoids, and menstrual pains, to name a few. While medicine men of yesteryear touted it as a cure-all, we know today that its uses are a bit more restricted. But even so, it’s long been used in spiritual practices for purification, meditation, and getting in touch with divinity, which is something many people still use it for today. ^{[12]
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- Frankincense smoke is still often said to swirl directly up to heaven, carrying prayers along with it.
- Some people even read incense smoke as part of divination or fortune telling.

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Tips

Use a mortar and pestle to break up the resin more if you prefer.

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Some frankincense and other resin varieties are diluted, which can affect their aroma and burn duration. To get the most out of yours, make sure to buy pure, high-quality resins.

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Store your resin incense in an airtight container to prevent it from becoming sticky in humidity and also to contain the slight aroma while not burning it.

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Warnings

Always burn resin incense in a well-ventilated room, and avoid burning it for more than an hour at a time, to prevent health complications. ^{[13]
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Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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How to Burn Frankincense and Other Resin Incense

Easy Ways to Burn Frankincense

Steps

Burning Frankincense with Charcoal

Burning Frankincense with an Electric Resin Burner

Burning Frankincense with a Tea Light Burner

Burning Frankincense on the Stove

Benefits of Frankincense

Origin & History of Frankincense

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Video

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References

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