Short answer
Incense and resinous notes come from tree resins and balsams: olibanum (frankincense, from Boswellia species) for bright, lemony-peppery incense; myrrh for bitter, mushroomy warmth; elemi for fresh, lemony resin; labdanum for leathery-sweet amber; benzoin, Tolu, Peru balsam and styrax for sweet, vanillic balsam; and opoponax for sweet, warm resin. Resins are sold as essential oils (distilled, lighter), resinoids and absolutes (extracted, richer, often viscous and colored). Some balsams are subject to IFRA Standards, and several contain declarable allergens.
The resins and balsams
| Material | Source | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olibanum (frankincense) | Boswellia resin | Lemony, peppery, church incense | Oil is fresher; resinoid deeper |
| Myrrh | Commiphora resin | Bitter, warm, mushroomy, medicinal | Strong; small amounts |
| Elemi | Canarium resin | Fresh, lemony, peppery resin | Light; a good top-note resin |
| Labdanum | Rockrose (Cistus) | Leathery, sweet, ambery | Core of amber accords |
| Benzoin | Styrax species | Vanillic, balsamic, sweet | Usually a resinoid in solvent |
| Peru and Tolu balsams | Myroxylon | Sweet, vanillic-cinnamic | Some forms restricted or not permitted under IFRA Standards; contain allergens |
| Styrax | Liquidambar | Balsamic, leathery, slightly smoky | Check IFRA Standards |
| Opoponax | Commiphora (sweet myrrh) | Sweet, warm, powdery resin | Rich base |
The differences between oils, resinoids and absolutes are explained in essential oils, absolutes and isolates.
Building an incense accord
- Bright incense: olibanum oil and elemi, with pepper and a cool woody material.
- Dark, church incense: olibanum resinoid, myrrh, labdanum, a smoky note and woods.
- Sweet resin: benzoin, opoponax and labdanum, with vanilla notes — leading into amber; see building an amber accord.
Aldehyde C-12 MNA is a classic partner for incense, adding a fir-ambery diffusion; see aldehydes in perfumery. Smoky woods are covered in woody notes in perfumery.
Practical issues
- Viscosity: resinoids are thick or solid; many are sold pre-diluted in a solvent such as DPG or benzyl benzoate — record it, because it changes both the arithmetic and the allergen picture. See carrier solvents explained.
- Haze: resinoids can leave waxy or resinous residues in alcohol; chill and filter.
- Color: most are brown to dark brown and tint the perfume.
- Restrictions: check Peru balsam, styrax and any balsam against current IFRA Standards; calculate allergens such as benzyl benzoate, benzyl cinnamate and cinnamyl alcohol from documents.
Tinctures
Resins tincture well in alcohol, and many artisan perfumers make their own benzoin or olibanum tinctures. The method and its record-keeping are in how to make a perfume tincture. Resins sit between the woody and amber families in perfume materials by odor family.
A study exercise
Smell olibanum oil and olibanum resinoid side by side at 10%, then myrrh, elemi, benzoin and labdanum, at once and the next day. The oils open bright and fade; the resinoids are deeper and much longer-lasting. Note which give smoke, which sweetness, which bitterness, and which leave haze in the alcohol dilution. Then build two incense accords — one bright (olibanum oil, elemi, pepper) and one dark (olibanum resinoid, myrrh, labdanum) — and compare them over a day. The exercise shows why "incense" covers such different perfumes.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a resinoid is neat when it is supplied in solvent.
- Skipping chilling and filtering, then finding sediment in bottles.
- Using crude balsams without checking their restriction status.
Records
- Botanical source (species where known), form (oil, resinoid, absolute) and any solvent it is supplied in.
- Supplier, lot and the documents for each lot, including allergen data for balsams.
- Whether the material was chilled and filtered before use, and how it behaved in alcohol.
Frequently asked questions
Is frankincense the same as olibanum?
Yes — two names for the resin of Boswellia trees. Several species are used, with different characters; record which.
Why is my resinoid perfume cloudy?
Waxes and other insoluble components separate in alcohol, often after chilling. Chill and filter, or choose an absolute rather than a resinoid.
How do I record a resinoid sold in solvent?
As a diluted material: the resinoid, its solvent and its strength, just like any other dilution. That keeps the formula's percentages and its allergen calculation correct; see formula %, absolute % and relative %.
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This article is general education about perfume formulation and record-keeping; it is not legal, regulatory or safety advice, and the examples are illustrations, not validated commercial formulas. How we write and check these guides.