Two of the oldest anointing oils in the world sit side by side on the same shelf, and they could not smell more different. Frankincense is bright and sharp. Myrrh is warm and dark. If you're standing there trying to decide, here's the short version. Reach for frankincense when the moment is about prayer, praise, and lifting something to God. Reach for myrrh when the moment is heavy: sickness, grief, or saying goodbye. Both have been used for thousands of years. Neither is wrong. This guide breaks down the scent, the traditional use, and which oil fits the moment you have in mind.
Quick Answer: Choose frankincense anointing oil for worship, prayer, and personal devotion. Its scent is clean, piney, and resinous. Choose myrrh anointing oil for anointing the sick, comforting the grieving, and moments tied to loss. Its scent is warm, earthy, and slightly bitter. When you want one oil that does both, a frankincense and myrrh blend is the practical pick.
How Frankincense and Myrrh Actually Smell
The fastest way to tell these two apart is to open the bottles and breathe. They pull your senses in opposite directions.
Frankincense hits first and high. Sharp. Almost citrusy at the top, with a dry, piney, resinous base that smells like the clean air inside an old stone church. There's a coolness to it. Some people say pine. Some say lemon rind. Most agree it lifts.
Myrrh goes the other way. It's warm, earthy, and a little bitter, with a smoky, balsamic depth that settles into the skin and lingers. Where frankincense rises, myrrh sinks. It smells older and more solemn. If frankincense is morning light through a window, myrrh is the candle smoke after the service ends.
What Each Oil Is Traditionally Used For
Frankincense and myrrh have carried different jobs for centuries, and those roles still shape how believers use them. For where these oils appear in scripture and what they meant, read types of anointing oil in the Bible. This section stays on how people actually use each one.
Frankincense: prayer, worship, and praise
Frankincense has long been the oil of worship. It was burned as incense to mark praise, dedication, and prayer, and that rising smoke became a picture of prayer going upward. So people still reach for frankincense when the mood is lifting: giving thanks, dedicating a room, or simply sitting in prayer. It fits the bright moments.
Myrrh: healing, grief, and burial tradition
Myrrh has always belonged to the hard moments. It was used in burial and embalming traditions, and it carries a long association with comforting the sick and the grieving. That history gives it a tender, serious weight. When someone is ill, when a family is mourning, or when you want an oil that honors suffering instead of rushing past it, myrrh is the one people choose.
Which One Should You Pick?
Match the oil to the moment. Here's the practical breakdown.
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Praying over the sick: Myrrh. Its association with comfort and healing suits bedside prayer. A frankincense and myrrh blend also works if you want a little brightness alongside it.
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Blessing a home: Frankincense. Its clean, lifting scent fits dedicating a doorway, a room, or a new house. Many people trace a small cross on the doorframe.
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Personal devotion: Frankincense for most people, because it's calm and uplifting for daily prayer. Choose myrrh instead if your prayer life leans contemplative or you're walking through a season of loss.
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Gifting: A frankincense and myrrh blend. It's the safest, most meaningful choice when you don't know someone's preference, and it's the classic pairing the two are best known for.
You can find frankincense, myrrh, and blended options in the anointing oils collection at Holy Land Market, pressed from olives grown in and around the Holy Land.
Why Frankincense and Myrrh Are So Often Sold Together
These two get blended because they balance each other. Frankincense brings brightness and lift. Myrrh brings warmth and depth. On its own, frankincense can smell almost too sharp for some noses, and myrrh can feel heavy and dense. Together they round into something fuller and more even than either one alone.
They've also been paired in incense and anointing traditions for thousands of years, so a combined bottle carries that sense of the complete, classic oil.
Pick the blend when:
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You want one all-purpose bottle instead of two.
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You're buying it as a gift.
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The moment is mixed, like praying for healing while also giving thanks.
The blessed holy oils collection includes frankincense and myrrh blends alongside single-note oils, so you can match the bottle to the occasion.
Frankincense vs Myrrh: Quick Comparison
|
Feature |
Frankincense |
Myrrh
|
|---|---|---|
|
Scent |
Sharp, piney, resinous, bright |
Warm, earthy, bitter, smoky |
|
Mood |
Uplifting and clean |
Solemn and tender |
|
Traditional use |
Prayer, worship, praise |
Healing, grief, burial tradition |
|
Best for |
Blessing a home, personal devotion |
Praying over the sick, mourning |
|
As a gift |
Good on its own |
Meaningful, though nice paired with frankincense |
|
In a blend |
Adds brightness |
Adds depth |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is frankincense or myrrh better for anointing the sick?
Myrrh is the traditional choice for anointing the sick, thanks to its long association with comfort and healing. If you'd like a little brightness in the scent, a frankincense and myrrh blend is a common alternative that still keeps myrrh at the heart of it.
Can I use frankincense and myrrh together?
Yes. They've been combined for thousands of years, and a blended bottle is often easier than switching between two oils. The blend balances frankincense's sharpness against myrrh's warmth, which is why so many people prefer it.
What does myrrh anointing oil smell like?
Warm, earthy, and slightly bitter, with a smoky, balsamic depth. It lingers on the skin longer than frankincense and reads as more solemn and grounding.
Which anointing oil is best for a gift?
A frankincense and myrrh blend. It suits almost anyone; it carries the classic pairing the two are famous for, and it works for both joyful and difficult occasions.
Do you have to be a priest to use anointing oil?
No. Anyone can use anointing oil for personal prayer, blessing a home, or praying over family and friends. For how the practice works and its scriptural roots, read holy anointing oil from Jerusalem.
The Bottom Line
The choice comes down to the moment in front of you. Bright and rising, or warm and grounding. And if you still can't decide, that indecision is exactly why the blend exists. Start with one small bottle of whichever scent pulls at you, live with it in your prayer time, then go from there. When you're ready, browse the full range of frankincense, myrrh, and blended oils in the anointing oils collection.
