About

Kohẓen | Proudly West Asian.

We are reclaiming the narrative. Being Proudly West Asian to us is about spotlighting the beauty, humanity and ancient wisdom of our region. Over millennia West Asia (known widely as the Middle East) has been subject to colonialism, war and suffering, often due to its strategic location.

Meanwhile this incredible region has been a cradle of civilisation, vibrant communities, emotive art, poetry, pioneering science, and transformative philosophy—home to sacred sites and people that have influenced cultures and sparked change across the globe.

Our core values centre on:

• Quality Frankincense
• Ethical Sourcing
• Supporting West Asia

“Royal Green Hojari”

The Silk Road

The Crown Jewel of Frankincense

#kohzen

The History of Frankincense

Frankincense – known also as olibanum – has been treasured for millennia, valued as sacred incense and traded along ancient routes spanning Arabia and the Levant​.

In temples and shrines from Babylon and Egypt to Greece and Rome, its sweet smoke was a holy presence, used to cleanse spaces and carry prayers to the heavens​.​

Ancient texts even recount how it was worth its weight in gold: the Incense Road caravans ferried frankincense resin by camel across deserts to Mediterranean ports. Gaza, for example, was a key terminus where tons of frankincense arrived from South Arabia to be shipped onward​

From there, Phoenician seafarers helped disperse this prized resin to great ports like Tyre and Sidon (in present-day Lebanon) and onwards to Cyprus and beyond, entwining frankincense with the cultural heritage of Lebanon and the wider West Asian region. In Christian tradition, frankincense’s value is epitomised by its inclusion as one of the sacred gifts of the Magi, symbolising divinity. Generation after generation, this aromatic resin has remained a bridge between the earthly and the divine – a substance of ritual, reverence, and vibrant trade that shaped economies and spiritual practices across continents​.

Hojari Frankincense

In the arid groves of Oman’s Dhofar province, Boswellia sacra trees yield Hojari frankincense, a resin widely esteemed as the finest in the world​. Hojari comes in several grades distinguished by color and purity. The most coveted is often the “Royal Green” Hojari – translucent emerald-tinted droplets harvested from the first cuts of the tree, reserved for sultans and once gifted like jewels. Just below this sits White Hojari, sometimes called “Silver,” with pearly-gold resins that glimmer with only a hint of green. These resins, ranging from whitish to pale lime, are surpassed in purity only by the rare royal green variety​.

White Hojari burns with an exquisite fragrance profile – bright citrus and pine notes dancing among deeper balsamic aromas​.

By contrast, lower grades of frankincense appear in shades of amber, gold, or brown; though less visually pristine, they still release a warmly scented smoke beloved for everyday use. Sourcing Hojari is an art and tradition: skilled harvesters make small incisions in the tree’s bark (a process called tapping), then return weeks later to collect the “tears” of dried sap. Only the harsh desert conditions of Dhofar and the care of generational harvesters can produce resin of such quality and potency. Esteemed for its purity, Hojari frankincense has long been used in spiritual ceremonies – its smoke thought especially purifying – and also in traditional medicine. In ancient texts, frankincense was more than perfume: the 1500 BC Ebers Papyrus of Egypt prescribes it for throat infections and asthma, and later physicians from Pliny to Avicenna lauded its healing properties for everything from poison antidotes to calming inflammation​.

Today, Hojari frankincense remains a luxury resin: burned to invite tranquility and sacredness into a space, ground into powders and balms for its therapeutic qualities, and cherished as a link to an age-old heritage. Its very scent carries a prestige – an aura of the divine and the timeless – that makes it as prized now as it was in the courts of kings and temples of old.

Burning frankincense is a simple ritual that can transform the atmosphere of a room – infusing it with ancient aromas and a sense of calm. The traditional method is to use charcoal as the heat source: when a few nuggets of frankincense resin are placed on a smoldering charcoal disk, the resin melts and releases its fragrant oils as holy smoke​

Here is a step-by-step guide to safely burn frankincense at home:

How-To

Let it

Burn

How
To
USE

Hojari

How to Burn Frankincense

Burning on a Charcoal (Traditional Method)

1. Prepare a Burner: Choose a fire-proof incense burner or a ceramic dish. Fill it with a layer of sand or ash to absorb heat and protect the surface​ (Never burn charcoal directly on a flammable surface!) Have a pair of metal tongs ready to handle the hot charcoal.
2. Light the Charcoal: Using the tongs, hold a charcoal disk (typically a self-igniting charcoal made for incense or hookahs) and light one edge with a lighter or match. The charcoal will sputter and begin to glow. Once it crackles and sparks across its surface, place it in the burner on the sand​.
3. Wait for it to Heat: Allow the charcoal to heat up for a few minutes. It will turn grayish-white as a layer of ash forms on top. (If it’s smoking heavily at first, you can gently waft or blow on it to settle the smoke – just be careful of stray sparks, and don’t inhale directly over it​.)
4. Add the Frankincense Resin: Using fingers or tweezers, take a small piece of frankincense resin and place it on the hot centre of the charcoal. Almost immediately, the resin will begin to smoulder and release rich, mystical smoke​. If you’re indoors or in a small space, start with a pea-sized piece to keep the smoke quantity comfortable.

Enjoy Mindfully: As the resin burns, it will fill the air with its sweet, citrusy incense. Breathe deeply and savour the aroma. This is a wonderful time to sit quietly, meditate, or perform a personal ritual – let the experience ground you. Many people find that watching the wisps of smoke and inhaling the ancient scent brings about a state of mindfulness and peace, as frankincense has subtle calming effects on the mind and body​.

Safety Tips: Always keep a window slightly open for ventilation when burning incense, and never leave the charcoal unattended – it stays hot for a long time. When finished, you can extinguish the charcoal in sand or water once it’s completely cooled. Store your frankincense and charcoal in a dry place for next time. By following these steps, you’ll create a fragrant, sacred ambiance in your space. Inhale slowly and allow the centuries-old ritual of burning frankincense to quiet your thoughts – an invitation to pause and be present.

Using a Resin Tealight Burner (Recommended)

For those who prefer a simpler, more controlled method of burning frankincense, a resin tealight burner offers an elegant solution. This type of burner typically features a small bowl or dish atop a space for a tealight candle. Here’s how to use it:

1. Set Up Your Burner: Place the tealight burner on a stable, heat-resistant surface to prevent any risk of fire. Ensure the area is well-ventilated.

2. Grind the Frankincense Resin: Place a few pieces of frankincense resin into a Pestle and Mortar or coffee grinder, and gently turn it into a coarse powder, making sure it is even.

3. Add to Resin Burner: Fill the bowl on the top of the burner with water or oil and then gently brush the crushed resin into the mixture with your finger. The amount you use will depend on the size of the bowl and how strong you want the fragrance to be.

4. Let It Burn: As the candle heats the bowl from below, the frankincense will gradually warm up and begin to release its aromatic smoke. This method provides a gentler release of scent compared to charcoal, making it ideal for smaller spaces or for those who prefer a less intense fragrance.

5. Monitor and Enjoy: Keep an eye on the tealight candle and the frankincense. Never leave the burning candle unattended. As the resin burns, take the time to relax or meditate, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere created by the fragrant smoke.

Safety Tips: Always check that the tealight candle is not burning too hot, as this can overheat the ceramic or metal of the burner. Replace the tealight candle once it burns out, and never use a damaged candle. After use, allow the burner to cool completely before cleaning or moving it.

Using a resin tealight burner is a great way to enjoy frankincense without the smoke produced by charcoal. It’s perfect for those new to burning resin or those seeking a more subdued fragrance experience.

Buy Ethical. Do Good.

Choosing Kohzen means not only indulging in a beautiful ritual, but also directly giving back to West Asia’s communities in need. We are proud to donate 10% of our profits to humanitarian organisations on the frontlines: the Lebanese Red Cross, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. These are not just names, but lifelines across a region facing profound challenges – from conflict to economic hardship and displacement. In Lebanon, an unprecedented economic collapse and the aftermath of ongoing wars have left millions of people struggling to obtain basic necessities​

The Lebanese Red Cross, the country’s largest humanitarian organisation, now assists over 500,000 vulnerable people each year with medical care, food support, and disaster relief​

In Syria, after more than a decade of war, over 11 million Syrians still rely on humanitarian aid for survival​

The Syrian Red Crescent’s volunteers brave immense dangers to deliver food parcels, clean water, and healthcare to families in war-torn cities and refugee camps. And in Palestine, amid ongoing onslaught, blockades and an ethnic cleansing campaign, the Palestinian Red Crescent is a vital lifeline—the leading provider of emergency medical services in Gaza, treating thousands of wounded and sheltering displaced families​.