Deep Blue vs Frankincense for Post-Workout Recovery

By the AfterTheSport Team — Active-lifestyle & doTERRA enthusiasts

You just finished a solid training session, and now you are standing in front of your oil shelf wondering which bottle to reach for. That moment between shower and stretching has become a small ritual, but the choice between Deep Blue and Frankincense still gets asked constantly in our community.

The direct answer: choose Deep Blue when you want a cooling, tingly sensation on your legs and shoulders right after training, and choose frankincense when you want a warm, grounding aroma for slow stretching, deep breathing, and winding down. Many active people actually use both: Deep Blue in the immediate post-workout window, frankincense in the evening. It is less about one being better and more about which ritual you are building.

What Each Oil Actually Brings

Deep Blue is doTERRA's proprietary blend built around wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, blue tansy, and helichrysum. The experience is immediate: a cool, minty sensation wherever you apply it, which makes it feel naturally suited to massaging large muscle areas after a run, a lifting session, or a long ride. The cooling comes from menthol-rich oils acting on thermal receptors in the skin: it is a sensory effect, not a therapeutic one. It feels refreshing, and that alone often makes it the first thing people grab after training. We cover this ritual in more depth in our Deep Blue muscle recovery guide.

Frankincense is a single oil, steam-distilled from the resin of the Boswellia tree, with a woody, slightly sweet, almost meditative aroma. It has none of that cooling rush. Instead, it encourages you to slow down and breathe. That is why it pairs so well with post-workout stretching, foam rolling at a calm pace, or just sitting with your ankles on a cushion for five minutes. The experience is more about presence than sensation.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Criteria	Deep Blue	Frankincense
Primary sensation	Cooling, tingly, minty	Warm, woody, grounding
Best timing	Immediately after training	Evening or slow cooldown
Skin feel	Menthol freshness	Soft, slightly resinous
Aroma profile	Sharp, camphoraceous	Deep, sweet, balsamic
Blending role	Standalone recovery blend	Anchor for relaxation blends
Skin sensitivity	Dilute carefully, never on face	Gentle, well tolerated diluted

How to Build a Post-Workout Ritual

1. Shower first, then dry the skin completely. Applying Deep Blue on damp skin can intensify the cooling sensation more than most people want.
2. For Deep Blue, use a 2-3% dilution (2-3 drops per 5 ml of carrier oil). Fractionated Coconut Oil or jojoba works well for a massage base.
3. Massage slowly into large muscle groups - calves, quads, hamstrings, shoulders. The manual pressure does more for how you feel afterward than the oil itself. An honest article says that.
4. Later, for the cooldown phase, use frankincense at the same 2-3% dilution on the chest, wrists, or the back of the neck, or diffuse 3-5 drops per 100 ml of water in 30-45 minute intervals.
5. Pair it with five minutes of slow breathing or gentle stretching. Frankincense rewards patience; it does not shout.

Which One to Choose If...

Choose Deep Blue if: you want that immediate cold-shower-for-your-muscles feeling, you train hard most days, you enjoy minty and camphoraceous scents, and you want one blend that does the heavy lifting in your gym bag. It also has a premade rub option for convenience, the Deep Blue Rub, which many in our community keep at their desk or by the foam roller.

Choose frankincense if: your training is followed by deliberate cooldown time, you enjoy deeper and meditative scents, you already have a massage lotion you like and only want an aromatic anchor, or you find menthol-type cooling unpleasant. Frankincense also blends beautifully with Lavender or Balance for a wind-down synergy without any sharp edge.

Choose both if: your post-workout window has two phases: a quick cleanup and cool-down moment right after the session, then a slower unwind later in the evening. Deep Blue handles phase one, frankincense phase two, and together they never fight for attention because their profiles are so different.

Honest Drawbacks

Deep Blue is intense. If you apply it at full strength or scrub your eyes after applying, you will remember that mistake. It is not for anyone who dislikes menthol, and the camphor note can feel medicinal to some noses. It also is not a beginner oil for gentle or sensitive skin: proper dilution is non-negotiable.

Frankincense has no cooling effect whatsoever. If you are chasing that fresh, just-put-ice-on-it feeling, frankincense will disappoint you. Its scent is also an acquired taste: resinous, almost church-like, and some people simply never warm up to it. Lastly, a quality frankincense is typically a premium single oil, and while we never quote specific prices, it sits at the higher end of the single-oil range.

FAQ

Can I use Deep Blue and frankincense together?

Yes, and many active people do. A common approach is Deep Blue on the legs and shoulders immediately after training, then frankincense in the diffuser or on the chest during evening stretching. Their scents do not clash badly, though the result is more functional than artistic.

Which one is better for stretching?

Frankincense typically wins for stretching, especially slow or mobility-focused sessions. It encourages a calm, attentive pace. Deep Blue can work for a faster dynamic cooldown, but its strong cooling sensation can pull attention toward the skin rather than the movement.

Do I need a carrier oil with Deep Blue?

Yes. Use a 2-3% dilution (2-3 drops per 5 ml of carrier oil) for body application. Fractionated Coconut Oil is the most popular choice in our community because it is light and absorbs quickly.

Is frankincense safe for sensitive skin?

Frankincense is generally among the gentler essential oils when properly diluted at 1-2% (1-2 drops per 5 ml of carrier oil). Still, do a patch test on the inner elbow and wait 24 hours before broader use, especially if you have reactive skin. For children under two, skip topical essential oils entirely and use only a plain carrier oil for massage.

This content is for general information only and is not medical advice. Essential oils are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease; consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.