Heidi Norton
Incense is any material made from plants that are burned for a fragrance, and there are many different ways to make it. The basic formula for natural incense is very simple, but you can spend a lifetime mastering the finer aspects. The first step is to decide on a scent and the herbal ingredients required to achieve it. You can use any herb that you enjoy the smell of, or multiple herbs that complement each other. The next step is to gather the equipment and materials required, such as a blender, bowls, measuring cups, a wooden cutting board, and a bonding agent to bind everything together. The final step is to mix the ingredients and form them into the desired shape, such as sticks or cones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To create a pleasant and calming scent, for religious or ritualistic purposes, or to mask other scents |
| Ingredients | Aromatic plants, flowers, resins, herbs, essential oils, gum, wood, water, wine, brandy, herb waters, olive oil, tinctures, food colouring |
| Equipment | Cotton twine, matches or a lighter, a blender, a wooden spoon, a bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a wooden board, a heat-proof dish |
| Process | Decide on a scent, gather ingredients, blend, mix with bonding agent and shape, allow to dry, light |
| Health and Safety | Do not use plants grown with chemicals or pesticides, do not use talc as it can cause respiratory irritation |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a scent and ingredients
You can also use essential oils, decoctions, hydrosols, and other extracts to add scent to your incense. If you are using a wood or gum binder, you must add a water-based liquid to your blend to "activate" the binder. While you do need to use a water-based liquid, it doesn't need to be plain water. Any liquid that is mostly water will work to activate your binder. That means that water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, and other liquids can be used to activate your binder. Herbal teas and wine are commonly used liquids. Keep in mind, however, that essential oils do not contain water. You can supplement the amount of water you use with some oils, but you cannot use oils in place of water.
You can also add natural coloring agents to your incense. The easiest way to color incense is with food coloring, but plants can also supply natural colors: for example, red sandalwood for red, willow for brown, safflower for yellow, and charcoal for black.
The base of your incense will also contribute to its scent. Popular bases are powders derived from woody plants: sandalwood, cassia, vetiver, willow, evergreen needles, and charcoal. You can make the wood powders yourself by processing sawdust in a blender on high speed. You can also add talc or clay to slow the rate of burning, but be aware that talc can cause respiratory irritation.
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Preparing the herbs
Once you've selected your herbs, it's important to ensure that they are dry. Fresh herbs are easier to wrap than refrigerated herbs, so it's best to buy or pick fresh herbs whenever possible. You can dry your herbs by cutting the stems to about six inches in length and removing any extra leaves. Then, lay the herbs out in a cool, dry spot and let them air-dry for 2 to 3 weeks. It's important to make sure that the herbs are completely dry before burning them.
After the herbs are dry, use a blender or pestle and mortar to grind them into a fine powder. This powder will be mixed with your chosen base to create your incense. The base material replaces the charcoal or other outside heat source used in non-combusting incense forms. Popular base choices include powders derived from woody plants like sandalwood, cassia, vetiver, willow, evergreen needles, and charcoal. You can make your own wood powder by processing sawdust in a blender on high speed for about two minutes. When mixing the herbs and base, use a ratio of 2 parts herbs to 1 part base.
In addition to the herbs and base, you will also need a bonding agent to hold everything together. Natural resins and gums can be used for this purpose, with gum Arabic and tragacanth being good choices. To create a thick paste, mix together your chosen liquid, such as water, tea, or wine, with potassium nitrate, and then add the bonding agent. Finally, stir in the blended dry ingredients, adjusting the consistency with more liquid or bonding agent as needed. The ideal consistency should be similar to soft putty or moist dough.
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Selecting a base
The base material in your incense replaces the charcoal or other outside heat source used in non-combusting forms of incense. Good base materials burn well and burn evenly. The most popular bases are powders derived from woody plants: sandalwood, cedar, pine, cassia, vetiver, willow, evergreen needles, and charcoal. You can make the wood powders yourself by processing sawdust in your blender for two minutes on high speed.
When selecting a base, it is important to keep in mind that some bases have very prominent scents of their own. For example, sandalwood has a very strong scent. You have two choices in this regard. You can either use a base with very little scent or you can choose one with a scent that complements the rest of your blend. Red sandalwood (which is not actually sandalwood), alder, and charcoal are all very low-scent base materials. You might find them easier to work with as a new incense maker because they contribute so little to the overall scent.
If you are using fresh herbs, it is recommended to pick flowers that are not fully bloomed. Mature flowers are more likely to mould or lose their petals in the drying process. Fresh herbs are easier to wrap than refrigerated herbs, so buy fresh when possible. Add lots of leaves to your bundle because they will shrivel up in the drying process. Cut the herb stems to about six inches in length and cut the flower stems to between three and six inches. Remove any extra leaves from your flowers. Herbs with big leaves like bay and eucalyptus are great to use as a base for your bundle. Lay your flowers on top of the herbs to keep them secure.
To make the bundle, gather the ends together and tie a knot with the twine about 1/2 inch up from the stem-end of the bundle. Leave the twine long on one side, with a short tail on the other. Start wrapping the long end of the twine around the bundle, keeping the wrapping tight as the twine will loosen as the herbs dry and shrink. Air-dry the herb bundle in a cool, dry spot for two to three weeks. Make sure the bundle is completely dry before burning.
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Adding a bonding agent
When making herbal incense, a bonding agent is required to hold the incense together in the shape you choose. The bonding agent can be a gum binder or a wood binder. Gum binders, such as guar gum or xanthan gum, are more powerful than wood binders and are typically used in smaller quantities. Gum Arabic, agar, karaya, and tragacanth are examples of gum binders that burn well without producing toxic smoke. Of these, tragacanth is the most often recommended and is the easiest to work with. It is also possible to use natural herbal resins as a bonding agent.
Wood binders, such as joss powder or "tabu no ki" (sometimes incorrectly called "makko"), are easier to work with and can act as both a base material and a binder. However, they may require larger quantities in the recipe, and they may not be as strong as gum binders. It is important to note that the choice of bonding agent can affect the burnability of the incense, so it is recommended to experiment with different agents to find the best results.
To use a bonding agent, mix your chosen herbs, flowers, or other aromatic ingredients with your base of choice. The base material, such as sandalwood, cedar, or pine, enhances or tempers the scent of the aromatics. The volume of aromatic substances should be about twice that of the base, and all dry ingredients should be powdered. For each recipe, mix together a liquid, such as water, tea, or wine, with potassium nitrate and add a bonding agent to create a thick paste. Then, stir in the blended dry ingredients.
The consistency of the mixture should be similar to soft putty or moist dough, which can be shaped into sticks, cones, or any other desired form. It is important to ensure that the mixture is not too wet, as this can make it difficult to handle and shape. The dough should be kneaded to ensure it is bound together and consistent in texture. This is also the stage where essential oils or other liquid scents can be added and thoroughly mixed. After kneading, it is ideal to let the incense dough rest before forming it into the desired shape.
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Shaping the incense
Firstly, you need to ensure your incense mixture is the right consistency. It should be like soft putty or moist dough, which is easy to shape and roll. If your mixture is too dry, add a little more liquid. If it is too wet, add more of your chosen bonding agent, such as gum arabic or tragacanth, to thicken it.
For incense sticks, you can roll your mixture into thin sausages and then taper the ends to form a point. You can buy moulds to help shape your incense sticks, or you can try rolling them by hand. If you want to add a wick to your incense, push a thin piece of cotton twine into the pointed end of your stick.
To make incense cones, you will need a mould. You can buy special cone moulds, or you can use a small, pointed ice cream cone as a mould. Press your incense mixture into the mould and then carefully remove it.
For coils, roll your incense mixture into thin sausages and then carefully coil them, pressing the ends together to seal.
You can also try shaping your incense into pyramids or cubes. Press the mixture into a mould and then carefully remove the shape.
Once you have shaped your incense, leave it to dry in a cool, dry place. This can take a few weeks, and your incense must be completely dry before you burn it.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a blender, a couple of bowls, measuring cups, a wooden cutting board, and a spoon. You will also need to decide on your herbs, flowers, and any other ingredients you want to add.
You can use any dried herbs, flowers, or plants that you like the smell of. Popular choices include juniper, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, frankincense, and cinnamon. You will also need a bonding agent such as gum arabic or tragacanth.
The most common forms are sticks and cones, but you can form your incense into any shape you like.
Light one end of your herbal incense until a flame appears. Blow out the flame and place the other end of the incense in a small heat-proof bowl or dish.
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