Lance Carson
Incense has been used for thousands of years, from ancient Egypt to traditional Chinese medicine, and is still used today in religious ceremonies and aromatherapy. Making your own incense is a great way to connect with these ancient traditions and create a custom scent profile. The process is simple and inexpensive, requiring just a few ingredients and materials. You can use natural ingredients like wood, resins, herbs, and flowers, as well as essential oils or fragrance oils, to create your desired fragrance. The key to making incense that burns properly is to grind your ingredients into a very fine powder, which can be done with a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor. This fine powder can then be formed into cones or sticks by adding a binding material and, for combustible incense, a combustible material. The incense mixture is then rolled out on a board and wrapped around a bamboo stick, before being left to dry.
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your ingredients
For combustible incense, you will need to add a binding material and a combustible material to your incense mixture. For non-combustible incense, you can simply grind and mix your chosen ingredients. Soft resins, balsams, raisins or dried fruits, and honey can be added to form pea-sized "pellets".
To make incense sticks, you will need a base and a binder, as well as essential oils or fragrance oils. Traditional Chinese incense uses powders, with no essential oils, but modern Chinese incense makers often experiment with essential oils. Common powder bases include various woods, resins, herbs, or floral incense, such as sandalwood, frankincense, or myrrh. If you are using essential oils, common scents include wood scents like sandalwood, pine, cedar, juniper, and pinion pine. You can also use fragrance oils, which are man-made chemicals.
To make the process of forming your incense sticks easier, you may want to use a binder such as gum binders or wood binders. Wood binders, such as joss powder or "tabu no ki", can act as both a binder and a base material, but they are less strong than gum binders and you will need to use more of them in your mixture. Makko is a popular choice as it is a blend that acts as both a base and a binder and has a low scent profile, so it will not interfere with your chosen fragrance.
If you are making cones or sticks, you will need to grind your ingredients into a very fine powder to ensure they burn properly. To make loose incense, a mortar and pestle is a useful tool for grinding your ingredients.
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Mixing and grinding
The first step in making incense is to gather your ingredients and tools. You will need a mixing bowl, a stick for mixing, a sturdy brush, a fine mesh sieve, a spoon, a knife, and a grinder. You can use a mortar and pestle or a food processor for grinding, but some people prefer a heavy stone mill. It is important to have a reliable method of grinding your ingredients into a very fine powder, as this is key to making incense that will burn properly.
Once you have your tools and ingredients, you are ready to start mixing and grinding. Begin by combining your dry ingredients in your mixing bowl. This might include wood, resin, herbs, or floral incense powders. For a simple blend, you can start with sandalwood and 2-3 other types of powders, using resins such as frankincense or myrrh sparingly. Traditional Chinese incense uses only powders, but modern incense makers often experiment with essential oils, so you can substitute some powders for oils if desired. Just be sure to use oils in a well-ventilated area and always wear gloves for protection.
When mixing your dry ingredients, it is important to grind them down to a very fine powder. This ensures that all the ingredients are well combined and helps to increase the density of the material, which can improve burn times. Fine powder is also easier to shape or roll into dough, reducing the chances of the incense cracking or breaking apart. If you are making combustible incense, you will also need to add a binding material and a combustible material, such as charcoal, to the mixture.
After combining your dry ingredients, you can slowly add your chosen essential oils or fragrance oils. This is where you can get creative and experiment with different scents to create a fragrant blend. If you are making incense sticks, you will also need to add water to your mixture to activate the binder. Any liquid that is mostly water will work, including tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or herbal teas. Once your mixture is complete, you are ready to move on to the next step of shaping and drying your incense.
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Shaping the incense
Preparing the Incense Mixture
Before shaping your incense, it is crucial to prepare the incense mixture. This involves grinding your chosen ingredients, such as natural resins, woods, herbs, and flowers, into a fine powder. You can use a mortar and pestle or a blender to grind the ingredients. Ensure that the powder is fine enough to allow the material to pack together nicely and reduce the chances of cracking or breaking. Additionally, you can add essential oils or fragrance oils to enhance the scent of your incense.
Shaping Incense Cones
To shape incense cones, you don't necessarily need a mold. You can simply use your hands to roll the incense mixture into cone shapes. Start by taking a small portion of the incense mixture and rolling it into a thin, snake-like shape. Then, carefully wrap it around itself, forming a cone shape that is flat on the bottom and gradually tapers towards the top. You can adjust the thickness and height of the cone according to your preference.
Shaping Incense Sticks
For incense sticks, you will need a rolling board and a pin. Take a small portion of the incense dough and roll it into a thin, snake-like shape on the rolling board. Then, carefully wrap it around a bamboo stick, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Ensure that the incense mixture covers the stick evenly. You can adjust the thickness of the stick according to your preference. Repeat this process for each stick, aiming for uniform size and shape to ensure consistent burning times.
Forming Incense Pellets
To form incense pellets, also known as "loose incense pellets", you can use your hands to crumble the incense mixture into pea-sized balls. This method involves adding soft resins, balsams, raisins, dried fruits, or honey to the loose incense mixture before forming it into small pellets. Spread the pellets out on a surface to dry, turning them daily for proper drying. The drying time can vary depending on the climate and humidity.
Drying and Storage
Once you have shaped your incense, it is crucial to allow it to dry thoroughly before use. Place the shaped incense on parchment paper or a drying rack in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. The drying time can range from 24 to 48 hours, or even a few days, depending on the humidity and temperature. The incense should be completely dry and hard to the touch before burning. Store the dried incense in a dark place until you are ready to use it.
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Drying the incense
To begin the drying process, lay out your freshly rolled incense sticks on parchment paper. Place them in a dry, warm area, ensuring they are away from direct sunlight. During the drying process, it is important to turn the incense sticks daily to ensure even drying. This can be done by placing the sticks and a cutting board into a paper bag, tying it shut, and then reopening the bag every few days to rotate the sticks slightly.
The drying time for incense sticks can range from one to five days, depending on the climate. It is important to allow sufficient drying time to ensure the incense is ready for use. You will know your incense is ready when it no longer droops and is hard to the touch. If you are in a humid environment, it may take closer to five days for the incense to fully dry.
If you are using fragrance oils to scent your incense sticks, the drying process may vary slightly. After soaking your incense sticks in the oil mixture, air-dry them on a drying rack for a few hours. Then, cover them in plastic wrap overnight and blot them with clean paper towels the next day. This additional step helps to ensure that the incense sticks are thoroughly dried and ready for use.
Proper drying is essential for the quality and longevity of your incense sticks. It ensures that the sticks burn evenly and reduces the chances of cracking or breaking. By following the recommended drying procedures, you can create incense sticks that are not only fragrant but also have a longer shelf life.
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Storing the incense
Storing incense correctly is essential to preserving its quality and ensuring it burns properly when you are ready to use it. Here are some detailed instructions for storing your incense:
Firstly, it is important to allow your incense to dry completely before storing it. Place the incense sticks on parchment paper in a dry, warm area away from direct sunlight. The drying process can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, or even up to 5 days, depending on the humidity and temperature. You can also place the sticks and cutting board into a paper bag, sealing it shut, and then reopen the bag every few days to rotate the sticks slightly until they are completely dry.
Once your incense is dry, it is recommended to store it in a dark place, away from direct sunlight. You can wrap the sticks individually in plastic wrap or store them in a container such as a jar or bottle. If you are using a container, it is best to use one with a lid that seals tightly to prevent moisture from entering and affecting the incense. Glass or ceramic containers are ideal, as they can provide an airtight seal and protect the incense from light and moisture.
When storing incense for a longer period, it is beneficial to use desiccant packets or silica gel. These packets can be placed in the storage container to absorb any excess moisture, helping to keep the incense dry. Additionally, you can include a small bag of uncooked rice in the container to absorb moisture and maintain the dryness of the incense.
Proper ventilation is crucial when storing incense. Ensure the storage area is well-ventilated to prevent the buildup of moisture, which can affect the quality of the incense. Avoid storing incense in airtight containers without proper ventilation, as this can cause the scent to become stale over time.
Finally, it is important to store incense out of the reach of children and pets. Keep it in a secure location, preferably in a high cabinet or on a shelf that cannot be easily accessed. This will help ensure the safety of your household and the longevity of your incense.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a bowl for mixing powder with water, a stick for mixing the water and powder, a surface for rolling out the incense dough, and a fine mesh sieve. You will also need a reliable way to grind your ingredients into a fine powder, such as a quality blender, stone mill, or mortar and pestle.
You will need a base, such as red sandalwood, alder, or charcoal, and a binder to hold the incense together, such as gum or wood binders. You will also need essential oils or fragrance oils to create your desired scent.
First, mix your dry ingredients, including the base and binder. Then, slowly add your chosen essential oils or fragrance oils to the dry mix. Knead the ingredients into a dough and roll them into thin, snake-like shapes.
Place the incense sticks on parchment paper and lay them out in a dry, warm area away from direct sunlight. The drying process can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, or up to 5 days, depending on the humidity and temperature.
