Lance Carson
Incense is a biotic material that releases a fragrant smoke when burned, and its use is deeply rooted in ancient civilizations. The practice of burning incense is believed to enhance concentration and stimulate creativity, and it is also a popular form of aromatherapy. Making incense at home is a simple process that involves choosing a base, adding aromatics, and using a binder to hold the incense together. The base can be made from natural ingredients such as resins, woods, and herbs, while aromatics include plant materials like herbs, flowers, and spices. Binders can be in the form of gum or wood, and liquids are added to moisten the mixture and help bind the ingredients together.
How to Make Liquid Spice Incense
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | High-quality natural ingredients such as woods, spices, resins, herbs, flowers, and essential oils. |
| Base | Sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, or other low-scent materials. |
| Binder | Gum binders (guar gum, xanthan gum) or wood binders (joss powder, "tabu no ki" or "makko"). |
| Liquid | Water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, herbal teas, wine, or other water-based liquids. |
| Equipment | Mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, fine sieve, conical mold, heat-resistant bowl, cooling rack, incense stick holder, etc. |
| Process | Gather and mix ingredients, form into a dough, shape into cones or sticks, dry, and burn. For incense sticks, soak in liquid, dry, and store. |
| Precautions | Keep unlit and burning incense away from children and pets. Place burners on heat-resistant surfaces and always burn in well-ventilated areas, away from flammable objects. |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing your base: sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, or makko
- Aromatics: dried herbs, flowers, and spices like lavender, cinnamon, and sage
- Binders: gum or wood binders to hold the incense together
- Liquids: water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, hydrosols, or floral waters
- Shaping: mould your incense into cones or sticks, or roll into pellets
Choosing your base: sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, or makko
When making liquid spice incense, choosing the right base is essential to achieving the desired scent and burn quality. Here are some popular base options to consider:
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is a classic choice for incense and offers a strong, prominent scent. It can be used as the primary ingredient in your incense blend, or you can opt for "red sandalwood," which has a much more subtle aroma. Sandalwood is also an excellent burning agent, making it a good choice for resins like frankincense that are more challenging to burn.
Cedar and Pine
Cedar and pine are two other excellent options for a base with a strong scent. These woods can add a distinct aroma to your incense blend. However, like sandalwood, they can also be found in lower-quality, oil-extracted varieties with little to no scent, so be sure to choose the right type for your desired outcome.
Alder and Charcoal
If you're looking for a more neutral base that won't overpower your other ingredients, alder and charcoal are ideal choices. These materials have very low-scent profiles, making them perfect for beginners or those who want the scents of their aromatic ingredients to shine through.
Makko
Makko is a special base and binder blend that simplifies the incense-making process. It is derived from the bark of the Machillus Thunbergii tree, which grows in Southeast Asia. Makko comes in various grades, with higher grades having less aroma. It has excellent water-soluble adhesive properties, burning smoothly and evenly, and its odourless nature ensures that it doesn't interfere with your chosen scent profile.
When choosing your base, consider the overall fragrance you wish to achieve and whether you want a more dominant or subtle base scent. Additionally, some bases, like makko, offer better combustion properties, which is crucial if you're using harder-to-burn resins.
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Aromatics: dried herbs, flowers, and spices like lavender, cinnamon, and sage
Aromatics are the key ingredients in incense, providing the desired scent. When using dried herbs, flowers, and spices, such as lavender, cinnamon, and sage, there are several methods for creating incense. Here are the detailed, step-by-step instructions:
Bundling and Binding:
This method involves bundling and binding dried herbs, flowers, and spices together with cotton twine. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Gather your dried herbs, flowers, and spices. Examples include lavender, cinnamon sticks, sage, rosemary, thyme, and eucalyptus.
- Cut the stems to a uniform length. The herb stems should be around six inches, while the flower stems can vary between three to six inches.
- Bundle the ingredients together. If using multiple types of aromatics, create a balanced mixture of bitter and sweet herbs or flowers. For instance, combine sage with lavender or rosemary with rose petals.
- Wrap the sage leaves around the outer stems of the other herbs or flowers. This step is especially useful when using sage, as it helps contain the other ingredients.
- Measure and cut a piece of cotton twine. It should be about eight times the length of your bundle.
- Tie a knot with the twine about 1/2 inch from the stem-end of the bundle. Leave a longer tail on one side, with a short tail of about 2 inches on the other.
- Start wrapping the long end of the twine tightly around the bundle, similar to wrapping a cigar. The herbs will dry and shrink, so a tight wrap is necessary.
- Tie off the twine at the end of the bundle, wrapping any extra twine around the base and tucking in the ends for a neat finish.
- Air-dry the herb bundle in a cool, dry spot for 2-3 weeks. Ensure complete dryness before burning.
- Once dry, hold the handle end and light the other end. Blow out the flame and let the herbs smolder, releasing their fragrant smoke.
Powdering and Mixing:
This method involves powdering the dried ingredients and mixing them with a binder and other liquids to create a dough that can be shaped into cones, sticks, or pellets:
- Grind your dried herbs, flowers, and spices into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder. Avoid electric grinders, as they produce too much heat, causing a loss of essential oils.
- Create a balanced mixture of powdered herbs, similar to the bundling method. Include a variety of bitter and sweet ingredients.
- Add a binder such as gum arabic or xanthan gum to hold the mixture together. Use a small amount, about 1/8 teaspoon per 2 tablespoons of material.
- Mix in a liquid to activate the binder. Water is essential, but you can use liquids like tea, herbal infusions, wine, or fruit juices for added fragrance.
- Knead the mixture into a dough-like consistency.
- Shape the dough into cones, sticks, or pellets. You can form them by hand or use molds for a more uniform shape.
- Allow the incense to dry completely before burning.
- Light the incense and enjoy the fragrance.
Loose Incense:
This method involves using loose, dried ingredients without any binding or shaping:
- Gather your dried herbs, flowers, and spices, ensuring they are well-dried and crushed or cut into small pieces.
- Create a balanced mixture of the ingredients, combining bitter and sweet elements for a harmonious fragrance.
- Place a heat-proof dish or bowl on a flat surface.
- Add a small amount of sand or ash to the dish to create a bed for the incense.
- Place a piece of lit charcoal on the sand or ash. You can use a small charcoal briquette or a larger piece, depending on the amount of incense you plan to burn.
- Allow the charcoal to burn for a few seconds until it is hot. It may still appear black or glow faintly orange.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of your incense mixture onto the hot charcoal. The incense will start to smoke and release its fragrance.
- Enjoy the aromatic experience!
Incense Cones and Sticks:
This method involves forming the incense mixture into cones or sticks by adding a binding material:
- Prepare your incense mixture by grinding the dried herbs, flowers, and spices into a fine powder.
- Add a binding agent such as gum arabic or xanthan gum to help hold the shape.
- Mix in a small amount of water or other liquid to activate the binder.
- Form the dough into cones or sticks by hand or using molds.
- Allow the incense to dry completely before burning.
- Light the tip of the cone or stick and blow out the flame, allowing it to smolder and release its fragrance.
These methods provide a range of options for creating incense using dried herbs, flowers, and spices. Experiment with different combinations of aromatics, resins, and binders to find your perfect fragrance.
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Binders: gum or wood binders to hold the incense together
Binders are a crucial component in making incense, acting as a form of glue that holds the incense together in the desired shape. There are two primary types of binders used in incense-making: gum binders and wood binders. Each type of binder has unique characteristics and impacts the final product in different ways.
Let's begin with gum binders. Gum binders, such as guar gum, xanthan gum, and acacia gum (also known as gum Arabic), are known for their strong binding abilities. They are more potent than wood binders, requiring only a small amount, typically about 1/8 teaspoon of binder for every 2 tablespoons of material. Gum binders do not contribute any additional scent to the blend, allowing the aromatic ingredients to shine through without interference. However, it's important to use gum binders sparingly, as excessive amounts can cause the incense to bind too strongly, impeding its ability to burn.
Now, let's discuss wood binders. Wood binders, such as joss powder (also called jiggit) and "tabu no ki" (sometimes mislabelled as "makko"), are user-friendly and often serve dual purposes as both a binder and a base material. They contribute a strong scent to the incense blend, so it's important to consider how the scent of the wood binder will interact with your chosen aromatic ingredients. Wood binders typically require larger quantities in recipes, with some calling for up to 75% wood binder. While they are not as strong as gum binders, this can be advantageous as it allows for better burnability.
When choosing between gum and wood binders, it's important to consider the desired scent, shape, and burn characteristics of your incense. Additionally, the method of burning can influence your choice of binder. If you plan to burn the incense, a binder like makko powder, which burns well, is a suitable option. On the other hand, if you intend to use a heater that warms the incense instead of burning it, you can explore other options, such as Japanese kneaded incense techniques.
To activate either type of binder, you must add a water-based liquid to your blend. This can be plain water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or even liquids like herbal teas and wine. Keep in mind that essential oils do not contain water, so while you can supplement with oils, they cannot replace water in the mixture.
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Liquids: water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, hydrosols, or floral waters
Water is the most commonly used liquid to activate the binder in your incense mixture. However, you can use any liquid that is mostly water, such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, hydrosols, or floral waters. These liquids can be used to activate your binder and add fragrance to your incense.
When using tea, herbal teas are a common choice. You can also try using coffee, either by burning coffee beans (roasted or fresh) or by powdering the beans and creating an incense stick. Alternatively, you can try to tincture the scent and use it as a liquid in your incense. Keep in mind that the scent may be diluted unless you use many folds of the material.
Fruit juices can also be used to add a sweet, tart, or juicy element to your incense, promoting feelings of happiness or relaxation. Floral waters or hydrosols can be used to add fragrance to your incense, with options like rose, lavender, and jasmine providing therapeutic benefits.
Milk is another option to activate your binder, but it may not be as effective as some of the other liquids. Essential oils can be used to supplement the amount of liquid in your incense mixture, but they cannot be used as a replacement for water.
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Shaping: mould your incense into cones or sticks, or roll into pellets
Shaping your incense mixture into cones, sticks, or pellets is a simple process, but it requires the right ingredients and tools. Here is a detailed guide:
Cones
To shape your incense into cones, you will need a small piping cone, a toothpick, and a flat surface like a table. Start by putting the incense mixture inside the piping cone and packing it tightly. Then, use the toothpick to create a hole in the centre of the cone. This hole will help the cone burn better. Next, tap the piping cone a few times on the table to loosen the cone from the sides. Finally, use the toothpick to push the incense cone out of the piping cone. Repeat this process until you have used up all your incense mixture. You can also try moulding the cones by hand, using a ring as a base, but this method will not allow you to create a hole in the base.
Sticks
To make incense sticks, you can roll your incense mixture onto blank bamboo sticks with no additives. Allow your sticks to dry for at least a couple of weeks in a cool, dark place. Sticks will dry faster than cones. Once dry, light one of your creations and observe how it burns and smells. If it doesn't burn steadily, increase the amount of makko in the mixture. If it burns too quickly, decrease the makko content.
Pellets
To make pellets, start with a granular incense mixture called "loose or non-combustible incense." This mixture should be coarse and granular, similar to the texture of sea salt. Slowly add a binder like honey, liquid balsams, or essential oils to the mixture until it can be kneaded together. You can also add other ingredients like dried fruits or wines at this stage. Once the mixture is ready, pinch off small pieces and roll them into pea-sized pellets. Place the pellets on a firm board covered with wax paper to dry. Turn the pellets twice a day to ensure even drying. Once they are dry to the touch, place them in a sealed unglazed ceramic or glass jar in a single layer for at least 48 hours. The longer you age the pellets, the better they will become.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic ingredients for making liquid spice incense are: dried herbs, spices, resins, woods, water, and essential oils. Popular herbs include cedar, lavender, sage, and sweetgrass. Popular essential oils include rose, lavender, and jasmine. Popular resins and woods include sandalwood, cedar, and pine.
You will need a mortar and pestle, a fine sieve, a small conical mold, a small heat-resistant bowl, and a cooling rack. You will also need a shallow plastic dish if you are making incense sticks.
First, crush your dried herbs into a powder using a mortar and pestle. Sift the powder through a fine sieve to ensure a consistent burn and even fragrance distribution. Next, blend your powder with water and essential oils to create a pliable dough. The amount of liquid added should be just enough to form a dough without making it too wet. Mold your incense into cones or sticks, or roll it into pellets. Finally, place your incense on parchment or wax paper and let it dry for at least 12 hours.
