Katrina Rosales
Incense is an ancient tradition that has been used for thousands of years, from early Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations to modern-day homes. Incense can be used to fill your space with captivating scents and quickly lighten and purify the environment. Making your own incense at home is a fun and creative process that allows you to create a custom scent profile and connect with ancient traditions. You can use natural ingredients and essential oils to craft your own unique aromas and experiment with various blends. The process is simple and involves mixing powdered aromatic ingredients with a natural binder, adding water, your chosen essential oils, and rolling the mixture onto bamboo sticks. With your handmade incense sticks, you can fill your home with scents that evoke relaxation and serenity while also connecting to ancient traditions.
How to Make My Own Incense Oil Inhaler
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Aromatherapy, spiritual, and relaxation |
| Ingredients | Essential oils, fragrance oils, makko powder, charcoal, bamboo sticks, dipropylene glycol, distilled water |
| Equipment | Bowl, spoon, rolling board, pin, parchment paper, gloves |
| Process | Mix dry ingredients, add water to form a dough, add essential oils, roll onto bamboo sticks, air dry for 24-48 hours |
| Storage | Special plastic bags, kraft tubes, or boxes |
| Burning | Always burn in a well-ventilated area, on a heat-resistant surface, and away from flammable materials |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing essential oils
Incense has been used for over 6000 years, initially by ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians as a crucial ingredient in the mummification process. It then made its way to India and parts of Southern Asia, where it was burned in temples to communicate with higher powers. Today, incense is used for aromatherapy, with the oils being inhaled to positively impact health and wellness.
When making your own incense, you can choose from a wide variety of essential oils, each with its own unique properties and benefits. Here are some popular choices:
Lavender Oil
The classic aroma of lavender oil is known for its ability to induce total relaxation. It is sweet and floral with fresh, herbaceous undertones. According to a 2018 study from Japan, the linalool in lavender oil can stimulate the olfactory system and produce a calming effect on the body.
Neroli Oil
Neroli oil is fresh and delicate and is considered a top choice for making essential oil incense sticks. It is viewed as an aphrodisiac in many cultures and has the unique ability to calm nerves and evoke confidence when inhaled. This effect is attributed to its influence on salivary cortisol levels (stress hormones), resulting in lower cortisol and higher serotonin levels, thus promoting peace and happiness.
Amyris Oil
Amyris oil complements the earthy, woody notes of incense and is commonly used to enhance the natural aroma of the raw product.
Patchouli Oil
This essential oil is famously associated with the "Hippie culture" of the 1970s, a period when incense use also rose significantly in the West.
Citrus Oils
Citrus oils, such as orange Valencia essential oil, can be used to create a refreshing and uplifting aroma.
Wood and Herbal Scents
Wood scents like sandalwood, pine, cedar, juniper, and pinion pine, and herbal scents such as sage, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary, and star anise, offer a range of aromatic options for your incense.
When choosing essential oils for your incense, feel free to experiment with different combinations. You can opt for a single oil for a strong scent or blend a few drops of different oils to create a unique fragrance. Play around with ratios and explore the endless possibilities of scent profiles to find the ones that resonate with you.
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Mixing oils with dry ingredients
When mixing oils with dry ingredients to make incense, you can use up to 4ml (about 100 drops) of essential oil per five incense sticks, and a little less per stick as the volume increases. This works out to the following ratios for differently sized batches: Mix your essential oil blend according to the size of the batch you are making. If you are not using DPG (dipropylene glycol), simply mix your blend and set it aside until the next step.
To incorporate DPG into your incense sticks, measure the appropriate amount of DPG as follows, then combine it with your essential oil blend. You’ll need between 1 and 1.5 ml of DPG per incense stick. This amount can vary a little depending on the absorbency of your blanks. We recommend starting on the low end and adding more as needed. If you want sticks that smell stronger for longer, you’ll need to mix a larger batch of oils with DPG (enough to completely cover the sticks) and soak them in the liquid for at least 24 hours, and then let them dry and cure for 24-48 hours.
If you are using a blend of oils, be sure to mix them before applying them to the incense stick to help ensure they are evenly distributed. You can use just one essential oil or create blends. Some people have made blends with up to 12 essential oils.
Before you scent a large batch of incense sticks using essential oils, it is a good idea to try out a smaller batch of your blend on a single stick. To make a single test stick of incense, simply apply up to 20 drops of essential oil directly to one incense stick.
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Adding water to create a dough
To make your own incense oil inhaler, you'll need to start by adding water to create a dough. This process involves combining the dry ingredients first and then gradually introducing water to form a dough-like consistency. Here's a detailed guide:
Preparing the Dry Ingredients
Before you begin adding water, it's essential to prepare the dry ingredients. Gather your chosen powdered aromatic ingredients, such as herbs, spices, or gums and resins. You will also need a natural binder like makko powder, which is derived from the bark of the Thunbergia tree. The ratio of these ingredients can be adjusted to suit your preferences and the desired strength of the incense. A common ratio is three parts aromatic ingredients to one part binder.
Now, it's time to gradually introduce water to the dry mixture. Add a few drops of water at a time to the mixture and combine it well. You can use distilled water for this purpose. Continue adding water and stirring until you achieve a dough-like consistency. It's important to find the right balance, as the mixture should be damp but not too wet. This step allows you to create a pliable dough that can be easily shaped and adhered to the incense sticks.
Adjusting the Consistency
As you add water and form the dough, pay close attention to the consistency. You want the dough to be moist enough to hold its shape but not soggy. If you accidentally add too much water, simply add a small amount of your dry ingredients to absorb the excess moisture and adjust the consistency. On the other hand, if the dough feels too dry and crumbly, gradually add a few more drops of water and mix thoroughly until you achieve the desired texture.
Essential Oils
Once you have the dough at the right consistency, you can enhance the fragrance of your incense by adding a few drops of your preferred essential oil or a blend of oils. You can choose from a variety of essential oils, such as lavender, orange blossom, or eucalyptus, to create a calming or invigorating aroma. Mix the essential oils into the dough thoroughly to ensure an even distribution of scent throughout your incense sticks.
Rolling and Drying the Incense Sticks
Now that your incense dough is ready, it's time to roll it onto bamboo sticks. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it onto the stick, covering all sides except for one end. Press and roll the mixture firmly to ensure it adheres tightly to the stick. Place the formed incense sticks on a drying rack or wax paper and let them air dry for 24 to 48 hours, or until they harden completely.
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Rolling the incense sticks
The first step in rolling your own incense sticks is to gather the necessary ingredients and tools. You will need a natural binder such as Makko powder, essential or fragrance oils of your choice, dipropylene glycol (optional), pulverized charcoal, distilled water, a mixing bowl and spoon, a rolling board and pin, parchment paper, gloves, and bamboo sticks to serve as the core of the incense sticks.
Once you have your ingredients and tools ready, start by mixing the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine one part pulverized charcoal with three parts Makko powder. This mixture is essential for slow and even combustion, allowing your incense sticks to burn slowly and consistently.
Now it's time to add the liquid ingredients. Pour in the dipropylene glycol if you're using it, followed by your chosen essential or fragrance oils. Dipropylene glycol is optional but helps the incense burn slower, reduces black smoke, and makes the scent last longer. Add the distilled water gradually and mix until you achieve a pliable dough-like consistency.
Before you begin rolling, put on gloves to protect your hands. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a thin, snake-like shape on your rolling board. Carefully wrap this around a bamboo stick, starting from about an inch from the bottom, and roll it until it evenly covers the stick. You can adjust the thickness of the stick according to your preference. Repeat this process for each stick, ensuring they are all approximately the same size for even burning times.
Once you've rolled all your incense sticks, lay them out on parchment paper and place them in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. The drying process is crucial and can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, depending on the humidity and temperature of your environment. Make sure the sticks are completely dry and hard to the touch before using or storing them.
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Drying and storing the incense
Drying your incense is a crucial step in the incense-making process. The drying time will depend on your climate, but it usually takes a couple of weeks for incense to dry completely. You can place your incense on a wooden frame with a metal mesh screen, so all sides of the incense are exposed to the air. If you live in a humid climate, you can try adding charcoal to your incense mixture to speed up the drying process, but this will also make your incense burn faster. Alternatively, you can use a dehydrator, an oven, or a sealed container with a desiccant like silica gel to remove moisture from your incense. However, be cautious when using silica gel as it can capture and retain scents, possibly altering the fragrance of your incense.
Once your incense is completely dry, it's important to store it properly to maintain its scent and quality. Incense should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Avoid storing incense in plastic bags, as the chemicals in the plastic can affect the oils. Instead, use wax paper, craft paper, or cotton fabric to wrap your incense sticks and then place them in a cardboard or wooden box for added protection. You can also store incense in glass jars or clay porcelain containers, which create ideal moisture and light conditions.
If you're using special plastic bags, kraft tubes, or boxes to package your incense, make sure to include a desiccant to absorb any moisture. Additionally, avoid storing different types of incense together, as their fragrances can cross-contaminate. It's best to leave incense in its original packaging whenever possible. If you're storing Indian incense, you may find that it improves with age, as the strong oils, plants, and spices have more time to combine and mellow.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need incense sticks, essential oils, a natural binder like makko powder, and dipropylene glycol. You may also need distilled water, a mixing bowl, and gloves.
Any essential oil can be used, but calming, gentle aromas like lavender, amyris, and neroli are popular choices. You can also try wood scents like sandalwood, pine, or cedar, or herbal scents like sage, thyme, and lemongrass.
First, mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add your chosen essential oils. Next, add distilled water gradually until the mixture becomes dough-like. Roll the dough onto bamboo sticks, leaving one end of the stick uncovered. Finally, let the incense sticks dry for 24-48 hours.
This depends on the strength of fragrance you want. A good guideline is to use 20% of the total weight of the dry mixture. If you are scenting one stick at a time, drip the oil directly onto the stick. If you are making multiple sticks, soak the sticks in the oil mixture.
The drying time for incense sticks can vary from 12 to 48 hours, or even up to 5 days. Make sure to place the sticks on wax paper or a drying rack in a well-ventilated area.
