Heidi Norton
Incense has been used for centuries for various purposes, from creating aromatic spaces to religious ceremonies and healing practices. While buying incense from the store can be expensive, making your own herbal incense at home is simple and inexpensive. It allows you to customize your ingredients and create unique fragrances that hold special meaning for you. The basic process involves choosing a base, such as sandalwood, cedar, or pine, and combining it with aromatic herbs like lavender, rosemary, or sage. The mixture is then shaped into cones or sticks and burned to release its fragrance. However, it's important to take precautions when burning incense, especially for individuals with respiratory issues, and to be mindful of the potential health risks associated with certain ingredients.
How to Make Your Own Herbal Incense
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base Materials | Sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, or red sandalwood |
| Binders | Makko, gum binders (guar gum or xanthan gum), wood binders, gum arabic, or tragacanth |
| Aromatics | Herbs (dried, ground, or powdered): basil, dill, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, sage, cedar, sweetgrass, thyme, rose petals, fir needles, cinnamon, mugwort, yarrow flowers, juniper berries, wormwood, or white sage. Resins: frankincense, copal, or patchouli. Liquids: essential oils, decoctions, hydrosols, extracts, water, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, herbal teas, or wine. |
| Molding | Piping tip, toothpick, or hand |
| Drying | Parchment or wax paper for a minimum of 12 hours, turning over halfway through |
| Burning | Light the tip and blow out after a few seconds, or burn in a bowl of salt or sand |
| Precautions | Keep away from children and pets. Avoid drafty areas and flammable objects. Do not leave lit incense unattended. Ensure ash falls on a fireproof surface. Extinguish and cool before discarding. Consult a doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, asthmatic, or have respiratory issues. |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing your herbs: dried, powdered herbs like basil, lavender, rosemary, and sage
- Using a binder: a gum or wood binder, like guar gum, xanthan gum, or makko powder
- Shaping your incense: cones are common, but you can also make sticks or balls
- Drying your incense: place on parchment paper and leave for several days to a couple of weeks
- Burning your incense: light the tip and blow out after a few seconds, or use a charcoal briquette
Choosing your herbs: dried, powdered herbs like basil, lavender, rosemary, and sage
When choosing your herbs, it's important to select dried herbs that have been crushed into a powder. You can use a mortar and pestle to pulverize the herbs. This technique can be used for basil, lavender, rosemary, and sage. You can also include flowers and cuttings from pine or cedar trees.
For basil incense, you can follow a similar process to that of making rosemary incense. This involves grinding frozen resin into a powder and mixing it with the powdered herb. You can then burn this loose incense or form it into incense sticks or cones.
For lavender incense, you can bundle the lavender with other herbs and flowers, such as sage, pine, or cedar. Wrap the bundle with cotton twine and hang it in a cool, dry spot to air dry for 2-3 weeks. Once dry, light the bundle and place it in a heat-proof bowl or dish to enjoy the scent.
For rosemary incense, you will need rosemary, resin, and wood. Freeze the resin and grind it into a powder using a mortar and pestle. Add the powdered rosemary and wood, and grind the mixture to blend the aromas. This loose incense can be burned as-is or formed into incense sticks or cones using a binder such as honey and makko powder.
For sage incense, you can create a small bouquet with 8-10 sage leaves and other herbs or flowers. Wrap the bundle with cotton twine, leaving a long tail for handling. Air-dry the bundle for 2-3 weeks before burning it.
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Using a binder: a gum or wood binder, like guar gum, xanthan gum, or makko powder
When making your own herbal incense, you can use a gum or wood binder, such as guar gum, xanthan gum, or makko powder. These binders help your incense mixture stick together and form a stiff dough-like consistency. Here's a step-by-step guide to using these binders:
Choosing the Right Binder
Guar gum and xanthan gum are types of gum binders, which are known for their strong binding properties. They require a very small amount, typically just 1/8 teaspoon for every 2 tablespoons of incense material. Gum binders are odourless and won't affect the scent of your incense. Makko powder, on the other hand, is a type of wood binder derived from the bark of the tabu-no-ki tree, native to Asia. Wood binders are easier to work with, especially for beginners, as they can act as a base material and binder in your incense. However, they usually make up a larger portion of the recipe, sometimes up to 75%.
Preparing the Mixture
Prepare your incense mixture by combining dried and powdered herbs, resins, and any additional liquid scents like herbal teas, fruit juices, or essential oils. The liquid is necessary to "activate" the binder. The amount of liquid you add will depend on the humidity in your area and the ratio of resins and woods in your recipe.
Adding the Binder
Once your mixture is evenly blended, slowly add your chosen binder (guar gum, xanthan gum, or makko powder) and mix it thoroughly. Continue mixing until you achieve a stiff dough-like consistency. The dough should be crumbly when dry but stick together when squeezed.
Shaping the Incense
Roll the incense dough into pea-sized balls or shape them into sticks or cones, depending on your preference. You can coat the balls in powdered herbs to prevent sticking. Place them on a ceramic plate or parchment paper and let them dry for several days to a couple of weeks, turning them occasionally for even drying.
Burning Your Herbal Incense
To burn your herbal incense, place some sand in your incense dish and add a charcoal briquette on top. Light the briquette and let it burn for about 30 seconds until it's evenly hot. Place your dried incense on the briquette and enjoy the aroma!
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Shaping your incense: cones are common, but you can also make sticks or balls
Shaping your incense is a fun part of the process, as you can get creative and make something that is truly unique. Cones are common, but you can also make sticks, balls, or pellets. Here is some more information on each of these shapes:
Cones
Cones are a popular choice for incense, and you can shape them by hand or use a mould. To shape by hand, take a small amount of your incense dough—about half a teaspoon—and roll it into a cone shape. You can use a piping tip, the kind used for frosting, to help shape the cone. Choose one with a wide nozzle to make it easier. Then, slide a toothpick into the centre of the cone to create a small hole, which will help the cone burn better. Place your cones on parchment or wax paper and let them dry for at least 12 hours, turning them over halfway through.
Sticks
To make incense sticks, you can use a similar method as for cones, but roll the dough into thin, stick shapes instead. You can also use makko (a natural, water-soluble combustible material made from the bark of the tabu-no-ki tree) to help form the sticks. Let them dry completely before use.
Balls or Pellets
To make incense balls, roll your mixture into pea-sized balls. You can then roll these in powdered herbs to keep them from sticking. Place them on a plate or piece of parchment paper and let them dry for several days to a couple of weeks, turning them occasionally for even drying. Pellets are similar to balls but are made with a coarser, granular mixture. They are often made with sticky resins, such as labdanum or galbanum, and can be formed by drizzling honey into the incense mixture until it becomes dough-like. Roll the mixture into pea-sized pellets and place them on wax paper to dry. Once dry, place them in a sealed container for at least 48 hours.
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Drying your incense: place on parchment paper and leave for several days to a couple of weeks
Once you've prepared your incense mixture, it's time to dry it. Place your incense on parchment or wax paper, leaving enough space between each piece to allow for even drying. The drying time can vary depending on the humidity of your climate, but it typically takes several days to a couple of weeks. During this time, it's important to turn your incense pieces every day or two to ensure they dry evenly.
While the exact drying time may differ, the process remains consistent. For example, one method involves drying flowers with parchment paper. This technique helps retain the vibrant colours of the petals and usually takes around two weeks. To do this, place the flowers between two layers of parchment paper, creating a 'sandwich'. Then, rest this sandwich on a piece of cardboard and place a heavy book on top. Remember to change the outer parchment paper layer every two to three days to prevent mould from forming on the petals.
Another method uses a food dehydrator, which can dry petals in as little as three hours, depending on the number and type of flowers.
After your incense has dried, you can mould it into various shapes, with sticks and cones being the most common forms. However, you can also get creative and form your incense into unique shapes.
Remember, the drying process is crucial to ensure your incense burns properly and releases its scent effectively. Always allow sufficient time for drying before proceeding to the next steps of moulding and burning your homemade herbal incense.
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Burning your incense: light the tip and blow out after a few seconds, or use a charcoal briquette
Once you've crafted your herbal incense, it's time to burn it and fill your space with its aroma. There are two common methods for burning incense: using a charcoal briquette or lighting the tip of the incense directly.
If you're using a charcoal briquette, start by placing some sand into your incense dish. Then, put a charcoal briquette on top of the sand. Light the briquette and let it burn independently for about 30 seconds or until it's evenly heated. It may still appear black or emit a faint orange glow. This method is suitable for incense that isn't self-burning and requires an external heat source.
Alternatively, you can light the tip of your herbal incense directly. Use a match or lighter to ignite the tip, holding the flame to the incense until it catches fire and you see a small flame. Allow the flame to burn for a few seconds, and then gently blow it out or fan it until it extinguishes. You'll know the incense is lit when you see a small glowing ember. This method works for incense cones and sticks, whether they have a core or not.
When burning incense, always exercise caution and follow safety guidelines. Keep unlit and burning incense out of the reach of children and pets. Avoid placing incense near flammable objects like lampshades, drapes, or rugs. Be cautious not to touch the glowing tip of the incense to prevent burns. Ensure that any falling ash lands on a fireproof surface. It's also important to ventilate the room by opening a window, even just slightly, to allow fresh air to circulate while the incense burns.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need dried herbs, such as basil, dill, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, and sage. You will also need a binder like guar gum or xanthan gum, and a base material such as red sandalwood, alder, or charcoal.
You will need a mortar and pestle to crush your herbs into a powder. You will also need a small conical mold to shape your incense, and a heat-resistant bowl to burn it in.
First, crush your herbs into a powder. Then, mix in your binder and base material with a little water to form a stiff dough. Shape your dough into cones or sticks, and leave them to dry for at least 12 hours. When you are ready to burn your incense, light the tip and blow it out after a few seconds.
Always choose materials that are known to be healthier. Be careful not to brush against the glowing tip of the incense as it can burn your skin and damage your clothing. Keep lit incense away from children and pets, and make sure all incense is completely extinguished before discarding it.
