Anisha Riggs
Incense-making is a traditional art with a rich history, especially in China and Japan. The process involves blending aromatic plants, resins, and woods with a binder and a base to create a dough-like mixture that can be formed into sticks, cones, or other shapes. The type of ingredients used, such as herbs, spices, and essential oils, and the ratios in which they are combined, determine the unique scent and burning properties of the incense. While making incense may seem daunting, it is a simple process that allows for creativity and experimentation with different ingredients and techniques.
How to make your own spice incense:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base materials | Sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, red sandalwood |
| Binder | Gum binders (guar gum, xanthan gum), wood binders, gum arabic, tragacanth, makko, honey, water, dried fruit soaked in wine |
| Aromatics | Herbs (rosemary, thyme, sagebrush, mugwort, yarrow leaves, juniper berries, wormwood, white sage, rose petals, lavender, yarrow flowers, fir needles, cinnamon), resins (frankincense, myrrh, copal), spices, essential oils, decoctions, hydrosols, extracts |
| Form | Sticks, cones, loose mixtures, incense pellets |
| Burning method | Light one end of stick or cone, fan out the flame and allow to burn; for loose mixtures or incense pellets, use charcoal or makko to heat |
| Storage | Store ingredients in a dark, cool space |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing a base: sandalwood, cedar, and pine are popular choices
- Using a binder: guar gum or xanthan gum, with water to activate
- Aromatics: dried and ground herbs, spices, resins, and essential oils
- Forming the incense: roll into balls or form a dough to shape
- Burning: light one end of a stick or cone, or use a bowl with charcoal
Choosing a base: sandalwood, cedar, and pine are popular choices
Choosing the right base for your incense is crucial as it determines its burning properties and can enhance its scent. The base material in your incense replaces the charcoal or other outside heat source used in non-combusting forms of incense. Therefore, a good base should burn well and evenly.
Sandalwood, cedar, and pine are popular choices for base materials. They are excellent bases that can add a very strong scent to your incense blend. However, their strong scents can be tricky to work with, especially if you want to create a specific fragrance profile. In such cases, you can opt for \"oil-extracted\" or lower-quality versions of these woods, which have very little scent, or choose bases with very little scent, such as red sandalwood (which is not actual sandalwood), alder, and charcoal.
If you want to use a base that complements the rest of your blend, you can use fragrant wood powders like apple, fir, or other types of wood that burn well. You can also use tree foliage in addition to wood. For example, pine needles, when completely dried and powdered, can improve the burning characteristics of incense. However, be cautious not to use too much foliage from evergreens as they can produce acrid smoke that may be irritating to the eyes and throats of those nearby.
Additionally, some ingredients can be added to your base to increase the heat and make your incense burn faster and more evenly, such as clove, or to slow the burn, such as white ash. These ingredients, though primarily added for their impact on burning properties, can also be considered part of the "aromatic" ingredients in your blend.
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Using a binder: guar gum or xanthan gum, with water to activate
When making your own spice incense, you can use a gum binder such as guar gum or xanthan gum, along with water, to activate and bind the incense ingredients. Gum binders are typically much stronger than wood binders and are scentless, so they won't interfere with the fragrance of your incense. Guar gum, in particular, is a very popular choice for incense makers. It is a general-purpose binder that is very effective at binding powdered incense ingredients together. However, it is quite strong, so it's important to be careful not to use too much, as this can cause the incense to bind too strongly and prevent it from burning properly. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than 0.10g of guar gum per 2 grams of powdered incense ingredients.
Xanthan gum is another option for a gum binder. It is produced by bacteria and is commonly used as a thickener in many foods. Xanthan gum provides a smoother finish than other gum binders, but it is equally strong. When using xanthan gum, a small amount goes a long way. A typical incense recipe calls for just 1/8 teaspoon of binder for every 2 tablespoons of incense material. If you are making masala-style incense sticks with a wooden rod in the centre, you may need to increase the amount of gum binder to 1/4 teaspoon if your mix isn't adhering to the wood properly.
To activate gum binders like guar gum and xanthan gum, you must add water or another water-based liquid to your incense blend. This can include tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or even herbal teas and wine. However, it's important to note that essential oils do not contain water, so they cannot be used as a substitute for water. When adding water, be sure to experiment with the ingredients and adjust the ratios as needed.
When creating your own spice incense, it's important to choose a base material that burns well and evenly. While some base materials like sandalwood have strong scents of their own, others like red sandalwood, alder, and charcoal have very little scent and will allow the fragrance of your aromatic ingredients to shine through. You can also choose a base with a complementary scent to enhance the overall fragrance of your incense blend.
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Aromatics: dried and ground herbs, spices, resins, and essential oils
Aromatic incense is made by burning dried herbs, spices, resins, and essential oils. Incense has been used across countless generations and in many cultures for scenting, cleansing, and religious practice.
Dried and Ground Herbs
Common garden herbs such as sage, lavender, rosemary, thyme, and eucalyptus can be dried and burned as incense. To make your own dried herb incense, gather fresh herbs and tie them into a bundle with twine, winding the twine tightly around the bundle and crisscrossing it as you go. Hang the bundle in a cool, dry spot for 2-3 weeks until the herbs are completely dry, then light the end and blow out the flame, allowing the herbs to smolder.
Spices
Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg can be ground and mixed with the dried herb incense for a more complex fragrance.
Resins
Resins such as copal and frankincense are also commonly used in incense. These can be added to the herb and spice mixture or burned on their own.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used to scent incense sticks. Popular choices include floral and fruity oils like rose, as well as woody and earthy oils like sandalwood. Other options include coconut, vanilla, lavender, and neroli.
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Forming the incense: roll into balls or form a dough to shape
Once you have your incense mixture, you can form it into any shape you like. The most common forms are sticks and cones, but you can also form the incense into balls or shapes of your choice.
If you want to roll incense sticks by hand, you will need blank bamboo sticks with no additives, and you can roll your mixture onto the sticks. Allow your incense to dry for at least two weeks, keeping it away from sunlight and heat. Sticks will dry faster than cones. You can tell if your cones are dry by turning them upside down and looking for any colour difference between the centre of the bottom and the outer edges.
To make cones, you will need a small conical mould. Place around half a teaspoon of incense dough into the mould. You can also form pea-sized balls with your hands and spread them out to dry. Drying time can take between two to four weeks, depending on the climate and humidity. Turn the mixture daily for proper drying.
If you want to make joss sticks or coils, you will need to use an extruder to get acceptable results. If you want to make masala sticks, use Tabu-No-Ki instead of Joss powder.
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Burning: light one end of a stick or cone, or use a bowl with charcoal
When burning incense, it's important to take precautions as incense sticks and cones are made of highly flammable materials. Never leave burning incense unattended, and make sure to keep it away from any flammable objects. Always ensure the area around you is clear of any flammable objects before lighting incense. This includes curtains, towels, clothes, and anything with a high alcohol or petroleum content, such as aerosols, hairspray, and alcohol. Incense should be continually monitored while burning. If you leave the room, make sure to put out the incense first.
To burn an incense stick, use an incense holder or stand to keep them upright. Incense sticks can easily topple over and start a fire. Some types of holders can get quite hot and cause burns if mishandled. When shopping for an incense holder, opt for one made of heat-resistant materials such as crystal, metal, or ceramic.
To light an incense stick, ignite the very tip of the stick and let it burn for a few moments before gently blowing out the flame. You should see a red glow at the tip of the stick. If not, try lighting it again and letting it burn for a little longer before blowing out the flame.
To burn an incense cone, use a heat-resistant incense burner made of metal, stone, or ceramic. Place the cone upright on its base inside the burner and light the tip of the cone. Apply the flame for a few moments, then gently blow it out. You should see a red glow at the tip of the cone. If not, try lighting it again and letting it burn a little longer before blowing out the flame. Once the cone is burning, place the lid on the burner. Remember to enjoy burning incense cones in a well-ventilated area.
To burn incense using charcoal, you can use a cauldron or bowl. Place a bit of sand or salt on the charcoal to dampen the heat and prevent the bowl from getting too hot. Light the charcoal and allow it to burn for a bit until it develops a layer of ash, then place your incense on top. Alternatively, you can use tinfoil or a sheet of mica between the charcoal and incense to diffuse the heat.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a variety of dried and ground herbs, spices, and resins. For herbs, you can use rosemary, thyme, rose petals, and lavender. For spices, cinnamon is a good option. You can buy commercial resins like frankincense or myrrh, or gather resin from the base of a conifer tree. You will also need a binder like guar gum or xanthan gum, and a base like sandalwood, cedar, or pine.
You will need a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder to pulverize your ingredients into a fine powder. You will also need a bowl or container to mix your ingredients, and a ceramic plate or parchment paper to dry your incense.
First, pulverize your ingredients into a fine powder. Then, mix your ingredients together with a little bit of binder and water to form a stiff dough. Roll the dough into pea-sized balls and roll them in powdered herbs to prevent sticking. Place the balls on a ceramic plate or parchment paper and let them dry for several days to a couple of weeks, turning them every day or two.
If you have made incense cones or sticks, light one end, fan out the flame, and allow it to burn slowly. If you have made loose incense mixtures or pellets, you will need charcoal or makko to heat your mixtures. Place the charcoal in an incense dish with some sand and light it. Allow it to burn for about 30 seconds or until it is evenly hot.
Store your spice incense in a cool, dark, dry place.
