Seamus Hammond
Incense has been used for centuries as a way to cleanse energy, get rid of bad odours, and enhance spirituality. It is a popular tool among religious and spiritual relics, but people of all kinds are now enjoying its effects. Incense can be crafted from essential oils, which are strong-scented aromatic liquids/oils extracted from various plants. Essential oils can be used in incense burners, but it is recommended to combine them with other ingredients such as frankincense, myrrh, or patchouli. Alternatively, essential oils can be diluted in water or carrier oil and then burnt to release their fragrance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use | Essential oils can be used as incense by burning them with a tea light candle in a ceramic oil warmer. |
| Preparation | The ceramic oil warmer should be placed on a heat-proof surface, and the area should be cleared of flammable objects. |
| Safety | Incense should not be left unattended while burning and should be extinguished properly. |
| Health | Burning incense releases hazardous chemicals, which can cause respiratory problems, eye irritation, and nausea. |
| Alternatives | Incense oil can be infused by cooking it with a carrier oil over low heat. |
| Scents | Essential oils come in a wide variety of scents, including floral, sweet, spicy, earthy, woodsy, fresh, minty, herbaceous, and citrus. |
| Benefits | Essential oils are enriched with healing properties. For example, lavender can improve sleep and anxiety, while frankincense can uplift energy and reduce nausea. |
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What You'll Learn
How to burn essential oils as incense
Burning essential oils is a more natural, ancient, and healthy alternative to incense sticks, cones, and coils. It is also a great way to fill your space with a pleasant aroma.
First, you will need a ceramic oil warmer, a tea light candle, a long lighter or matchstick, a pourable jug of water or carrier oil, and your chosen essential oil/oils.
Next, follow these steps:
- Place the ceramic oil warmer on a heat-proof surface, out of the reach of children and pets. Ensure there is nothing around the warmer that could potentially catch light.
- Place an unlit tea light candle onto the bottom ledge of the warmer, below the top surface.
- Carefully fill the top bowl-like surface of the warmer with cool water or carrier oil (fill it about 2/3rds of the way).
- Add 4-10 drops of your chosen essential oil to the water. If desired, add a small amount of botanicals and resin to the water for an extra special touch.
- Light the tea light candle with a long matchstick and enjoy for 10-25 minutes.
- Never leave incense burning unattended.
Other Ways to Use Essential Oils as Incense:
If you don't have a ceramic oil warmer, you can also use essential oils with incense sticks or cones. You can purchase pre-made incense sticks and cones that are infused with essential oils, or you can make your own at home.
To make your own, you will need blank incense sticks or cones, essential oils of your choice, a dropper, a dish, and, for cones only, denatured alcohol or another type of unscented alcohol that is 40% or above.
For incense sticks:
- Line your dish with aluminium foil.
- Place your unscented incense sticks in even spaces on the tray.
- Using the provided dropper, add 20 drops of essential oil to each incense stick, ensuring that the oil is evenly distributed across the whole stick.
- Once applied, keep the sticks in a glass jar and let them rest for 24 hours before use.
For incense cones:
- Measure out 1/3 essential oil to 2/3 alcohol.
- Pour the mixture into a deep pan or dish and place your blank incense cones into the liquid.
- Leave the cones to soak for 24 hours.
- Line a drying rack with paper towels and remove the cones from the mixture using a spatula or strainer. Place them on the rack to dry for another 24 hours.
- Keep the cones away from heat sources and open flames during this period. Once they are completely dry, they are ready to be burned.
Always remember to never leave candles or incense burning unattended.
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The history of essential oils
The use of essential oils has been prominent since prehistoric times, with cave paintings in Lascaux, France, suggesting the use of medicinal plants in everyday life as far back as 18,000 BCE. The first recorded use of essential oils was in China between 2697 and 2597 BCE during the reign of Huang Ti, the legendary Yellow Emperor. Huang Ti's book, "The Yellow Emperor's Book of Internal Medicine", includes the uses of several aromatics and is still considered a classic by practitioners of Eastern medicine.
Around 4500 BCE, the Egyptians began using aromatic oils to create tinctures, powders, salves, and ointments for medicinal treatments and spiritual ceremonies. The Greeks recorded knowledge of essential oils adopted from the Egyptians between 400 and 500 BCE. The Greek physician Hypocrites, often referred to as the "Father of Medicine", documented the effects of about 300 plants, including thyme, saffron, marjoram, cumin, and peppermint.
In 2000 BCE, literature from India referenced the use of oils in Ayurvedic healthcare. "Ayur" means life, and "veda" means knowledge, and this system incorporates spiritual, philosophical, and practical elements with essential oils as the core element. The Veda, India's most sacred book of hymns and religious texts, mentions over 700 uses of herbs and aromatics for healing and religious purposes.
The Romans were known for lavishly applying perfumed oils to their bodies, bedding, and clothes, as well as using oils in massages and baths. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church considered the use of essential oils decadent and inappropriate, leading to the knowledge of oils being kept secret by monks. By the 1800s, essential oils were prescribed by pharmacists for various illnesses.
Today, essential oils are widely known and used for their medicinal, spiritual, aromatic, and beauty purposes. They are used in aromatherapy, massage, incense, cosmetics, food additives, medicine, perfume, and religious ointments.
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Incense safety precautions
Burning incense is a potential fire hazard and can also negatively impact health. Here are some safety precautions to follow when burning incense:
Fire Hazards
Incense sticks are made of highly flammable materials and require careful handling. Always be aware that burning incense poses a fire hazard. Never leave incense unattended while it is burning. If you leave the room, make sure to put out the incense first. Before lighting incense, ensure that the area is clear of any flammable objects, such as curtains, towels, and clothing. Keep burning incense away from flammable liquids such as alcohol, hairspray, and aerosols. Place the incense burner on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from flammable objects and out of the flow of traffic. Avoid burning multiple incense sticks at once, as this increases the risk of fire.
Health Hazards
Smoke produced by burning incense contains particulates that are potential health hazards. These particulates can cause respiratory issues and allergic reactions, and research has linked them to an increased risk of asthma, heart disease, and cancer. Avoid inhaling incense smoke, and do not place incense near anyone or intentionally expose them to its smoke. If you have an underlying health condition, consult a medical professional before using incense. Keep lit incense away from children and pets, as they may accidentally knock it over or come into contact with the hot end, causing burns or starting a fire.
Other Precautions
Properly extinguish incense after use to prevent embers from falling onto flammable surfaces. Always ensure adequate ventilation by keeping a window slightly open when burning incense.
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Incense alternatives
Incense is a popular tool used for spiritual and religious purposes, but it can also be used to simply fill a room with a pleasant aroma. However, burning incense releases a carcinogen called benzene into the air, which can have adverse health effects. If you are looking for an alternative to burning incense, there are several options to consider:
Essential Oils
Essential oils are a great alternative to incense as they are more natural, ancient, and health-conscious. They offer a wider variety of fragrances to choose from and can be used in various ways. For example, essential oils can be applied topically (when diluted with a carrier oil), used in aromatherapy, or burnt using a ceramic oil warmer and a tea light candle.
Natural Incense
If you prefer to stick with incense, there are natural incense options available that are made from resins, woods, and herbs, without the addition of synthetic fragrances. These natural incense sticks are typically hand-dipped in essential oils and can burn for 20-30 minutes.
Baking
A simple way to fill your home with pleasant aromas is to bake food in the oven. Baking cinnamon apples, for example, can fill the air with a sweet scent and provide you with a tasty treat afterward.
Deodorizers
A long-term solution is to create your own homemade deodorizer by mixing baking soda and essential oils. This method will release mild fragrances into the air that can last for weeks.
Oil Burners
Oil burners are another alternative to incense burning. To use an oil burner, place a small cup or saucer over a mild heat source and add essential oils mixed with a little water.
Other Alternatives
- Essential oil candles
- Air sprays
- Resins, wood chips, or granulated incense that can be indirectly heated instead of burned
- Scented sachets or body powders
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Making your own incense
Choose your ingredients and tools:
Firstly, decide on the type of incense you want to create. You can opt for combustible incense or non-combustible incense. Combustible incense is easier to burn but more challenging to make, as it involves forming your mixtures into cones or sticks by adding a binding material and a combustible material. Non-combustible incense, also known as "loose incense" or "incense pellets," is heated using charcoal, makko, or mica atop charcoal.
For combustible incense, you will need a binding agent like gum arabic or tragacanth, and a combustible material like charcoal or bamboo charcoal (avoid charcoal with saltpeter as it is toxic). For non-combustible incense, you can use a variety of natural ingredients such as resins, woods, herbs, flowers, fruits, or seeds. Popular choices include sandalwood, pine, cedar, juniper, lavender, frankincense, myrrh, or patchouli.
Create your recipe:
Experiment with different fragrances and ratios to find a combination that appeals to you. You can start with 2-3 scents and adjust the quantities until you achieve the desired aroma. It is recommended to use pre-powdered scents, as they are easier to work with. Grind your ingredients to an ultra-fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a hand-cranked coffee grinder.
Mix and form your incense:
If making combustible incense, mix your powdered ingredients with the binding and combustible materials. Form the mixture into cones or sticks by hand or using a mould. For non-combustible incense, simply grind and mix your ingredients. You can use a shallow dish or bowl to mix and form your incense.
Dry and cure your incense:
Place your incense creations on parchment or wax paper and let them dry for at least 12 hours. Turn them over halfway through the drying process to ensure even drying. After drying, some types of incense may benefit from curing, which involves storing them in a cool, dry place for several days or weeks to allow the fragrances to mature.
Burn your incense:
Always take precautions when burning incense. Place your incense on a heat-resistant surface, away from flammable objects and out of reach of children and pets. Light the tip of your incense cone or stick, blow it out after a few seconds, and enjoy the aromatic smoke. Remember to never leave burning incense unattended.
Using essential oils with incense:
Essential oils can be used to enhance the fragrance of your incense. Choose an essential oil or a combination of oils that complement your incense recipe. Add a few drops of essential oil to the water in your incense burner, or mix essential oils with a carrier oil and apply it to your incense sticks or cones before drying. Always dilute essential oils before burning to avoid irritation and reduce the risk of flames.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use essential oils in an incense burner. However, it is recommended to combine them with other ingredients such as frankincense, myrrh, or patchouli.
Place a ceramic oil warmer on a heat-proof surface and an unlit tea light candle onto the bottom ledge of the warmer. Fill the top bowl with cool water or carrier oil and add 4-10 drops of your chosen essential oil. Light the candle and enjoy for 10-25 minutes.
Essential oils are a natural, ancient, and health-conscious solution to incense cleansing. They are fresher, more pleasant, and more potent in fragrance. They also have healing properties—for example, lavender can help with sleep and anxiety, while frankincense can uplift energy and improve nausea.
Always dilute essential oils in water or carrier oil before burning them. Do not leave incense burning unattended and keep it away from flammable objects and surfaces. Extinguish incense properly by placing the burning end in a bowl of sand or water.
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