Katrina Rosales
Incense is used in various cultures and ceremonies and is made from a combination of aromatic ingredients, a base, and a binder. The base and binder are there to heat the aromatics and release their scents. The binder acts as a glue to hold the incense together and can be a gum binder or a wood binder. Gum binders, such as guar gum or xanthan gum, are more powerful than wood binders, but too much can prevent the incense from burning. Wood binders, such as joss powder or tabu no ki, can also act as a base material. Aromatic ingredients can be dried herbs such as cedar, lavender, sage, and sweetgrass, or resins like frankincense or myrrh. To make incense, the ingredients are ground into a powder and mixed with a small amount of binder and water. The mixture is then shaped into cones or sticks and left to dry before being burned.
Characteristics and their Values for Making Incense:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base | Sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, makko, tabu no ki, joss powder, resins, woods, herbs |
| Binder | Gum binders (tragacanth), guar gum, xanthan gum, wood binders, honey, water, dried fruit soaked in wine |
| Tools | Mixing bowl, coffee grinder, tweezers or tongs, mica, wax paper |
| Liquid | Distilled water, fragrant hydrosols, tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, herbal teas, wine |
| Other | Charcoal, essential oils, decoctions, extracts, cones, sticks |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a base: sandalwood, cedar, pine, alder, charcoal, or makko
When choosing a base for your incense, you can select from a variety of materials, each with its own unique qualities and effects on the burning process. Here are some popular options:
Sandalwood, Cedar, and Pine
These woods can add a very strong scent to your incense blend. You can find oil-extracted varieties or lower-quality options with minimal scent. However, most types of these woods will contribute significantly to the overall fragrance.
Red Sandalwood, Alder, and Charcoal
These materials are known for their low-scent properties, making them ideal for beginners. They have a very subtle fragrance, allowing you to focus on the aromatic ingredients you wish to highlight.
Makko
Makko is derived from the bark of the Tabunoki (Machilus thunbergii) or Thunberi tree. It serves as both a base and a binder, helping with the burning process. Makko has a low scent profile, ensuring that it won't overpower or interfere with the desired fragrance. It is naturally combustible, promoting a slow and even burn. Makko is a popular choice, as it can be used as a replacement for other base materials, such as Tabu-No-Ki or Joss Powder.
When choosing a base, consider the overall fragrance you want to achieve and whether you prefer a stronger or more subtle scent from your base material. Additionally, keep in mind that the amount of base material used can vary, with some recipes calling for up to 75% wood binder.
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Binders: gum or wood binders
Binders are essential in incense-making as they act as a glue to hold the incense together in the desired shape. There are two types of binders: gum binders and wood binders. Gum binders, such as guar gum or xanthan gum, are more potent than wood binders. They are added in small quantities, typically 1/8 teaspoon of gum binder for every 2 tablespoons of incense material. Gum binders do not contribute any scent to the blend and help avoid cracks and breaks in the incense dough, making it easier to shape into cones or rolls. Tragacanth is a commonly used gum binder.
Wood binders, such as joss powder (jiggit) and tabu no ki (sometimes called makko), often act as both a binder and a base. They are forgiving and easy to work with, making them a good choice for new incense makers. However, they usually need to be added in larger quantities, with some recipes calling for up to 75% wood binder.
Makko, derived from the bark of the Tabunoki (Machilus thunbergii) tree, is a popular choice as it has a low scent profile and helps with combustion, ensuring a slow and even burn. When using makko, a typical ratio is 1:3, with one teaspoon of makko powder combined with three teaspoons of pulverized herbs. It is important to note that makko is not a single ingredient but a blend that often includes tabu no ki.
To activate any binder, water or a water-based liquid must be added to the incense mixture. This can include liquids such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices, or herbal teas.
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Aromatics: dried herbs, aromatic woods, resins, or essential oils
Aromatics are the ingredients that give incense its scent. They can be dried herbs, aromatic woods, resins, or essential oils.
Dried herbs such as cedar, lavender, sage, and sweetgrass are commonly used. You can grow these herbs yourself or buy them from a store. Once you have your chosen herbs, crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. This step can be time-consuming, so it may be helpful to use a coffee grinder instead.
Aromatic woods like sandalwood, cedar, and pine can add a strong scent to your incense blend. You can find oil-extracted or lower-quality versions of these woods with very little scent. Red sandalwood, alder, and charcoal are also low-scent base materials that are easier to work with if you are new to making incense.
Resins are another type of aromatic used in incense. You can buy commercial resins like frankincense or myrrh, or you can gather your own from the sap of conifer trees. If you choose to gather your own resin, be mindful not to take resin that is still forming on the tree, as it serves to protect the tree from infection. Only gather hard resin that has fallen to the ground. You can make resin easier to crush by placing it in the freezer for a few hours first.
Essential oils are liquid scents that can be added to your incense blend. Other examples of liquid scents include decoctions, hydrosols, and other extracts. Keep in mind that essential oils do not contain water, so you will still need to add a water-based liquid to your blend.
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Tools: coffee grinder, bowls, wax paper, tweezers, or tongs
Making incense at home is a fun and simple process. It requires just a few tools and ingredients, and you can create your own unique blends of scents.
Tools:
- Coffee grinder: To grind and pulverize your chosen herbs, resins, and woods into a fine powder.
- Bowls: You will need at least two mixing bowls to combine your dry and wet ingredients. Mixing bowls are essential for blending and storing your incense mixture.
- Wax paper: This is used for drying your incense creations. After shaping your incense into cones or sticks, place them on wax paper to dry for at least 12 hours.
- Tweezers or tongs: These tools can be useful for handling small pieces, especially when filling molds or shaping incense without getting your hands messy.
With these tools and the right ingredients, you can begin your incense-making journey. Remember to wear protective gear, such as a mask and gloves, when handling various substances, and always be cautious when working with heat and open flames.
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Shaping: cones, pellets, or sticks
Shaping incense into cones, pellets, or sticks is a simple process, but it requires careful preparation. Here is a detailed guide to help you get started:
Cones
To make incense cones, start by selecting potent herbs such as basil, dill, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, or sage. Mix and grind the herbs into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. You will need approximately 1.5 teaspoons of this herb mixture for each cone. If using ingredients like honey, add them after grinding the herbs. Include about 1 tablespoon of water and 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of any other liquid ingredients. The mixture should hold its shape well; if it is too wet or too dry, it won't form effective cones.
To shape the cones, use a piping tip, preferably one with a wide nozzle, and press the mixture into it. Insert a toothpick into the centre of the cone to create space, which aids in better burning. Tap the toothpick on the sides of the piping cone to loosen and remove any excess mixture. Allow the cones to dry completely on a tray or inside an open container in a sunny spot for one to two days. Store them in an airtight container, especially if honey was used in the mixture, to prevent moisture from affecting the burning quality.
Pellets
Pellets can be easily formed from any loose incense mixture. They add a richer fragrance and more dimension to your incense creations. Various substances can be used as binders for your pellets. Many resins, such as labdanum, come in a pliable form that allows for easy pellet shaping. Simply combine all the ingredients, excluding the binder, and then add them to the pliable resin, kneading the mixture well. Alternatively, dried fruits like raisins, dried apricots, or prunes can be used after being soaked overnight in a heavy red wine and blended with the loose incense mixture. Honey can also act as a preservative and provide a warm fragrance to the blend.
Once your chosen ingredients are combined, shape the mixture into pellets and dry them in a covered ceramic jar for 2-3 weeks. Pellets are best gently heated rather than burned to release their fragrance without producing poor aromas. This can be done using a cup, bowl, or saucer filled with ash or sand, or even a seashell.
Sticks
To create incense sticks, you will need unscented sticks, fragrance oil or essential oils, and dipropylene glycol (DPG) to help the incense burn properly and reduce smoke. Soak the unscented sticks in the fragrance oil, and for a stronger scent, prepare them in batches of 20-30 sticks. After soaking, dry the sticks on a rack or in a box and store them in a ziplock bag to maintain their fragrance. Always burn the sticks completely dry, and be cautious when lighting them around children.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a combination of aromatic herbs, resins, and woods. You can also include liquid scents such as essential oils, decoctions, hydrosols, and other extracts.
You will need a mixing bowl, a way to grind your ingredients (such as a mortar and pestle or hand-cranked coffee grinder), and something to form your incense (such as moulds or your hands).
Common binders include gum binders (such as guar gum or xanthan gum) and wood binders (such as joss powder or "tabu no ki"). You can also use honey, water, or dried fruit soaked in wine.
The most common forms are sticks and cones, but you can form your incense into any shape you wish.
This depends on the climate you are in. In general, cones should be dried for at least a couple of weeks, and sticks should be dried for 10-15 hours.
