Make Your Own
Combustible Incenses

Incense has been burning on altars and in homes for over 5,000 years. There are four basic forms of incense--loose, cone, cylinder or stick. Choices of scents come from berries, bark, flowers, gums, leaves, roots, seeds, spices, wood. Some herbs do not burn like they smell, such as peppermint, which smells quite unpleasant when burned. You can test a scent by sprinkling a pinch of your mix on charcoal first, keeping a record of what works and smells pleasing.

.

A recipe for incense always has five ingredients: an aromatic substance, a base of wood powder (sandalwood, vetiver, cedar etc.) saltpeter or potassium nitrate (the igniting substance), a glue (gum arabic or tragacanth) and liquid (water, wine, brandy, olive oil, rosewater, etc.). Frequently used ingredients are (frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, copal, rose petals, bay, cinnamon, pine needle resin and others.

.

Loose noncombustible incense is easiest to make. Combine finely powdered leaf, bark, flower, root etc. with a few drops of liquid or oils. Mix by hand, label and store in a jar. Burn this incense on charcoal. You may also scent a "blank" incense stick with a few drops of your favorite essential oil--very simple!

.

.

Recipe for Cone Incense...

6 parts powdered sandalwood (or cedar, pine, juniper)

2 parts powdered benzoin (frankincense, myrrh etc.)

1 part ground orris root

6 drops of essential oil

3 to 5 parts loose incense mixture

Mix all ingredients in the order given and weigh. Add 10% of total weight of saltpeter, mix and add gum arabic "glue" one teaspoon at a time - it's a bit messy and sticky. Roll cones thin and shape approximately 1 3/4" long. Cones will shrink and dry in two to seven days. Continue to turn cones to assure even drying without cracking. Start drying in upright position. Cones will burn 10-25 minutes.

.

.

Stick incense involves dipping bamboo sticks repeatedly into your cone incense mix until your desired thickness is achieved, changing the mixture between dippings. Are there "rules" for making combustible incense? YES: Never add more than 10% saltpeter of total incense weight, keep woods and gum resin in proportion--use twice the amount of powdered woods as resin. Frankincense, myrrh etc. should never be more than a third of the final mixture.

.

For more wonderful formulas and recipe ideas, refer to the sourcebooks listed below. Add the magic of scent to your daily ritual, personally created by you!

..

Sources:

Wylundt's Book of Incense, Samuel Weiser Press

The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews, by Scott Cunningham