How To Make Incense

Incense - the name itself envelops us with fragrance and awakes us to the pleasure of our earthly treasures. Incense is such a fine reminder of our interconnection with nature. It has been used since ancient times, for our pleasures, religious purposes and even in medical practices. Making incense is not only a fun activity, but also connects us to the past and to the ancient art of making it. The easy and enjoyable task of making incense not only entices your senses, but also eases your tension and stress. It stimulates your sensitivity and purifies your home, with its aroma. Moreover, you don’t have to spend much on making your own incense. The ingredient of the incense recipe can be easily found lying around your home or in the nearest supermarket. Read on to know how you can make your own incense.

Homemade Incense Recipe

Materials Required

Natural Incense Ingredients (resins, sandalwood, etc)
Herbs, like Rosemary and Lavender
Sand, as a heat diffuser
Coffee Grinder/ Mortar and Pestle
Charcoal Rock
Mixing Bowl
Fireproof Bowl

Procedure

Take the coarsest materials of the ingredients and powder them in the grinder or with the help of mortar and pestle.
Once the ingredients have been grounded, put them in a bowl and reserve.
Add resins to blender or coffee grinder and blend until they give gravelly appearance. You can also grind the resins in mortar and pestle. Transfer the resins into another bowl.
Add all the dry coarse ingredients, which were ground in the first step, to the resins. Blend the ingredients well and then mix the fragrance. Now, allow them to dry thoroughly.
Take a fire proof bowl and add sand to it.
Now, take a piece of charcoal rock and break it into two to three pieces. Put the charcoal pieces into the bowl.
Put a matchstick to the bowl, containing charcoal and sand, and allow it to burn. After it has been burned, sprinkle a little incense mixture on top of the charcoal and allow it to burn as well. Smell the incense to know whether the aroma is just like the shop-bought incense or not.
You can now store the incense mixture for later use and sprinkle on the hot charcoal piece, whenever you want to burn it. The mixture will last for months, if you preserve it properly.

Tips

While grinding resins with the help of mortal and pestle, make sure that it doesn’t give you blisters.
Be very cautious while burning the charcoal, sand and incense, in the bowl.
Preserve the incense mixture in an air-tight container, which is free of moisture.
Store the mixture in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
Whenever you use the incense, ensure that you have taken just the required quantity of the mixture.
Replace the lid of the container, immediately after you take out the incense mixture.

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