Tips For Making Your Own Incense
Incense has been around in various forms for over six thousand years now, dating back to 3000 BC and the founding of the Egyptian civilization. The ancient peoples understood how incense can affect our moods and emotional health. The aromatic scents of various incense mixtures help to create a more inviting environment as well as relieve stress and emotional discomfort.
While making your own incense may seem like a daunting task, it is really only a matter of finding the right recipe that appeals to you and then taking the time to prepare it. First of all, you must understand exactly what incense is. Incense is a mixture of herbs, oils, gums, resins, spice, and woods. When made right, it burns slowly and produces a pleasing scent.
The various combinations and recipes for incense are seemingly endless. To start planning ahead, ask yourself what scents or tastes appeal to you. If you like licorice for example, then anise oil may be an excellent choice. Or if you prefer lavender, then oil of lavender goes great with almost all other combinations. Aromatic woods such as cedar are also a nice addition.
Make a list of the ingredients that you like and then start shopping around for them. There are several incense retailers online that can meet all your product needs. Beyond the ingredients, you'll need a burner. A burner is basically a basin that is placed within some kind of clay structure. The incense mixture is placed inside the basin so it can be lit.
If you're planning on making incense cones or sticks, however, then you'll need to use makko. Makko is an excellent compound made from the bark of the tree that when mixed with water becomes gummy and moldable. You can then take your fingers and mold the incense into shapes that you can then allow dry over a period of time.
The great thing about homemade incense is you know what is going into it because you made it yourself. It also has a much more aromatic scent than store bought incense. Best of all, making your own incense only takes a few minutes of preparation and it is kind of fun. Whatever you choose to, remember to experiment a little. Finding the right combination of oils, herbs, and woods that suits your own needs may take a little while. With a little patience, you'll eventually learn how to be an accomplished incense maker.
While making your own incense may seem like a daunting task, it is really only a matter of finding the right recipe that appeals to you and then taking the time to prepare it. First of all, you must understand exactly what incense is. Incense is a mixture of herbs, oils, gums, resins, spice, and woods. When made right, it burns slowly and produces a pleasing scent.
The various combinations and recipes for incense are seemingly endless. To start planning ahead, ask yourself what scents or tastes appeal to you. If you like licorice for example, then anise oil may be an excellent choice. Or if you prefer lavender, then oil of lavender goes great with almost all other combinations. Aromatic woods such as cedar are also a nice addition.
Make a list of the ingredients that you like and then start shopping around for them. There are several incense retailers online that can meet all your product needs. Beyond the ingredients, you'll need a burner. A burner is basically a basin that is placed within some kind of clay structure. The incense mixture is placed inside the basin so it can be lit.
If you're planning on making incense cones or sticks, however, then you'll need to use makko. Makko is an excellent compound made from the bark of the tree that when mixed with water becomes gummy and moldable. You can then take your fingers and mold the incense into shapes that you can then allow dry over a period of time.
The great thing about homemade incense is you know what is going into it because you made it yourself. It also has a much more aromatic scent than store bought incense. Best of all, making your own incense only takes a few minutes of preparation and it is kind of fun. Whatever you choose to, remember to experiment a little. Finding the right combination of oils, herbs, and woods that suits your own needs may take a little while. With a little patience, you'll eventually learn how to be an accomplished incense maker.