Essential Incense Making Supplies

There is something deeply satisfying and magical about making your own incense. Incense can be used to transform your living spaces into sanctuaries of tranquility and positivity or to create an exotic setting for a ritual or special occasion. It can also be used as a means of personal exploration, enabling you to design scents that invigorate, stimulate, inspire, purify or seduce. Whether you are looking for a way to enhance your own meditation and yoga practice or are interested in making unique gifts for those that you love, the possibilities are nearly limitless.

The most important part of any incense making kit is a burner. The burner provides a container for the combustible incense and protects it from fire, heat and ash. Burners are made from a variety of materials, most notably clay, pottery and stone. Burners with legs are preferred as they allow air to flow between the burner and its base, cooling both. Alternatively, any ceramic or metal cup or bowl, large sea shells and rocks with natural bowl shapes can be used as well. Burners can be filled half-way to three-quarters with ash, sand, crushed rock or salt. Adding incense to the burner is most effective and safest when done over a piece of charcoal.

To mix a non-combustible incense mixture, you can use an incense stick mold or simply use your hands to roll the ingredients into small sticks or coils. A little melted wax can be added to help the mixture hold its shape and prevent crumbling when it cools. If using wax, it should be melted over low heat and a small amount of shortening or butter can be added to reduce the melting point even further. Using the hands to form incense is an excellent meditative practice and helps you become more connected with the materials and their energy as they take shape.

If mixing a combustible incense mixture you will need a burner and some charcoal or makko to heat it. You can use a small campfire (best when there are just glowing coals remaining, no flame) or one of the infinite number of specialty holders designed for this type of incense. If you are making a scented resin pellet (neriko in Japanese recipes) then labdanum or another pliable resin is needed to bind the ingredients into the pellets.

Regardless of the type of incense you are making, it is always good to have some sort of measuring tool on hand. A scale is ideal for ensuring consistency as volume measurements can vary significantly depending upon granular size. It is advisable to measure ingredients by weight rather than volume, allowing you to easily adjust recipes as necessary. This will also help you save on a lot of extra ingredients that are unnecessary to your particular recipe.