How to Make Incense Sticks
Imagine the sensual, aromatic smoke of your own custom incense filling your space. Luckily, making your own incense sticks is as easy and relaxing as enjoying them. Besides purifying the air in your home, burning incense creates a charming ambiance. Experimenting with different resins, woods and herbs to create your own custom blend is actually quite fun. Do it few times and you'll be an expert! Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Powdered Incense Ingredients (Resin or Herbs)
- Thin Bamboo Wood Sticks
- Makko Powder
- Distilled Water
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Wax Paper
- Glass Jar with Lid
Instructions
-
-
1
Put your powdered resin, wood or herb ingredients in a jar with a lid. Close the lid and let the mixture sit for a week. This will give time for the aromas to meld together. Use high quality ingredients. To save time, buy resins, woods and herbs that are already pulverized into a fine powder. Many online retailers offer easy ready-to-use packages.
-
2
Open the jar and pour mixture into a bowl. You will have more success forming sticks if your mixture is pulverized into a fine powder. If there are any clumps, work them out with a mortar and pestle.
-
-
3
Add makko to the mixture. Makko is ground up bark from trees that grow in Asia. It is natural and very combustible. It burns clean and does not interfere with the true scents of your herbs, woods and resins. Mix together with a spoon. For sample recipe: Add 1 to 1/2 tablespoons makko to your incense mixture.
-
4
Slowly add a small amount of distilled water to the mixture. Use your hands to mix it together. Keep adding small amounts of water until the mixture is pliable and gummy. Continue to knead the mixture for a few minutes.
-
5
Put a sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface. Place a few sticks on the paper.
-
6
Scoop up a small amount of mixture and put it on the waxed paper. Using your hands, roll the mixture around the sticks on the waxed paper. Coat the sticks. The mixture should be about two millimeters thick around the stick. Continue until all the mixture is used.
-
7
Store the sticks in a cool, dry place for two weeks. They need to dry out completely before being burned. After two weeks, light one stick to see. If it goes out right away, let them sit for a few more days.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Instead of using distilled water, try using scented hydrosols. Hydrosols are the water that remains after an essential oil is produced by distillation and come in many different flavors.
Burn incense sticks in a safe container. Special incense stick burners are available in many popular stores and on the web.
