Incense is made from a variety of organic materials that release a pleasant fragrance when burned. It is commonly used in religious ceremonies, to evoke relaxation and to mask unpleasant odors.
Direct burning incense contains a combustible material and requires an outside source of heat to burn. This includes cored sticks, dhoop and coil incense.
Direct Burning
Incense can be divided into two main categories: direct burning and indirect burning incense. The former refers to resins and mixtures that can be burned directly and do not require a heat source, while the latter consists of aromatic materials that cannot be burned and must be placed next to a heat source such as smoldering charcoal briquettes in order to release their fragrance.
Many types of fragrant woods, herbs, roots and flowers are used in making incense. They may be mixed and matched in different proportions depending on the desired aroma. A combustible material known as binder is added to the mix in order to bind the materials together and to allow the incense to be shaped into different forms such as sticks, cones or coils.
Most commercially available incense is produced using a combination of both direct and indirect burning incense. The combustible material is typically made from ground wood or charcoal powder that has been mixed with an organic binder such as gum Arabic or tragacanth. The resulting product is then formed into various shapes, such as incense sticks, incense cones or incense coils, and then dipped into scented oils. The oils will penetrate the incense and emit a fragrant smoke when it is lit.
The odorous compounds in the aromatic materials are generally distilled into essential oils and then blended with perfume industry synthetics in order to create a wide variety of fragrances that can be applied to the combustible incense base. This blending process produces an incense that is usually less expensive than those that are derived from the unextracted raw materials.
Direct Burning Incense
The most common type of incense is called direct burning incense and consists of a mixture of herbs, roots or flowers that are dipped in an aromatic oil. The resulting product is then pressed onto an incense stick or molded into an incense cone and left to dry. When it is lit the incense will release a fragrant smoke and smolder slowly. This type of incense will last longer if it is not touched or fanned too often, as constant exposure to the smoldering smoke can cause respiratory problems and headaches.
Indirect Burning Incense
Indirect burning incense consists of fragrant resins and mixtures that are not capable of being burned on their own and must be placed next to a heat sources such as smoldering coal in order to release its fragrance. Some examples of traditional indirect-burning incense are frankincense, myrrh and copal resins as well as dragon’s blood.
It is important to note that extensive use of incense of both the direct and indirect type can increase indoor air pollution, especially if it is burned on charcoal briquettes. This can cause a variety of health issues, including allergies, asthma and headaches. To help avoid this, try switching to a lower-smoke type of incense or simply open windows and doors to increase ventilation, which will also decrease the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) released into the air. Alternatively, consider using a natural air freshener such as dried flower potpourri or scented plants instead.