Natural incense is handmade by conscious craftsmen using herbs, flowers, woods, resins and spices. It is free from harmful chemicals and is great for aromatherapy, meditation, yoga or as a home decor.
Dipped incense sticks are made by coating an incense blank with a scented oil. This incense is then hung to dry.
1. Natural Ingredients
A variety of herbs, flowers, spices and resins make up the natural ingredients used in handmade natural incense. These substances have a wide range of benefits including aromatherapy, spirituality, and calming the mind.
These ingredients are ground to a fine powder and mixed with essential oils or other fragrances, then rolled into sticks or molded into shapes. This is done to ensure that the incense will burn properly, with a low smoke level and for a long time.
Many incenses are also dipped to add color or to give them a more pleasant scent. Dipped incenses typically use incense “blanks” (usually made of unscented combustible wood powder) that are dipped into either essential or artificial fragrance oil before being dried. The resulting dipped incense may not burn well or last as long as true handmade incense. Some dipped incenses are made by dipping into an overly oily resinous substance, which can prevent the combustible materials from smoldering properly.
2. Natural Fragrance
Natural resins and oils have been burned since ancient times for spiritual, medicinal/healing, fragrancing and odor-masking properties. They have also been known to elevate moods and inspire creativity making them great for meditation or yoga practice.
However, most incense on the market today is made from chemical based fragrances that can fill your space with toxic smoke when they burn. This can lead to headaches, breathing issues and many other health problems.
Dipped incense sticks are made by dipping pre-formed incense “blanks” (sticks with unscented combustible powder coating) into essential or fragrance oils, and then drying them. This is a cheap and easy way to make incense, but can be harmful when the oil drips off onto your skin or surfaces. Choosing hand-dipped natural incense helps avoid this risk. Handmade incense is made from a blend of herbs, woods and spices allowing the scent to naturally linger in your space without releasing any toxic chemicals into the air.
3. Natural Process
Unlike many synthetic alternatives, natural incense is free of harmful chemicals and additives. The burning of incense can reduce stress and anxiety, elevate moods, enhance meditation and yoga practices, and purify a room’s air. In addition, certain types of herbal incense may have antibacterial properties and help to remove odours.
For indirect-burning incense, raw materials are mixed with a binder and shaped into pastes or small pastilles. This is the method used in many Arabian incenses, as well as kneaded incense made in Japan (neriko or awaseko). The mixture is allowed to dry in an environment that provides good airflow to avoid adhesion.
This allows the individual components to commingle, producing a more diverse fragrance. In contrast, dipped incense is often made by mixing powdered or granulated incense with a substance such as charcoal, DPG (Dipropylene Glycol) or other petrochemical accelerants. The result is a sticky incense that burns slowly and provides a long-lasting scent without the production of toxic smoke pollutants.
4. Natural Appearance
The burning of incense has been a ritual for centuries, whether to create a serene ambiance, participate in spiritual ceremonies, or simply enjoy the rich aroma. It is said that the smoke created by certain plants (such as sage, sweet grass or juniper berries) has healing and cleansing properties.
Natural incense has the added benefit of being much safer for pets. Many commercial incense sticks contain harmful ingredients, man-made glue and wooden sick, which can release toxic compounds when burned. Choosing a natural alternative eliminates this problem altogether.
Utama Spice hand rolled incense sticks are free of charcoal, which is commonly used to induce burning, and are made with a variety of plant materials including woods, barks, resins and essential oils. We offer thousands of natural fragrances for you to try so you can find the perfect scent to fit your mood, space and lifestyle. Our products are the best of the best and will leave your environment smelling fresh and clean.