Have you visited the market lately and discovered that you had a hard time choosing an incense for yourself? If you did, it’s probably because there are a lot of companies out there making these incense and making a choice for yourself becomes more difficult. Primarily because you don’t know which one is good and which one isn’t. You would have been able to solve that problem if only you knew how to make your incense. Lucky for you, you made it to this blog post and in today’s guide, I’ll be teaching you how to make your herbal incense so you wouldn’t have to bother about petty things like choosing which one to buy.
What is herbal incense?
An incense is basically anything you can burn that’s capable of producing odorous smoke. With incense, the smoke we are particularly concerned with or associate with are the ones that smell good and can also refresh the room.
What are the benefits of using herbal incense over artificial incense?
Asides from the fact that making your own incense at home is cheaper than purchasing one from the store there are several other benefits you stand to gain when you use one.
Depending on the herb you use, the smoke from the herbal incense can be a little irritating to the eyes or it may not irritate the eyes at all. Unlike artificial incense which is irritating to the eyes as a result of the chemicals used in their production.
Herbal incense do not have artificial chemicals added to them which makes them have less impact on the air quality when compared to artificial or synthetic fragrances. Additionally, if you are the type that is sensitive to strong scents then I’m pretty sure that before now, you have been running away from burning incense. Well, with herbal incense all that can become a thing of the past because you wouldn’t have to worry about it having a strong scent since they are environmentally friendly.
How to make herbal incense
Herbal incense can be made from a variety of combinations. When making herbal incense, you can decide to use ingredients such as clove oil mixed with other fragrant and essential oils used in perfumes that may contain lavender extracts.
However, it’s advisable to stick to blends of herbal incense that offer a fresher scent. When making herbal incense remember to practice caution because the aromatic materials used are fire hazards and require precaution when burning them. Hence, avoid burning your incense in closed areas or cars where they can be potentially set ablaze due to heat if left unattended.
Herbal materials you’ll need
- Fresh sage leaves.
- You can choose to use other herbs or flowers like thyme, roses eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary but this is optional.
Equipment you’ll need
- Scissors.
- Heatproof dish.
- Lighter.
- Scissor.
Procedure
Once you have all the herbal materials and the equipment ready, follow the set of instructions outlined below to produce your herbal incense.
● Make a posy of sage
Carry about 8 or 10 sage leaves and make a posy, ensure you keep all of the stems together. If you have other long-stemmed flowers or herbs, you can add them too. All flowers herbs and flowers that dry well will work. If you aren’t using only sage leaves then bundle the herbs or flowers you’ll be incorporating to the leaves and then wrap the sage leaves around the outside of the other stems.
● Cut out a piece of cotton twine
Measure and cut out a piece of cotton twine that’s eight times as long as your bundle.
● Tie up the bundle
Now, gather all the ends of your bundle together and tie a knot using the twine. Make the knot to be about ½ inch up from the stem-end of the bundle. Leave a short tail on one side with the twine long on the other side.
● Wrap the twine around the bundle
Begin by wrapping the long end of the twine around the bundle. Ensure that the wrapping is tight otherwise the twine will loosen as the herbs shrink and dry up.
● Wrap the twine the other way
When you have gotten to the end, start wrapping the twine back in the other direction.
● Tie up the twine at the end of the bundle
Wrap all extra twine around the base and fold in the ends under the wrapping. This makes it easy to carry about when you are ready to light the incense.
● Dry the herb bundle
Locate a cool and dry place and hang the bundle. Allow it to dry for about 2-3 weeks. Before you start burning, ensure that the bundle have been completely dried.
When the bundle have been completely dried and it’s now ready for use, hold the handle end and light up the other end. Do not let burn, blow out the fire once it has been lit and let the herbs smoulder. Place the incense high above the ground. You can place it in a small heatproof bowl or dish above the ground to allow the smoke to easily circulate around the house.
